ok planted tank gurus, substrate talk

[Smcoyle87]

First off I have 3 planted tanks: 15g with flourite, 45g with Carribsea Flora-Max, and a 20g tall with Flora-Max.
My 15 and 45 are doing great, I couldn't ask for more success. My 20g tall tank, however, is struggling.

I'm using Flora-Max substrate (not layered with anything) and i think that is the problem. I have a diy co2 setup in place which is working perfectly and use two 15w CFLs. I don't have any swords or crypts in that tank but i put fert tabs just to see if it was lacking nutrients. That is why i think the substrate is the problem. I plan on gutting the tank and starting over this weekend and just wanted to know how everyone achieved success in their tanks in terms of substrate. Thanks everyone.

 

[aqua_chem]

My 20g tall tank, however, is struggling.

Care to elaborate on the underlined term?


In terms of what makes a planted tank succeed and what dooms it to failure, I personally would rank substrate choice near the bottom. Good substrate will help the tank along; bad substrate won't hurt the tank. Likely there is something else at work. What's the lighting on the other two tanks and their bioloads? Are you dosing ferts in any of them? Do all of them have CO2?

 

[Smcoyle87]

Well in the 20g, I started out with all plant trimmings from other tanks. The reason I think it's struggling is because the stems are just turning brown and rotting away instead if the bottom node growing roots. I just figured that maybe it's because the substrate is lacking nutrients. But the more i think about it, it actually sounds like a lighting problem. I do have a diy co2 system with one of those ladder diffusers.
I did the math wrong at first and now realize that i only
have 1.5 watts per gallon at 5000k.
Any thoughts??

 

[Smcoyle87]

And yes I have root tabs in all 3 tanks

 

[aqua_chem]

Rotting stems is almost always a light issue.

Watts per gallon is a poor metric of light. It's an old system that frankly sucked at the time and has only really gotten worse as technology advanced. What kind of light do you have? T5HO, T5NO, T8, CFL, etc.


Also, what plant melted on you?

 

[aquabeast]

i actually have a combo of crushed coral and the laterite gravel, root tabs, home made co2 supplament and i dose with flourish once a week. i have pretty good luck there. maybe try the same gravel as the other two tanks?

 

[manbeast]

it may be something you think is harmless and therefore not taking into account, in my planted 90gal. I had a good sized piece of lace rock and any plant I put near it melted, even after taking it out and gravel vaccing the area some plants will still melt when places in the area that rock was in, good luck

 

[Smcoyle87]

I actually do not know the name of the plant that melted. It looks a thinner bacopa. Thinner in every sense, stems, leaves etc. I will try and post a pic of the plant in a bit. I had two 15 watt cfl in there.
Turns out I will be taking that tank down anyway because I just got a 50g. I think i will be using cfl's in that as well because it came with 2 hoods.
Aquachem- is there a new system that ppl use these days other than wpg??

Thanks for all the input though guys, I really appreciate it.