Please help my plants

[chenyi]

My plants don't look healthy. But they don't look like any of the pictures online. There is no yellowing or pin holes or dark veins or whatever might indicate something specific. Some parts look healthy. Some parts have big chunks of black. It is a 10 gal tank with 3 brilliant rasboras.

 

[Aiken Drum]

How long have you had the plants?

Does the black stuff rub off?

Do you know what your water parameters are?

 

[chenyi]

I have had the plants for a couple of years. It's not a new problem.

The black does not rub off. It is just death. In the worst spots, the leaves crumble apart.

pH is 7.4
Ammonia is 0
Nitrite is 0

 

[Aiken Drum]

Nitrate?

Id also check and see if you can a check on phosphates too. Either from your water company or a test of your water.

 

[chenyi]

Okay. I should have done the in-depth test while I was there. It's only 6 bucks. I'm a moron.

 

[chenyi]

I have been dosing with Flourish and Excel. Doesn't seem to be making any difference. I got the $6 test done. Does anything jump out?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Well. Your nitrate is too low for a planted tank and will be causing nutrient deficiencies. You ideally want it up towards 20ppm. On the other hand your phosphate is too high and really wants to be below 1ppm or it will be feeding algae. Not really sure how to correct the nitrate without also raising phosphate levels.

Is that a test on your tank water or your tap water?

 

[chenyi]

Okay. This is my tank water. I'm going to try thinning the plants out. Maybe I am trying to do to much with just the 4 fish in there.

 

[Aiken Drum]

$6 for a water test. You dont need to do many of those before you may as well just buy the test kit.