Deficiencies In My Plants

SeattleRoy Been getting a bit of algae. Hair, bba and green spot. Should I dose excel to help? lessen the amount hours lights are on?

 

HI bryangar

You can dose Excel, it does have algaecide properties. Dose per the directions on the bottle, overdosing can cause reduced plant growth.

You can certainly cut back on light, especially if there is ambient light in the room from windows. The longer days mean more 'natural light' this time of year. It is amazing how every spring there seem to be several 'green water' posts. They can't figure out why....they didn't change their timer.

 

HI bryangar

You can dose Excel, it does have algaecide properties. Dose per the directions on the bottle, overdosing can cause reduced plant growth.

You can certainly cut back on light, especially if there is ambient light in the room from windows. The longer days mean more 'natural light' this time of year. It is amazing how every spring there seem to be several 'green water' posts. They can't figure out why....they didn't change their timer.

How well would a “siesta” do? 4 hr on/ 2 off/ 4 on?

 

HI bryangar

For my tanks I run (approxmately - it varies per tank) 2 hours in the morning, 8 hours off, 2.5 hours in the evening. If you do a split period, are you also reducing the total amount (hours / intensity / both) of light? If not, then algae issues are unlikely to decline.

 

algae BBA is dangerous man , u have to take care, a plague of black algae can make a lot of damage on ur plants, generally that kind of algae appears when u have more than 1 ppm of phosphates.
I use C5H8O2 or h2o2 to kill the algae.

 

HI bryangar

For my tanks I run (approxmately - it varies per tank) 2 hours in the morning, 8 hours off, 2.5 hours in the evening. If you do a split period, are you also reducing the total amount (hours / intensity / both) of light? If not, then algae issues are unlikely to decline.

I have my lights on at 7am-4pm, so i’d reducing it by a bit

 

HI bryangar

If it were my tank I would cut the light back by one (1) hour for the next two weeks and see how the plants respond and if the algae issue diminishes. A planted tank is all about balance, light and nutrients.

 

How well would a “siesta” do? 4 hr on/ 2 off/ 4 on?

I’d do the split photo period but try a 4 hour on, 2 off, 3 hours on. 7 hour photo period should be fine. As for the BBA, that’s a CO2 deficiency. I think we’ve already discussed how to actually get rid of it by addressing the root issue, but if you want to remain Lowtech, you’ll have to hit it with hydrogen peroxide. Id use excel as a last resort if that doesn’t work. Excel is my last choice because it has been known to melt some plants

 

Plants have grown in slightly better than they were. SeattleRoy Vishaquatics (Koiman) I got this plant a few weeks ago, but its barely growing, new leaves look almost stunted and whiteish. Any idea why? I added these new lights(6500k flood light) in hopes of it helping out, but nope. Been following the schedule by Roy, but missed a waterchange on saturday, did it today

 

Tank definitely looking better! The new plant looks like AR Rosefolia or some alternanthera variety. AR are quite unique in that they only start really growing once they establish a good root system. This can take up to two to three months in a Lowtech environment. Once they put out a good root system, you can expect to see their growth shoot up. As for the stunting, you can try increasing iron but even in my tanks, I only get healthy AR growth after the plant is established in roots. Otherwise they grow stunted and twisted for the first few days in my tanks, but they put out roots fast due to the sunlight and CO2. Also it’s only been two or so weeks since you added the lights so I’d wait for another month or so to determine if they’re actually helping. Everything happens at snail pace in a Lowtech tank

 

Tank definitely looking better! The new plant looks like AR Rosefolia or some alternanthera variety. AR are quite unique in that they only start really growing once they establish a good root system. This can take up to two to three months in a Lowtech environment. Once they put out a good root system, you can expect to see their growth shoot up. As for the stunting, you can try increasing iron but even in my tanks, I only get healthy AR growth after the plant is established in roots. Otherwise they grow stunted and twisted for the first few days in my tanks, but they put out roots fast due to the sunlight and CO2. Also it’s only been two or so weeks since you added the lights so I’d wait for another month or so to determine if they’re actually helping. Everything happens at snail pace in a Lowtech tank

it’s hygrophila sunset

 

HI bryangar

The H. polysperma 'Sunset' doesn't appear white in your photos, more reddish which is not uncommon with high light. Could you try to get a better picture please?

