Fish plants stunted growth???

[Ralphie126]

Currently, I have this tank, Aqueon 36 Gallon Deluxe Bow Front Aquarium Kit - Fish - Sale - PetSmart I am using the lights included and all the live plants I have in the tank (Anubis, Amazon Swords, and others) have some dead leaves, and look like some leaves have holes in them, all the fish are fine. Is there anything else to do?

 

[Ralphie126]

I guess that is a bad title but all the plants have a stunted growth

 

[Ralphie126]

Here are some pics.... What's wrong???

 

[rreekers]

remove all dead, damaged leaves by snipping them as close to the gravel as possible ... all plants need to adjust so some melting is normal.. but your plants are also showing signs of deficiency. swords se heavy root feeders and need root tabs. also they need a lot of iron .. I dose flourish iron liquid, and I use a syringe so I can squirt the recommended amount onto the sword.

how many Watts of light does your light fixture put out?
also how deep is your tank from light to substrate

 

[Coursair]

I would start adding Flourish and Flourish Excel.
You can DIY Root tabs with Osmocote Plus and an ice tray. Put Fert in each compartment add tank water, freeze. Push Fertcicles deep into substrate. They don't need to be Under every plant , just near. Space them out. Lots of info on the web.

Your light is really weak, but you should still be able to grow plants. How deep is gravel ?

Change to 6,500K bulb if possible or near that. Up the wattage IF your hood is rated for it.

 

[Coursair]

Also remove rubber band. Remove pot. Space out your stems a little

 

[Ralphie126]

So I am a little confused, I need to buy fertilizer for the plants, a new light ( how much does that cost?)

 

[Ralphie126]

So a light like this, http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11248155&lmdn=Brand. And this http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11147373

 

[Ralphie126]

So fertilizer you mean like stuff from the pet store or like for outside? The petstore right

 

[rreekers]

i would look for a light on amazon.com generally cheaper

fertilizers for aquariums.. you can do dry ferts (which will save you tons of money in the long run) or premixed like flourish

 

[rkilling1]

That's a pretty deep tank and only 18 or 21 watts of light. You are only going to be able to grow a very few select plants with that light. If you ran two lights like the one it came with you would be alright, but not one.

 

[Ralphie126]

How would I run two lights?

 

[Ralphie126]

Which one of these light is the best? Coralife 10,000K High-Intensity Purified Super Daylight Lamps at PETCO


Hamilton Technology Compact Fluorescent 10,000K Super White Linear Pin Aquarium Lamp at PETCO

 

[rkilling1]

How would I run two lights?

I don't think you will be able to. I was just giving you an example of what amount of light you would need.

As far as light bulbs go, I would steer away from pet store light bulbs. You can find the correct type and color bulbs at numerous places on the net that don't charge you an extra 10 bucks to put aquarium in the title.

 

[Ralphie126]

i just checked my light, it is 8,000k and 17 watts, 120 volts

 

[rkilling1]

i just checked my light, it is 8,000k and 17 watts, 120 volts

So that would be a 17W NO T-5 then?

That is enough light to look at fish and not much for anything else. You could run floating plants and be just fine. There isn't going to be much light at the bottom of the tank to support most plants.

Changing the bulb isn't going to gain you anything. If you want to have a tank filled with plants, your only choice is to add more light.

You may be able to find one or two different plants that will be fine, but don't expect to see them grow much.

 

[Ralphie126]

The light bulb itself its 17 watts but the hood itself goes up to 20.... not much better

 

[Ralphie126]

this is the lamp in the tank now, Aqueon® T-8 Full Spectrum Daylight Fluorescent Lamp - Lighting & Hoods - Fish - PetSmart

 

[Ralphie126]

should i move the tank to a window for actual sun light?

 

[rkilling1]

this is the lamp in the tank now, Aqueon® T-8 Full Spectrum Daylight Fluorescent Lamp - Lighting & Hoods - Fish - PetSmart

If you want a planted tank (and I mean more then just one or two that don't grow), you have no other choice then to add more light.

You can spend the money and buy a top of the line light.

Or you are going to have to find other ways to add light.

There are many ways to add light other then purchasing an expensive setup. I have built my own lights out of shop lights. I have overdriven T-8's to increase there light output. I have added CF bulbs. I think you get the picture.

I wish I could help you out, but you just don't have the light the plants need rightnow.