Plants are struggling, what am I doing wrong?

My plants aren't necessarily dying, they are just growing very, very, slow. My water wisteria and rotala rotundifolia are the ones that are struggling the most. My crypts are doing great and so are the anubias and java ferns. I don't know why the others aren't doing well though, so I could use some help. I dose a few drops of thrive+ every maybe two weeks and just added some more seachem flourish root tabs(I took two and broke them up into pieces and distributed them evenly among the wisteria and rotala). I have a 10 gal tank with a low light 11-watt nicrew light-I have three strips of white electrical tape over the middle section of LED's because I am battling algae. The light is on for 7 hours a day. I also only have 9 ember tetras in the tank, nothing else.

Also, the leaves of the water wisteria look very unhealthy, I would say it is my worst looking plant. Again, I have no idea what I am missing. I don't dose C02. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Not to state the obvious, but CO2 would help your plants out a lot. It may even be the main thing they're missing.

 

Rotala requires more light and nutrients than crypts, anubias, or java ferns, so that's why it's having a harder time. I've found that rotala in particular is difficult to keep in a thriving state long-term in low tech, low-light tanks, but that's just my personal experience.

Also, from the looks of it, your water wisteria was grown out of the water before you purchased it. When they're exposed to air, they grow broad, rounded leaves that can't survive underwater. When those leaves are submerged, they "melt" off, and the plant replaces them with leaves that are designed to grow underwater.
This is perfectly normal and natural. Just keep up what you're doing. Your plant will look crummy for a while but it should survive and bounce back with new leaves.

CO2 always can help, but for the plants you're growing, it's not really necessary. I've had a lot of success growing the same plants you are (aside from rotala), with basically the same setup, and without CO2.

 

Just from my brief experience with plants and aquarium in general, so far only rotola indica and a hygrophila salifolia have not survived in my tank. The rotola melted in 5 days. It's hard to say from what I gather the issues is since some plants work for some and not for others. I'll suggest dosing with liquid fertilizer since I have noticed visible improvements on all my plants since I started dosing. I divide my dosing to twice a week since other here mentioned dosing more frequently has helped their tanks. Trying my luck now with rotola wallichii which is even more delicate then indica, will see how this goes.

 

I agree with BlackOsprey about the Water Wisteria. I have two planted Water Wisteria side by side in one of my tanks. One was grown out of water and looks just like yours, the one beside it was grown submersed and has feathery leaves that look nothing like the other ones.

 

Also, from the looks of it, your water wisteria was grown out of the water before you purchased it. When they're exposed to air, they grow broad, rounded leaves that can't survive underwater. When those leaves are submerged, they "melt" off, and the plant replaces them with leaves that are designed to grow underwater.
This is perfectly normal and natural. Just keep up what you're doing. Your plant will look crummy for a while but it should survive and bounce back with new leaves.

That's what I thought...but the weirdest thing is I've had this plant for over a year and it was growing rapidly with normal-looking leaves for the first month or two then stopped and I haven't seen it like that since...the only difference is the fertilizer I used(Seachem Flourish). Does that have C02 or something in it that thrive+ doesn't? Also, I thought wisteria were root feeders, more so than through the water column so I don't think the fertilizer would matter that much, am I right?

I removed 2 layers of the electrical tape so now there's only one. I'm hoping with stronger light and more liquid ferts they could grow better...we'll see if that helps. I just don't want the algae to come back because it seems every time I dose more ferts more algae comes because my healthy plants are all slow-growing and it leaves excess nutrients in the water column.

I agree with BlackOsprey about the Water Wisteria. I have two planted Water Wisteria side by side in one of my tanks. One was grown out of water and looks just like yours, the one beside it was grown submersed and has feathery leaves that look nothing like the other ones.

Really weird why my plant is doing this then...

 

That's what I thought...but the weirdest thing is I've had this plant for over a year and it was growing rapidly with normal-looking leaves for the first month or two then stopped and I haven't seen it like that since...the only difference is the fertilizer I used(Seachem Flourish). Does that have C02 or something in it that thrive+ doesn't? Also, I thought wisteria were root feeders, more so than through the water column so I don't think the fertilizer would matter that much, am I right?

