Java Moss turning brown

[Jetstorm369]

Can java moss turn brown from too much light? I'm not injecting co2 yet, but I'm running about 9 hours of light. Is it too much light without co2?

 

[Rivercats]

What type of lighting. I sounds like it could be burn if it was moved from dim light to really intense light. I've had moss come in mostly brown but gave it alot of time and it eventually began growing green. Also do you add any ferts to your tank?

 

[fort384]

Well - indirectly from too much light, i.e. not enough other nutrients to balance it out. What is your nitrates testing at? What kind of light? What size tank? Any other plants and are they exhibiting any deficiencies?

 

[Jetstorm369]

I dose a bit of Flourish excel every day/other day. Nitrates are reading at 0 ppm. I have a T5 red fluorescent with a 6500k bulb. I have no other plants in it atm. It's also a 30g tank. Thanks guys. Please help!

 

[Jetstorm369]

What type of lighting. I sounds like it could be burn if it was moved from dim light to really intense light. I've had moss come in mostly brown but gave it alot of time and it eventually began growing green. Also do you add any ferts to your tank?

Does this "burn" eventually go away? Thanks!

 

[fort384]

I dose a bit of Flourish excel every day/other day. Nitrates are reading at 0 ppm. I have a T5 red fluorescent with a 6500k bulb. I have no other plants in it atm. It's also a 30g tank. Thanks guys. Please help!

0 Nitrates is a bad thing, and this could be the issue. With your lighting over that sized tank, it is not too much or too intense.

Excel is a source carbon, but not a fertilizer. I would recommend picking up some seachem N and dosing.

Take a look at this article - it might help shed some light on fertilizing a planted tank:
Introduction to Fertilizing the Planted Tank - Aquarium Advice

 

[Jetstorm369]

0 Nitrates is a bad thing, and this could be the issue. With your lighting over that sized tank, it is not too much or too intense.

Excel is a source carbon, but not a fertilizer. I would recommend picking up some seachem N and dosing.

Take a look at this article - it might help shed some light on fertilizing a planted tank:
Introduction to Fertilizing the Planted Tank - Aquarium Advice

Thanks, anything else besides Seachem N that may help? Should I lower my lighting hours in the mean time?

 

[Rivercats]

Does this "burn" eventually go away? Thanks!

I had metal halides that actually burned the moss right under them, your light isn't doing that. But some say mosses are sensitive to Excel. I have Java moss and Fissidens Fontanus and dose a high amount of Glut (same as Excel) daily without issues. Plus Excel is a liquid carbon which aids in photosynthesis and growth which means the moss and other plants need ferts. How many plants do you have in the tank? If just a few getting a product such as Seachems Comprehensive for weekly dosing after WC's would be good. If you have alot of plants then looking into dry ferts is a much better option IMO.

Also what are your nitrate and phosphate readings and how often and how much are you doing in weekly WC's?

 

[fort384]

You could cut it back to 8, but I don't think lighting duration is your issue.

You might benefit from more than seachem N, but for now that is definitely an issue to solve. Check out that article it might shed some light on other nutrients you might be missing in your system.