Dying anubias nana?

[Lokkzer]

I have it wedged into a crevice on this piece of driftwood. I got it from craigslist. I've ordered other plants from craigslist and they are healthy. I am currently fishless cycling. In the second stage. Dosing ammo to 3-4. Nitrites are +5ppm. Nitrates 80ppm. I use seachem prime. It s a heavy planted 37g. Currently 82* to cycle. Power compact 36" 2x55W lights. One white one baby blue (actinic?). Dosing with pure ace hardware ammonia. I think that's everything.
Hope this picture is ok enough.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

Actinic bulbs don't do much for plants. So u have 1.48~ WPG.

R u dosing any ferts?
Is the rhizome of the plant out of the drift wood?
Also IMO u should cut the dead/dying leaves off.

 

[Lokkzer]

Never mind. Just that leaf was dying. The rest is riddled with brown algae or diatoms? Does anyone know which? And if it's algae which fish will clean the plants?

 

[adadkins1]

Brown algae and diatoms are the same things. Brown algae is actually a misnomer as it is actually not an algae at all. How long has your tank been setup? Diatoms are very common in newer tanks (less than 6 months old), and will often go away with time. If you are impatient (like me), you can either gently rub it off the leaves, or you could get a few oto catfish, a bristlenose pleco, or a nerite snail.

 

[Lokkzer]

Yeah it's in it's first two weeks, currently fishless cycling. I would like to get like 3 otos, but I thought I had to wait to get them until algae has built up. Does this qualify or will they chow through this and then be starved? Its a heavily planted 37 gallon.

 

[Vircomore]

Anubias Nana tends to grow so slowly that it is prone to build-up of algae or diatoms or just general debris that happens to land on it. A better sign of growth in anubias nana on driftwood is to watch the roots branch out across the wood. If there aren't a lot of new roots fanning out across the wood - then it may be in trouble.

Also - because you're still in the ammonia phase of the cycle - there aren't any nitrates for the plants to consume unless you dose them with artificial fertilizers.

As for otos, you won't have enough algae to keep otos self-sustained unless you've got a seriously incorrect water parameter or a ton of light and no CO2. If you can look at the leaf and not see the algae actually sticking up off the leaf - then there is probably nothing for an oto to eat and you would need algae wafers.

 

[Lokkzer]

I do have nitrates though. I'm in the getting the trItes down. I am also using root tabs and dosing with API plant food. The roots actually are growing and the plant is green. I just rubbed off the brown spots. But it's not a mound of algae yet. So I was going to get amano shrimp when I finish cycling.