Need help with plants

[matthewh2]

Am not sure what am doing wrong, i seem to have no luck with plants, i buy swords looking good at the shops take them home look good for a week then die, i have used co2 applicators kh plant foods, tablets, so what am i doing wrong, anyone got the solution as plants are expensive too

[Altum Nut]

Hi matthew,

I am no expert....however I have grown many plants in my time so can you list more info.

-Size of tank?
-Temp of tank water?
-Wattage of light fixture?
-Length of time light are on?
-Type of bulbs you are using?
-Types of substrate? Flourite, eco-complete, sand, gravel, etc

This will hopefully help us address your problem.

...Ralph

[Chad Hughes]

Am not sure what am doing wrong, i seem to have no luck with plants, i buy swords looking good at the shops take them home look good for a week then die, i have used co2 applicators kh plant foods, tablets, so what am i doing wrong, anyone got the solution as plants are expensive too

Well, plants can be a little tricky. Tell me more about your tank and water. How many watts of light do you have and what kind? What is your substrate? What is the GH of your water or TDS? When you say CO2 applicators, what form are you speaking of?

Best wishes!

[matthewh2]

Tank is a a 4 foot tank, lights are a T5 sun lux gravel is 3-5 mm subtrate gravel, have had sand also, co2 was one of those make shift ones with glass cone with a porous outlet, mixed up yeast in a container coke bottle and sealed tight and small bubbles would eventually come out, have got slight soft water and do a 60% wc weekly. lights use to be on 5 hrs a day or came on 6 at night and off around 10-11pm

[Chad Hughes]

Tank is a a 4 foot tank, lights are a T5 sun lux gravel is 3-5 mm subtrate gravel, have had sand also, co2 was one of those make shift ones with glass cone with a porous outlet, mixed up yeast in a container coke bottle and sealed tight and small bubbles would eventually come out, have got slight soft water and do a 60% wc weekly. lights use to be on 5 hrs a day or came on 6 at night and off around 10-11pm

OK... how many watts of light? 5 hours is not enough for plants. I usually recommend 8 minimum but no more than 10. Your tank is rather large for the yeast CO2 system. Yest CO2 is best reserved for a 29 gallon tank or smaller. It just doesn't produce enough CO2. For swords, I'd re-visit sand. The close contact of the roots to the fine substrate is best. I figured you had some pretty soft water. Most folks on here from OZ do. It's likely that your water has very little minerals in it. You'll likely have to use fertilizers in your water.

Best wishes!

[matthewh2]

i reckon ya right chad, am moving soon so wont buy any till then, gonna buy an 8 footer and be done with it, be ok if could add all tanks i have together probably have a 30 foot tank with all the tanks i have lol, am soon building a fish room for breeding discus which will be 6x4mtr and have one system running it, as for plants may set up a tank just for those, am abit worried about all the additives for planted tanks all those chemicals can't be that good for fish, is a grey area for me, i once had some plants can't remember what they were called i know they wern't swords but nearly took over the whole tank, so took some cuttings and sold them to a petshop, a week or two later lost the lot, maybe cut them back too much.

[Altum Nut]

There is a rule that many fail to do when introducing plants to their tank....they bury the stem and not just the root system which will rot and plants dies. When planting swords...part of the roots that come out of stem should be exposed. The same goes for many othres like Vals.
Good luck with your move and fish room build,

...Ralph

[matthewh2]

Thankyou, ok now i figured it, i usually bury part of the stem as well, so now i know what i am doing wrong, and why they yellow and die off, have spent a few dollars on plants in the past only to lose them, they always look good in the shops but then i guess they are new stock too, and sell quite a bit, will take your advice and only bury the roots.