Plant Emergency! Should I Be Alarmed?

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Manix

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
161
Location
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So if you don't know already I have a 40 gallon tank with very fine sand substrate. It has a AquaticLife T5HO fixture total of 78 watts. I'm using the stocked bulbs. One is 6K bulb and the other is a pink bulb 420/460.

My tank height is around 18" and my substrate is about 3".

Last night my plants arrived in the mail looking very healthy and green.
-2x Cryptocoryne, Wendtii, Bronze
-2x Cryptocoryne, Wendtii, Green
-1x Glossostigma
-2x Green Temple Narrow Leaf
-2x Java Fern, Lace (inserted in cracks of driftwood)
-2x Ludwigia Needle Leaf
-2x Ludwigia, Broad Leaf
-1x Sword, Red Rubin

After planting I dosed it with Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and API C02 as instructed on the label. I'm leaving my lights on 10 hours a day.

Now I checked on my plants and a few of them look brittle and decaying. My Glosso look like it will die the next day. I see Ludwigia leaves floating around and my Wenditii leaf is slumped on the sand instead of growing upwards.

Am I missing anything in terms of nutrients? I have 5 Zebra Danios and 5 Kuhli Loaches in the tank.
 
maybe someone more experienced can chip in, but I know plants can die off a little with the initial transplant, but will bounce back with appropriate care. How long have they been in the tank? I had some die off in the first two weeks with my tank but I am now noticing some new growth that looks pretty good.
 
It's been in the tank for 24 hours. I'm concerned because I've spent $75 on them.

I'm hoping you're right. I don't want them to die off.
 
You'll typically have some die off when you have plants shipped in. Not always, but usually. A few weeks should tell for sure, but it's really too soon to say one way or the other. If they came in green, you're probably fine.


On a side note, 10 hours is a bit much. I'd start with 8 and see how that does.
 
I know what you mean, I spent a pretty penny on mine as well. Although I think in your case patience is a virtue. It is going to take your plants a while to adapt and start to grow.

You don't by chance have salt in your tank do you? I know that is bad for plants. (just a random thought)

Hopefully someone else will speak up and give you more info.
EDIT* looks like someone else chimed in :) good, I thought the plants probably need more time to bounce back after being transplanted. That is exactly what happened to mine.
 
Thanks for the quick responses. :thanks:

I'll continue to monitor the plants and look for new growth.

I'm sure there are no salt in my tank.

Alright I'll start with 8-hours of light and see how it goes.
 
Some plants are grown emersed, and need to adapt to submerged life. Melt off is expected. I only barely saved some ludwigia repens from certain death.

And your probably going to loose every crypt leaf. Dont panic, they'll br back.
 
Also, you don't have a ton of light on the tank. Not sure about that pink bulb - was the fixture sold as a planted tank fixture? You're just over 2 wpg which might be a little low for the glosso.

It is common to get some dieoff after shipping, though, and the Crypts will most likely "melt" but will come back in a few weeks.
 
Some plants are grown emersed, and need to adapt to submerged life. Melt off is expected. I only barely saved some ludwigia repens from certain death.

And your probably going to loose every crypt leaf. Dont panic, they'll br back.

This can be nerve wrecking. But I guess this is where I start to learn patience.


Also, you don't have a ton of light on the tank. Not sure about that pink bulb - was the fixture sold as a planted tank fixture? You're just over 2 wpg which might be a little low for the glosso.

It is common to get some dieoff after shipping, though, and the Crypts will most likely "melt" but will come back in a few weeks.

Yes it was advertised for aquarium plants. I know some say stocked bulbs are not great. Can you recommend a brand or specs I should be looking for next time I am at my LFS? All I know is 6k-8k is sufficient for white bulbs and pink bulbs are for plant growth.

My LFS has Hagen Glo bulbs. Are these a good recommendation?
 
Also, you don't have a ton of light on the tank. Not sure about that pink bulb - was the fixture sold as a planted tank fixture? You're just over 2 wpg which might be a little low for the glosso.

It is common to get some dieoff after shipping, though, and the Crypts will most likely "melt" but will come back in a few weeks.

This is simply not true. The WPG rule is outdated and only applies to older fluorescent lights (T8 or lower). 2 wpg T5HO lights is PLENTY for glosso. In a 40 breeder, it's fairly close to substrate level too. You DO have enough light for glosso.


I have 2x39 T5HO on my 40 breeder and am growing glosso. And alternanthera reineckii. And Rotala wallichii. And didiplis diandra. All of these are HIGH LIGHT plants, particularly the diandra. I actually raised my light because I had to much light. Assume that fixture isn't complete garbage w/o reflectors (unlikely), you should be fine.

At that light level, I would actually be more worried about whether I needed CO2 injection or not. Glosso loves the CO2. If you loose it, it will be because of CO2, not light.
 
Do you guys suggest I should change to the Hagen Power-Glo lights?

I hear stocked bulbs aren't as good.
 
Stocked bulbs vary from bulb to bulb. They are, at the very least, inconsistant.

Power Glos are, what, 18000K? I've heard of people using those bulbs before, but I wouldn't trust it. The Flora Glos are nice though.
 
Alright I'll take a look around my LFS for the bulbs.

Thanks to everyone for the reassurance and the helpful info. :thanks:
 
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