I removed 2 layers of the electrical tape so now there's only one. I'm hoping with stronger light and more liquid ferts they could grow better...we'll see if that helps. I just don't want the algae to come back because it seems every time I dose more ferts more algae comes because my healthy plants are all slow-growing and it leaves excess nutrients in the water column.

Ooh, that's weird!
Well, I do also know that water wisteria can sometimes just grow weird for any number of reasons... When you say "normal leaves," do you mean the lacy-looking ones, or the broad and rounded ones like seen here?

No liquid fertilizer is gonna have CO2 by the way. CO2 is a gas.

Anyways, CO2 definitely isn't necessary to get water wisteria to grow like weeds. I gotta trim mine every other day. If I had to guess, yours is stunted because it doesn't have enough nutrients. I don't know how much is in a "few drops of Thrive" every 2 weeks, but I'm guessing it's probably not as much as, say, a nutrient-rich soil substrate.

If you're worried about excess nutrients, add more plants when you increase your fertilizer dosage. The best way to control algae is to out-compete it with plants. It won't eliminate algae altogether (very little can) but you won't have an uncontrolled explosion. Floating plants like azolla or red root floater are excellent at absorbing extra nutrients and really limit how out-of-control algae can actually get.

 

What kind of flow do you have in the tank? Though you don’t need to inject CO2, it makes a difference whether you have surface agitation, so that you have gas exchange for atmospheric CO2.

 

When you say "normal leaves," do you mean the lacy-looking ones, or the broad and rounded ones like seen here?

I mean the lacy ones

Anyways, CO2 definitely isn't necessary to get water wisteria to grow like weeds. I gotta trim mine every other day. If I had to guess, yours is stunted because it doesn't have enough nutrients. I don't know how much is in a "few drops of Thrive" every 2 weeks, but I'm guessing it's probably not as much as, say, a nutrient-rich soil substrate.

Ok, I added a full pump this morning

If you're worried about excess nutrients, add more plants when you increase your fertilizer dosage. The best way to control algae is to out-compete it with plants. It won't eliminate algae altogether (very little can) but you won't have an uncontrolled explosion. Floating plants like azolla or red root floater are excellent at absorbing extra nutrients and really limit how out-of-control algae can actually get.

Thats what I thought. Im just gonna see how it goes without spending any more money for now. I have some pearlweed floating around too. I’ll keep you guys posted!

What kind of flow do you have in the tank? Though you don’t need to inject CO2, it makes a difference whether you have surface agitation, so that you have gas exchange for atmospheric CO2.

I just have a sponge filter

 

I just have a sponge filter

A sponge filter with "normal" flow should be just fine. In my apisto tanks, I used a bleed valve to decrease the flow to about 5-10 bubbles/second. In those tanks, the floating plants grew well, as did as the slow growers (java moss, java fern, anubias). But anything hungry for ferts and light didn't have enough CO2 to grow. So I added a liquid carbon source (glutaraldehyde) in those cases.

 

The replies here are very helpful. To me, it's the low lighting situation. While anubias/cryptocoryne/java fern do fine in low light, rotala/wisteria needs med-high lighting and will grow very slowly or die in low. I've never had luck with wisteria, even in med light. CO2 injection/bottled supplement/agitating water surface can help, but careful. Any change in water quality can cause issues. CO2 in particular lowers pH which'll cause crypt melt. Watch water quality pH/hardness/ammonia/ammonium/nitrite/nitrate and keep up with maintenance. Good luck

 

To me, it's the low lighting situation. While anubias/cryptocoryne/java fern do fine in low light, rotala/wisteria needs med-high lighting and will grow very slowly or die in low. I've never had luck with wisteria, even in med light.

I understand that, but again I don't understand why it was growing like a weed then stopped all of a sudden...

