yellowing plants

[cheeky_monkey]

I have a tank that I'm seeing a lot of yellowing to the plants.

Specs:
30g long
1 40w fluoro bulb 5000k
2 amazon swords, 1 unknown crypt, java moss, 2 banana lillies and 2 I was told are water lettuce.

Water parameters are
Am 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20-40
Ph 7.6

I also have a root tab planted approx 3 inches from the swords. (one tab between the two swords)

The crypt and banana lillies are growing wonderfully. Lots of new leaves on the banana lillies and long shoots up to the surface. The crypt hasn't grown but still looks perfect.

The others (swords and water lettuce) are yellowing quite badly, some of the leaves are almost transluscent.

There are also two long shoots on the swords that reach up out of the water with what look to be bud like things on the end. What do I do with those?

Help?

 

[adadkins1]

The long shoots with buds are where the plant will likely send out daughter plants. What kind of root tabs are you using?

Plant Deficiency Picture Diagram - Fertilizing - Aquatic Plant Central

^ Here is a deficiency diagram I have found useful while keeping aquatic plants. Perhaps it can offer you some help.

 

[aqua_chem]

The buds might be the sword trying to flower.

Yellowing is usually a micro nutrient issue or nitrogen. Your water lettuce is floating, correct?

 

[cheeky_monkey]

The long shoots with buds are where the plant will likely send out daughter plants. What kind of root tabs are you using?

Plant Deficiency Picture Diagram - Fertilizing - Aquatic Plant Central

^ Here is a deficiency diagram I have found useful while keeping aquatic plants. Perhaps it can offer you some help.

Thank-you I will have a look at that shortly. I made DIY root tabs using instructions from the forum. The long stem with bud like thing on the end is shot up completely out of the water, is that normal?

The buds might be the sword trying to flower.

Yellowing is usually a micro nutrient issue or nitrogen. Your water lettuce is floating, correct?

The bud like things are open as if it's already flowered (but didn't) and are completely up out of the water one is even touching the light.

I'm not even sure my "water lettuce" really is water lettuce. It was just labelled that way at the store. It's not floating, it has roots and is planted.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

I should also note they have only been in my tank for about two weeks I think, are they still settling in perhaps?

 

[aqua_chem]

I think pictures would help immensely, both for IDs and the yellowing.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

This is what the sword leaves look like

This is one of the unidentified plants (sold to me as water lettuce)

This is the other unidentified (also sold as water lettuce)

Now I just checked my water params again as I realised last results I gave were actually from 5 days ago.

pH 7.6
Amm 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 (I retested this 3 times both banging and shaking the second bottle because I didn't believe the result.)

 

[aqua_chem]

I can't really see what the serving one is, but your first "water lettuce" is lobelia cardinalis, a nifty little aquatic plant that has some cool aquascaping uses.

Also, that zero nitrate is probably your issue.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

So how do I fix that? It's a goldfish tank so they're already poop machines.

Seachem Nitrogen?