Easy Plant Newb Questions

[Thaiboxer]

Hi there!

I have a couple of easy ones:

- Water testing. Do water test kits go bad after a year or two? I tested for ammonia and nitrites on my new tank yesterday and I'm pretty sure they're really high, but the test said 0 ppm for both. I did a huge water change anyways. (I'm cycling)

- Stuff on plants. I have a red sword, some anachris, and a java fern (that one's on my driftwood). I noticed that I've got some dust and almost spider-web looking stuff, especially on the anachris. Any idea where that's from? I stirred it up and my filter got most of it, but it was weird.

- Weird sword. The low leaves on my sword are wilting, but the higher up ones seem to be doing fine. Is that normal? There's only about 1.3 wpg on the tank right now and it's a 15 gallon high.

Details on my tank that you might want to know:
- 15 gallon high
- Penguin 125 bio-wheel filter
- substrate is half gravel and half flourite, about 3-4" deep
- light is a 40 watt 50-50. I'll be changing it to a 6700k bulb soon. It's on 10 hours a day.
- inhabitants are 2 tiny danios. The third one just died :-(
- my water is RO so you can assume very pure to begin with. Did a 40% water change yesterday and will do another today.

Thanks all!

 

[Jchillin]

- Water testing. Do water test kits go bad after a year or two? I tested for ammonia and nitrites on my new tank yesterday and I'm pretty sure they're really high, but the test said 0 ppm for both. I did a huge water change anyways. (I'm cycling)

Although manufacturer's will state that the shelf life of test kits is two years on average, they usually don't mention the after opening life. I'd get new ones.

- Stuff on plants. I have a red sword, some anachris, and a java fern (that one's on my driftwood). I noticed that I've got some dust and almost spider-web looking stuff, especially on the anachris. Any idea where that's from? I stirred it up and my filter got most of it, but it was weird.

White, thin strands? Possible staghorn or hair algae. Won't know unless you posted a pic of it.

- Weird sword. The low leaves on my sword are wilting, but the higher up ones seem to be doing fine. Is that normal? There's only about 1.3 wpg on the tank right now and it's a 15 gallon high.

Not weird...not enough light. You are using a 50/50 bulb which takes away half of your wpg measurement. Change it out as soon as you can.

HTH.

 

[jbarr]

Are your tests liquid or the litmus papery stuff?