Plants Keep Dying

[F4A]

For some reason my plants keep dying and I don't know why. I have had maybe 30 plants since I started 12 months ago. I feed my plants with Leaf Zone, I even purchased the Caribsea Eco Complete Substrate to help the plants root but this has not helped. I have tried many plants at a time, and I've tried one on its own but they all died...

The ONLY thing which I have added to my tank which is doing really well are moss balls.

Any ideas?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

What kind of lighting do you have? What size tank? What's the height?

 

[F4A]

Its a 40L tank with a 15w T8 Sun-Glo.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Its a 40L tank with a 15w T8 Sun-Glo.

What plants have you been trying to grow? That light isn't very strong at all. Moss and maybe anubias and hornwort is about all you can grow. Id suggest upgrading you light fixture. Correct lighting is the most important factor when growing plants.

 

[F4A]

Anubias get destroyed by the Pleco. Hornwort does not grow, tried this one time and time again, it just dies off and leaves a mess of leaves everywhere. I can only fit 1 T8 into the hood, surely I must be able to grow something ?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Anubias get destroyed by the Pleco. Hornwort does not grow, tried this one time and time again, it just dies off and leaves a mess of leaves everywhere. I can only fit 1 T8 into the hood, surely I must be able to grow something ?

Moss? Most stock standard lights don't grow much if anything.
How olds the bulb?

 

[F4A]

It came with the tank, that was 12 months ago.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It came with the tank, that was 12 months ago.

Once a bulbs that old its not as strong as it use to be. Even if you did replace it IMO it still wouldn't be enough. I'd suggest upgrading to a t5 or t5ho fixture if you want to grow plants.

 

[F4A]

I need a bigger tank then

or maybe I migrate to Australia and leave the tank near the window

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I need a bigger tank then

or maybe I migrate to Australia and leave the tank near the window

Lol. Then you tank will be full of algae like my outdoor tank!

 

[Lowryder]

Its a 40L tank with a 15w T8 Sun-Glo.

15w for a 40 gallon tank is not going to work. I have 65w on my 15g. I would upgrade atleast to a 96w t5. That will grow your anubis nicely.

 

[Atxpunx]

How about two shop spot light fixtures with compact fluorescents for the bulbs. Put a slab of acrylic over the top to hold the spotlights and get rid of the stock hood

 

[aqua_chem]

15w for a 40 gallon tank is not going to work. I have 65w on my 15g. I would upgrade atleast to a 96w t5. That will grow your anubis nicely.

40 liters, not gallons. And they dont make 96w t5ho fixtures, but that would almost definitely be too much light.

 

[Atxpunx]

Oh yeah! Liters not gallons . A 15 watt t8 should grow low light plants.

 

[aqua_chem]

Mosses, anubias, and crypts should fine. A pleco doesnt belong in a tank that size, and most wont bother plants

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Oh yeah! Liters not gallons . A 15 watt t8 should grow low light plants.

Haha! I read it as gallons too!
Sorry.