Plants are struggling, do I need ferts?

Hello,

I have a Fluval Spec V that has been cycled for about 3 months. I have been battling typical algae the whole time but my plants are really starting to struggle.

Parameters:
-Amazonia Substrate
-PH 7.1
-Ammonia 0
-Nitrite 0
-Nitrate 10ish

I do 30-50% water changes weekly.

Stock Fluval Spec V light (newest version) on for 6 hours a day.

I dose Excel daily.

4 neon tetras, down to 1 Red Cherry Shrimp (several have died), just added 2 nerite snails.

My water wisteria keeps growing pretty quickly but the leaves are turning brown and starting to die away. The last picture you can see my s. repens that have struggled from the get go. I planted an anubias behind it a few days ago which is why it looks healthy.

Any ideas?

 

You might just keep the lights off for a couple days. Maybe even cover the tank? Manually brushing some of it off could work, too. Are you using fertilizers of any sort?

 

I am not using fertilizers. Should I be? I was under the impression that Amazonia substrate was all I needed for a while?

 

Reduce light intensity if possible.

Reduce photoperiod to 5 hours per day max (until algae has subsided, then slowly increase back up to 8 hours per day over a few weeks).

Ensure you are providing adequate nutrients for the plants (unhealthy plants promote algae).

Dose Flourish Excel or equivalent Met14 at the “after water change” rate on the Excel bottle once per day.

Manually remove all algae you can.

Manually remove excess organics in the tank by gravel vacuuming and cleaning filter media in old tank water every water change.

Manually remove any decaying or dead plant matter.

Consider spot treating badly affected areas or dipping plants / hardscape in a Flourish Excel, Met14 or H2O2 + water solution.

Ensure CO2 is dropping the pH of the tank water a full 1.0 – 1.2. (Measure the pH of tank water with no CO2 dissolved in it, and then measure again 2-3 hours after CO2 has been running. Ensure the drop in pH is a full 1.0-1.2. If the drop is not there yet, slowly up CO2 over a few weeks until at least a 1.0 drop is achieved, and watch fish / livestock carefully. Adjust CO2 down if you notice fish gasping at the surface And consider running an airstone at night when pushing a 1.2 or greater drop).

 

Thanks Chanyi!

How dI I know if I'm providing adequate nutrients for the plans?

When you talk about CO2 dropping pH, do you mean Excel? I don't run a CO2 system...

Is the algae the reason my leaves are dying?

 

I recently begged Hair Algae from someone. It struggles to survive in my tanks/s. So, I thought, perhaps Hair Algae will survive. It's neck and neck with amazon sword. It's merely a matter of experimenting.

 

Hello,

I have a Fluval Spec V that has been cycled for about 3 months. I have been battling typical algae the whole time but my plants are really starting to struggle.

Parameters:
-Amazonia Substrate
-PH 7.1
-Ammonia 0
-Nitrite 0
-Nitrate 10ish

I do 30-50% water changes weekly.

Stock Fluval Spec V light (newest version) on for 6 hours a day.

I dose Excel daily.

4 neon tetras, down to 1 Red Cherry Shrimp (several have died), just added 2 nerite snails.

My water wisteria keeps growing pretty quickly but the leaves are turning brown and starting to die away. The last picture you can see my s. repens that have struggled from the get go. I planted an anubias behind it a few days ago which is why it looks healthy.

Do I need to start using ferts?

 

If it were me I would keep up on the excel and at least dose a rounded weekly fert . I suggest seachem flourish

 

Think of your light as the gas pedal and ferts are the gas. You're hitting the pedal but have no gas. I personally would go with an all in one fertilizer to keep it simple and provide every nutrient your plants need in one dose. I would go with NilocG Thrive fertilizer. It has everything your plants need in one bottle.

 

I've used flourish but it doesn't have all the micro nutrients. Any other pet store brand tends to be less then flourish, but if you can, by a brand like NilocG or another fish brand you find online

 

Thanks Chanyi!

How dI I know if I'm providing adequate nutrients for the plans?

When you talk about CO2 dropping pH, do you mean Excel? I don't run a CO2 system...

Is the algae the reason my leaves are dying?

Plants require:

3 macro nutrients in relatively large quantities, these being Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.
3 secondary nutrients, these being Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur.
Micro / Trace nutrients, these being Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Molybdenum, Copper, Chlorine and Boron.

Typically tap water and fish waste provides some of these, but a balanced fertilizer dosing and water change schedule is best for optimum plant growth. Healthy plants don't allow algae to grow, unhealthy plants allow algae to thrive. Fertilizers alone do no cause algae. I would suggest either a PPS-Pro dosing regime, or an all-in-one fertilizer such as Thrive. You could get away with using Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and Seachem Flourish Trace depending on the plants and growth speed you are looking for.

If you are not fertilizing, it's very likely the reason why your plant leaves are dying, or not enough light, and algae is a result which only amplifies plant decay.

No, Seachem Flourish Excel is not CO2, it's not a CO2 replacement, it is a mild algaecide that allows for slightly higher light used in a non-CO2 injected tank. It also may or may not help break down protein films growing on plant tissue allowing the plant better access to natural CO2 concentrations dissolved in the water from the atmosphere. In your case, ensure you are dosing the "after water change" amount every single day. This is safe to do so.

 

Great info, thanks so much for your help.

I just ordered some Thrive+. Once I begin using it, should I still be using Excel?

 

You can use the thrive after every water change, and as far as the Excel, you can use it I would say every 3-4 days, not every day.

 

Great, thanks for the replies! I ordered some Thrive+. Should I continue to dose Excel once I start using Thrive+?

 

Be careful with Thrive+, it's specifically made for high tech (CO2) tanks with a PH of less than 7. If you are not injecting CO2 and your PH is higher than 7; which it most likely is; I would go with regular Thrive. Not Thrive +. And yes continue dosing your Excel as well.

 

Thanks Toeknee, I just ordered Thrive and will return the Thrive+. Should I still dose excel daily or less regularly?