Nutrient Deficiency?

[Aquarium1]

So I checked on my plants today and the leaves on my java fern were yellowish and some were translucent. I think I'm having some kind of nutrient deficiency in my water or something. I took out the horn wort because it might have been sucking out a bunch of nutrients but what should I do? I'm guessing ferts, but which should I use? Thanks.

 

[Aquarium1]

Although, I don't know why it'd be a deficiency because all I have in there is 2 large java ferns, a small one and a really small one, and an apon bulb (although its growing kinda fast, I didn't think itd be taking that many minerals out). As of know I only have a 14w cfl and a 10w tubular cfl (although possibly the wrong color. I got it in the fish section in walmart). It's only been lightly planted for a couple weeks.

 

[mfdrookie516]

i have to dose flourish comprehensive and nitrogen in mine... i have an extremely low bioload and it doesnt produce enough nitrates. it all depends on your tank though. im pretty sure that yellow transparent means nitrogen deficiency, but im not 100% sure on that one, though nitrogen cured my yellowed, transparent leaves in mine

 

[Aquarium1]

so just pure nitrogen or like this Planted Aquarium Fertilizer - Dry Fertilizers, Dry Fertilizers, Planted Aquarium Fertilizer - Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Nitrate, How do I know how much to dose? Where can I get nitrogen

 

[mfdrookie516]

i just figured out how many drops it takes to get mine up to 20ppm and i do it twice a week. i bought some liquid nitrogen for aquariums, but i've seen somebody (i think timwag, but not sure) recommend stump remover from lowes... a certain brand though. its apparently the same stuff, just way cheaper. dry ferts are the way to go, especially if you're ei dosing. i ordered mine from aquacave, its brightwell aquatics brand, but its cheaper to buy from Planted Aquarium Fertilizer - Home

 

[Aquarium1]

Errrr... He's moving this week. Maybe once he's fully moved. I was told a 10g didn't need ei dosing because it was so small and because I have low lighting. So did you order ferts from there or the liquid nitrogen (which, real liquid nitrogen would probably freeze your tank lol).

 

[mfdrookie516]

ok i didnt mean liquid nitrogen like that, i meant Brightwell Aquatics Florin-Gro Nitrogen Fertilizer for Planted Fresh Water Aquaria - AquaCave

 

[Aquarium1]

Lol I know. I was just messin with ya. Also I have one less fish in this tank than two days ago so instead of just getting another glowlight tetra, should I get 2?

 

[Aquarium1]

Is it possible the yellowing and transparency was due to the wrong color bulbs? Anyway they were a soft white (like ~2000 K I think) and I replaced both of them with 2 15w Daylight 6500K cfls.

 

[HN1]

Actually, I was going to ask how old your bulbs are....

Try reducing your photoperiod and gradually increasing it. They may need to acclimate to the new spectrum / intensity.

 

[Aquarium1]

Thanks HN1. The bulbs were just bought today. I will do that (I had reduced the photoperiod anyway the past 2 days). So do you think I could start out ~5 hrs and gradually increase it to 10-12hrs?

 

[HN1]

That sounds good. Alternatively, you could partially shade them with something (floating plants, wood, whatever) for awhile.

 

[Aquarium1]

I hope to get some more plants soon (anubias nana and nana petite, flame and maybe java moss, crypt wendtii) and hopefully some dw too.

 

[Aquarium1]

btw about next week around Wed. itll have 2 more glow lights (they're in qt rite now). That'll provide a little more nitrates for them to absorb.