Help with Plant Growth

[adamsite]

I've had my CO2 system running for well over 2 months with this current setup and my plants still are not thriving. All tests show CO2 is optimal and my T5 lights are on 11 hours a day running at over 2 watts per gallon. As you can see from the pics they just do not look healthy. I have 2 Chinese algae eaters and a couple of cory cats to help with the cleanup but the leaves tend to get covered in a brown gunk or quickly die off. Should I bother with CO2 in a 46g or should I switch it up to flourish excel. Any advice is appreciated.
-Adam

[Yassmeena]

I've had my CO2 system running for well over 2 months with this current setup and my plants still are not thriving. All tests show CO2 is optimal and my T5 lights are on 11 hours a day running at over 2 watts per gallon. As you can see from the pics they just do not look healthy. I have 2 Chinese algae eaters and a couple of cory cats to help with the cleanup but the leaves tend to get covered in a brown gunk or quickly die off. Should I bother with CO2 in a 46g or should I switch it up to flourish excel. Any advice is appreciated.
-Adam

That's very odd... I would post this on the planted tank network forums.

[KuPoB_K]

Hi Adam,
here's a quick Q&A to help identify the cause of your problems as i cant see the pics very well. Let me know if it works for you.

Symptoms/Cause
Old leaves turn yellowish/ red
Nitrogen deficiency

Leaf loss and small dead areas
Phosphate deficiency

Black/ brown leaves, plants die
Excess phosphates

Yellow spots on old leaves and yellowish margins on younger leaves
Potassium deficiency

Yellowish margins on young leaves with deformations
Calcium deficiency

Yellow spots on old leaves while veins stay green
Magnesium deficiency

Young leaves turn yellow
Sulfur deficiency

Yellowing leaves starting from the tip then become transparent
Iron deficiency

Yellow spots between the veins, margins and tips
Zinc deficiency

Plant stays small slow or now growth white deposits on leaves (calcium)
CO2 deficiency

Fish gasp for air on surface
Excess CO2

Sluggish fish no plant growth
Oxygen deficiency

Plants stop growing/ black roots
Substrate problem

cheers
Yan

[cyberhog05]

What ferts are you dosing? here is a link that has tons of info.
http://www.rexgrigg.com/index.html

[calihawker]

Adam,
What method are you using for checking co2 levels?
Yes, check rex's site.

btw welcome to SD neighbor!



Steve

[mcsinny99]

My first question would be what is the substrate? Is it just sand?
Also are rhizomes on the anubias buried?

[White Worm]

ferts? and.....schedule?

[adamsite]

To answer some of the responses I've been given...I am using pool filter sand that is well established, about 3" in the rear and 1.5" in the front, I've been dosing with Excel daily for the past 10 days, and my CO2 monitor is a internal dye cap that came with my CO2 system (blue=too little, green=perfect, and yellow=too much) I've been sitting pretty in green for well over a month. I am getting good new growth down low, bright and green. As the leaves mature and grow taller they brown, from the tip down it seems, until the die down to the root. Only roots are buried making sure none of the plant is below the sand surface. I am getting varied algae growth on the leaves so I am assuming the plants are not absorbing all the nutrients in the tank. Thanks for the all the responses and any additional info will help!
-Adam

[mcsinny99]

Well there's the issue. Flourish Excel is just a carbon supplement. You need to get some regular flourish, and other supplemental ferts. Also, I would put some flourite and laterite under the sand as a first layer. Hope this helps.

[adamsite]

Thanks! I have some ordinary Flourish but didn't want to do it combined with the Excel. I was just afraid I was over doing it in my 46g, I'll start the ferts tonight! So you think it is ok to do the Excel with the CO2, or should I just stick to the CO2 and supplement with the Flourish?

[mcsinny99]

Just follow the instructions on the bottle. I do flourish once a week and flourish excel every 2 days among others. Some root tabs are a good idea too.

[adamsite]

Great, I haven't used any root tabs since I established the plants...I'll do that as well! thanks so much!

[mcsinny99]

If you already did root tabs, and it wasn't that long ago don't bother. I didn't know you had them in there already and I think they are good for like 6 months.

[KDodds]

Why are you dosing carbon 2 ways? With a pressurized CO2 system, all you need to do, if properly set up, is increase the bubble count to increase CO2. Some plant species also respond poorly to the use of Flourish Excel. On the root tabs, it depends on the brand, how many plants, how large they are, etc. In a heavily planted tank, you may need to dose certain tabs once per month, other brands once every 2, 3, 6 months. Depends on the plants too, more heavy root feeders = more frequent dosing. Lack of liquid or powdered NPK supplements (fertilizers, which Excel is not) seem to be the reason for your problems.

[judy]

check yuor phosphates. too much light and too much phosphate are the most common reasons for algae growth and plant die-off-- and I would not use Flourish as it contains phosphates, which virtually all planted tanks already have too much of anyway!! If you're going to use liquid fertilizer in the water column (which isn't often necessary since most auqatic plants get most of their nutrients, aside from C02 and maybe iron, from their root systems), find one with NO phosphates.

[White Worm]

Lack of liquid or powdered NPK supplements (fertilizers, which Excel is not) seem to be the reason for your problems.

Yep

[Yassmeena]

If you already did root tabs, and it wasn't that long ago don't bother. I didn't know you had them in there already and I think they are good for like 6 months.

If you use root tabs be careful that you do not disturb the substrate they are in for a good couple of months atleast, or else all those nutrients will leach out into the water and you could get an algae blossom.