What am I missing?

[bloodlucky]

Ok I have a lot of live plants in my 40 gallon and the fish are fine but the plants are dying. I've had java ferns before which require almost no care but I've never gotten more than that. I have a lot now and a few are dying. I have a "CO2 Booster" by API, but even when I put it in (the right amount) nothing seems to change. Is there something I'm missing? Is there some other element I need that gets "boosted" by this CO2 Booster?

 

[Coursair]

Ok I have a lot of live plants in my 40 gallon and the fish are fine but the plants are dying. I've had java ferns before which require almost no care but I've never gotten more than that. I have a lot now and a few are dying. I have a "CO2 Booster" by API, but even when I put it in (the right amount) nothing seems to change. Is there something I'm missing? Is there some other element I need that gets "boosted" by this CO2 Booster?

What lights are you using ?
Water changes ?
Any other Ferts ???
Root Tabs ?
Substrate ?

Details will help a lot.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

we need some more info. How long has the tank been set up? The most important things about a planted tank is adequate lighting and substrate with ferts (roots tabs and dry ferts).

 

[bloodlucky]

What lights are you using ?
Water changes ?
Any other Ferts ???
Root Tabs ?
Substrate ?

Details will help a lot.

Ok I have a fluorescent light that came with my 40 gallon Aqueon Set. Since I just finished my cycle and I had fish in with it, I did water changes quite often. I have normal gravel (not sand or pebbles) and I don't know what you mean by root tabs.

 

[ztigris]

Also how old are the plants? Could be emeresed growth dying off.

 

[bloodlucky]

About a month

 

[Florio]

Are you putting co2 in or just liquid co2?


Some plants can't use the liquid stuff and need the gas.

 

[bloodlucky]

Are you putting co2 in or just liquid co2?

Some plants can't use the liquid stuff and need the gas.

I'm using liquid. I will have pics of the plants up tomorrow

 

[Coursair]

Depending on the type of plants you need 2-3" of substrate.
You need Fertilizers not just Carbon.
Flourish Comprehensive liquid can be ok to start with. Dry ferts are cheaper in the long run , but more complicated to dose.

Root tabs are to feed plants like Crypts and Swords that are heavy root feeders.

You may need to swap out your lightbulb.

Tell us exactly what's written on the bulb or post a pic. T8s are very low light.

You can use straight gravel, but a substrate like Eco Complete will feed the roots for you for several months. Or you can add sand to your gravel.

Straight gravel doesn't hold nutrients as well for the plants. But it can work.

 

[ztigris]

+1 what coursair said. Without a nutrient rich substrate you have to fertilize.

 

[Rivercats]

When you have alot of plants, and I mean alot it usually requires a higher dose of liquid carbon. I've never used CO2 Booster by API so I don't know the dosage recommonded but Glutaraldehyde, Excel, and API CO2 Booster are all basically the same product with Glut being the cheapest. But on Excels bottle it even states that if a tank has higher lighting or alot of plants dosage can be increased. That being said your limiting factor is light. Depending on what type plants your using many may be dying because they require higher light. A plant list would be very helpful. Also as mentioned swords and crypts need root tabs since they are heavy root feeders and for swords a root tab high in phosphates and iron is the best choice since they require higher levels of these two nutrients. Also if you have a high number of plants a simple liquid fertilizer may not be enough so dry ferts might be a better choice. But if you want to stay with liquid ferts then using something such a Seachems Flourish Comprehensive for micro ferts and API Leaf Zone for potassium and iron are a good combination.