 

it’s hygrophila sunset

Ah okay, my bad. But I do agree with SeattleRoy for a better pic

 

I'm at work so I can’t get a better pic rn. But I guess it could be from the white veins mostly showing. I have it growing in a small jar and it’s doing much better in that tank. It’s growing maybe 2-3 leaves since I first got it in my 46

 

I'm at work so I can’t get a better pic rn. But I guess it could be from the white veins mostly showing. I have it growing in a small jar and it’s doing much better in that tank. It’s growing maybe 2-3 leaves since I first got it in my 46

Could you send us pictures to compare the two? I zoomed in on the pics you already sent and the white veins don’t really jump out to me as a nutrient deficiency. If I’m not mistaken, the white veins are the “variegated” characteristic of this plant

If anything, I’d wait it out for a few more weeks before trying to change Anything so that we can accurately assess if this is just a transition period or an actual issue

 

Could you send us pictures to compare the two? I zoomed in on the pics you already sent and the white veins don’t really jump out to me as a nutrient deficiency. If I’m not mistaken, the white veins are the “variegated” characteristic of this plant

If anything, I’d wait it out for a few more weeks before trying to change Anything so that we can accurately assess if this is just a transition period or an actual issue

Yup, white veins are a normal for this. It might just be normal. Here it is in the jar, doesn’t have the pink color since it barely gets any light



It’s been more than a month since I got them.

 

Yup, white veins are a normal for this. It might just be normal. Here it is in the jar, doesn’t have the pink color since it barely gets any light
View attachment 547680

It’s been more than a month since I got them.

Here’s the one in my 46. You can also see some leggy growth. Thoughts?



and here’s the whole tank

 

Could you send us pictures to compare the two? I zoomed in on the pics you already sent and the white veins don’t really jump out to me as a nutrient deficiency. If I’m not mistaken, the white veins are the “variegated” characteristic of this plant

If anything, I’d wait it out for a few more weeks before trying to change Anything so that we can accurately assess if this is just a transition period or an actual issue

Okay, ended up just taking them out and adding the stems in the jar to the tank. Here’s what's what they looked like. I’m seeing shriveled leaves and transparency.

 

Okay, ended up just taking them out and adding the stems in the jar to the tank. Here’s what's what they looked like. I’m seeing shriveled leaves and transparency.
View attachment 551047
View attachment 551048

I looked up some pictures of this plant online. Nothing really jumps out at me as being deficient or twisting. It looks normal compared to the other pictures of this plant that I’ve seen on the internet

 

I looked up some pictures of this plant online. Nothing really jumps out at me as being deficient or twisting. It looks normal compared to the other pictures of this plant that I’ve seen on the internet

kinda strange in that case. It did better in the jar, I didn’t expect it to be “harder” to grow than water wisteria. I'm guessing this might be a lighting issue? No idea why it isn’t growing much.

 

kinda strange in that case. It did better in the jar, I didn’t expect it to be “harder” to grow than water wisteria. I'm guessing this might be a lighting issue? No idea why it isn’t growing much.

I know about the wrinkles you are talking about that appear like twisted deficiencies . These “wrinkles” are also present in ludwigia minI super red and other plants that like higher light. That is because the aquarium lights currently will never provide a high enough light intensity for the leaves to not wrinkle and become super smooth. Some people like the texture that the wavy wrinkles provide. In direct sunlight, the Ludwigia MinI Super red leaves become extremely smooth and look like a regular plant leaf, with a bright red color. I suspect the same thing is happening here where the Hygrophila Rosanverg simply doesn’t have enough light to turn smooth.