Melting away! Help!

[Basefrog]

What should I do?

This is Pogostemon helferi (Downoi). It has been in my tank for about 2 weeks.

 

[Mrduna01]

It will come back. It was probably grown above water and will lose those leaves, growing new submersed leaves though knowing your setup would help to rule out other problems

 

[Basefrog]

Click on the link in my signature for the full setup.

Though briefly:
- DIY CO2
- Seachem Flourish (Fert)
- 24/25C
- High light for 8 hours a day with a 1 hour gap

 

[Mrduna01]

Click on the link in my signature for the full setup.

Though briefly:
- DIY CO2
- Seachem Flourish (Fert)
- 24/25C
- High light for 8 hours a day with a 1 hour gap

Lol the app doesn't display signatures

 

[aqua_chem]

Welcome to the world of Downoi!

Some quick questions: what are your parameters, particularly pH and nitrates? And what substrate are you using?

Unfortunately, downoi melting is altogether too common. It's a particularly touchy plant.

 

[Basefrog]

I'm not sure I don't have a test kit.. However I am going to go and get my water tested tomorrow! What levels should I be looking for?

 

[Mrduna01]

I'm not sure I don't have a test kit.. However I am going to go and get my water tested tomorrow! What levels should I be looking for?

A test kit is really a required thing when getting serious with aquaria. Spend the 20 to 30 bucks if possible... You won't regret it. As far as levels... 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and under 20 nitrates is what you should aim for but I do not test or fret about ph so I'm unsure about that.

 

[Basefrog]

I'm guessing PH needs to be around 7 (neutral) +/- a lil?

 

[Koikid88]

Iron supplements may help with Downoi I've found. I don't have Co2 in my tank with downoi, with only medium lighting. Which may be why it hasn't really grown at all, but has looked nice and healthy for 6+ months now. For the 1st month I kind of doubted it would make it, thinking it was my set up. Once I started dosing seachem flourish iron it, kind of sprung up. Not sure if that's what helped it, or if it was just coincidence, but I read Iron is needed for downoi. I'll put it in my new set up once the co2 is hooked up, see if it helps the growth at all.
Ph is 7.6-7.8 in that tank

 

[aqua_chem]

Downoi is a mixed bag of theories, but I've heard that it doesn't like hard water, acidic substrate, or extreme pHs. But then you read about people who have had luck with it in those conditions, and everything goes out the window. I think with the particular plants, more so than most, relies a good deal on luck.

 

[Basefrog]

Haha! I see, well thanks for your advice.

 

[Basefrog]

Nitrate = 0ppm
Phosphate = about 1ppm

hope this may help?

 

[aqua_chem]

Do you know that you need to shake the heck out of the nitrate test kit in order for it to work? Otherwise, that 0 ppm Nitrate might be your issue.

 

[Basefrog]

Yes and I did =/ I though it should be 0ppm?

 

[Basefrog]

ooh wait that is Nitrites that needs to be 0ppm

 

[aqua_chem]

For fish only tanks. For planted tanks, you want to maintain 5-20 ppm for the plants. Otherwise, they will start showing nitrogen deficiencies, which, admittedly, don't usually sound like what you are describing but could be playing a part.

So was 0 ppm nitrates or nitrites?

 

[Basefrog]

0ppm was nitrates