CO2 injection/bottled supplement/agitating water surface can help, but careful. Any change in water quality can cause issues. CO2 in particular lowers pH which'll cause crypt melt. Watch water quality pH/hardness/ammonia/ammonium/nitrite/nitrate and keep up with maintenance. Good luck

I don't think I'll be adding any of that I'll probably stick to what I have already and figure it out from there. Thanks!

A sponge filter with "normal" flow should be just fine. In my apisto tanks, I used a bleed valve to decrease the flow to about 5-10 bubbles/second. In those tanks, the floating plants grew well, as did as the slow growers (java moss, java fern, anubias). But anything hungry for ferts and light didn't have enough CO2 to grow. So I added a liquid carbon source (glutaraldehyde) in those cases.

Ok, so it's not my flow...I'll check the ingredients of Seachem Flourish and compare to Thrive+ to try and figure out what I'm maybe missing.

Thank you all so much for your help I really appreciate your insight

 

I don't understand why it was growing like a weed then stopped all of a sudden...

How often and how large are your water changes?

Also, stick with Thrive C as Flourish doesn't have what you need (too little of some nutrients and it misses some altogether). Easy Green is best for low and med-light, Thrive C for high lighting

 

How often and how large are your water changes?

I have just started doing them every two weeks because of my low stocking. Before that it was every week and about 20-25% always

Also, stick with Thrive C as Flourish doesn't have what you need (too little of some nutrients and it misses some altogether). Easy Green is best for low and med-light, Thrive C for high lighting

Sounds good-I’ll switch to that after I finish my current bottle

 

I have just started doing them every two weeks because of my low stocking

Do you know your KH/GH/pH/TDS? This looks like calcium deficiency.

 

Do you know your KH/GH/pH/TDS? This looks like calcium deficiency.

I only know my ph its 7.2 last time I checked. GH/KH test kits are not available near me

 

I only know my ph its 7.2 last time I checked. GH/KH test kits are not available near me

Try to contact your local water source company and ask for their test results, if you can

 

Try to contact your local water source company and ask for their test results, if you can

I'll try. Also even in one day, the algae has already increased-a lot more green dust algae on the glass. How can I add more nutrients for the plants without an increase of algae?

 

More nutrients don’t cause algae. Your plants need nutrients, but the algae can live on practically nothing.

 

You can pay attention to two aspects: GH and CO2 in water. 1. There is CO2 in the air, so plants grow well, but the amount of water in the fish tank is not large enough, and there is only a small amount of CO2 in the water. After the absorption is completed, the plants go into semi-dormancy The state, although it is not dead, is also in a bad state. 2. Most plants like to be in neutral and slightly acidic water. If you can't give such water, it will appear something like melanin. Another situation is that the plants are slowly adapting to the underwater process from the water, and many businesses' aquatic plants are propagated on the water.

 

You can pay attention to two aspects: GH and CO2 in water. 1. There is CO2 in the air, so plants grow well, but the amount of water in the fish tank is not large enough, and there is only a small amount of CO2 in the water. After the absorption is completed, the plants go into semi-dormancy The state, although it is not dead, is also in a bad state. 2. Most plants like to be in neutral and slightly acidic water. If you can't give such water, it will appear something like melanin. Another situation is that the plants are slowly adapting to the underwater process from the water, and many businesses' aquatic plants are propagated on the water.

Should I buy liquid C02 then? Now that I think about it my water was super acidic when the wisteria was growing like crazy, i read somewhere that was bad so I added bakin soda to raise it. Which worked. And it has stayed at 7-7.2 since then. Maybe lowering my ph will help! Thank you!!!

 

Should I buy liquid C02 then? Now that I think about it my water was super acidic when the wisteria was growing like crazy, i read somewhere that was bad so I added bakin soda to raise it. Which worked. And it has stayed at 7-7.2 since then. Maybe lowering my ph will help! Thank you!!!

The liquid is compressed in the cylinder, and there is a solenoid valve that can be added regularly and quantitatively through a timer. It depends on whether your local aquarium market sells it