MINIMAL
Aquarium Advice Freak
~Plant(s) affected? Water Sprite, Amazon Sword, Dwarf 4 Leaf, Banana Plant, Pennywort (riccia, java moss, subwassertang, dwarf hairgrass, creeping jenny, and anubias are unaffected so far)
~Tank size/volume? 55 gallon
~Lighting/wpg? 4 CFL, can't remember wattage, 2 sessions of 6 hours on per day with 1.5 hour break
~Do you inject CO2? If so do you know the level? Yes, Yeast/Sugar, unsure of amount
~What do pH, KH, PO4, NH3 and/or NO3 test kits say? All test are in normal range
~Dosing? What/how much/how often? Have had 1 cup of Miracle Grow potting mix under soil since cycle secured in mesh, however this is nowhere near the plants with the issues.
~Heavily, moderately, or lightly planted? Moderately
~Fish stock? About 12 various small fish and inverts
~Tank Location (near windows - in direct sunlight)? Not near any windows or sun.
~How long has tank been set up? 3 months
Started two days ago and came rapidly. Leaves have turned light brown/white, some even became transparent, and some have lost sections of the leaves. All tests are where they should be as far as I can tell. I installed a new API Filstar XPL yesterday with a layering that goes like this from inlet to outlet – 20m filter, 30m filter, bio balls, carbon filter, bio filter, bio balls, 20m filter, 30m filter ( I know, I know… the LFS was out of everything I will change this up soon) so I am hoping this will help to some extent.
Up until two days ago, the plants where taking off like crazy, with the sprite and sword doing best, averaging .5” to 1” of growth per week. There are no signs of algae, a 20% water change was completed a week ago and about 10% added yesterday to compensate for the low water level after filling the new filter. The fish, RCS, and snail are not showing any issues, nor have I lost a single creature since this tank was started. Most of the plants are showing issues above the halfway mark of the tank, with only one stem of sprite, and one leaf cluster of pennywort having an issue below the halfway mark.
The tank stays 77-78 degrees with lights on and 76 with them off. Hardscape and substrate items have been in since day 1, but I will list them as well. Two pieces of Malaysian Driftwood, 1 piece of petrified wood, multiple river rocks, river pebbles, sand (all items were placed in an established tank for 3 weeks prior to being placed into the startup of this tank, there were boiled before the established, and after the established as well)
Only thing that is newly added is the riccia, and it is literally 3 feet from the closest plant with an issue though, so there are only two things I can think of that could be causing this, so please chime in with anything else you can think of. #1 Originally I had an over the back filter that was on the opposite side of the plants with the issue, so I am wondering if the lack of circulation on the opposite side could have done this, it was not the temperature, because I have one strip at the top and one at the bottom of the side that is affected, and they were never above normal. #2 Toxin(s) of some form, but the only thing I can think of is the miracle grow that isn’t just a normal product, but I have had it in tanks for years without issues, and even have it in my clippings tank for the extra sprite and java that I accumulated because of the growth rate and those plants do not show any signs of issues.
Any help will be greatly appreciated. I did my best to explain this as clearly as possible, because I didn’t want to be “that guy” who says my plants are dying! What should I do? Yet provides no further info haha. Thanks in advance to anybody that helps!
**A sample picture of the sword is below, yes its blurry it was 5am and I hadn't had coffee yet.
~Tank size/volume? 55 gallon
~Lighting/wpg? 4 CFL, can't remember wattage, 2 sessions of 6 hours on per day with 1.5 hour break
~Do you inject CO2? If so do you know the level? Yes, Yeast/Sugar, unsure of amount
~What do pH, KH, PO4, NH3 and/or NO3 test kits say? All test are in normal range
~Dosing? What/how much/how often? Have had 1 cup of Miracle Grow potting mix under soil since cycle secured in mesh, however this is nowhere near the plants with the issues.
~Heavily, moderately, or lightly planted? Moderately
~Fish stock? About 12 various small fish and inverts
~Tank Location (near windows - in direct sunlight)? Not near any windows or sun.
~How long has tank been set up? 3 months
Started two days ago and came rapidly. Leaves have turned light brown/white, some even became transparent, and some have lost sections of the leaves. All tests are where they should be as far as I can tell. I installed a new API Filstar XPL yesterday with a layering that goes like this from inlet to outlet – 20m filter, 30m filter, bio balls, carbon filter, bio filter, bio balls, 20m filter, 30m filter ( I know, I know… the LFS was out of everything I will change this up soon) so I am hoping this will help to some extent.
Up until two days ago, the plants where taking off like crazy, with the sprite and sword doing best, averaging .5” to 1” of growth per week. There are no signs of algae, a 20% water change was completed a week ago and about 10% added yesterday to compensate for the low water level after filling the new filter. The fish, RCS, and snail are not showing any issues, nor have I lost a single creature since this tank was started. Most of the plants are showing issues above the halfway mark of the tank, with only one stem of sprite, and one leaf cluster of pennywort having an issue below the halfway mark.
The tank stays 77-78 degrees with lights on and 76 with them off. Hardscape and substrate items have been in since day 1, but I will list them as well. Two pieces of Malaysian Driftwood, 1 piece of petrified wood, multiple river rocks, river pebbles, sand (all items were placed in an established tank for 3 weeks prior to being placed into the startup of this tank, there were boiled before the established, and after the established as well)
Only thing that is newly added is the riccia, and it is literally 3 feet from the closest plant with an issue though, so there are only two things I can think of that could be causing this, so please chime in with anything else you can think of. #1 Originally I had an over the back filter that was on the opposite side of the plants with the issue, so I am wondering if the lack of circulation on the opposite side could have done this, it was not the temperature, because I have one strip at the top and one at the bottom of the side that is affected, and they were never above normal. #2 Toxin(s) of some form, but the only thing I can think of is the miracle grow that isn’t just a normal product, but I have had it in tanks for years without issues, and even have it in my clippings tank for the extra sprite and java that I accumulated because of the growth rate and those plants do not show any signs of issues.
Any help will be greatly appreciated. I did my best to explain this as clearly as possible, because I didn’t want to be “that guy” who says my plants are dying! What should I do? Yet provides no further info haha. Thanks in advance to anybody that helps!
**A sample picture of the sword is below, yes its blurry it was 5am and I hadn't had coffee yet.
