Plant Problems

11 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Mattallica874353
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:03 pm

Plant Problems

by Mattallica874353

Hey everyone,
Just like the title states, Im having some issues with my plants. They seem to have stunted growth, however I purchased proper lighting, and plant fertilizer (Plant Gro NPK), and have gone through the typical doses. All of this seems to have had no effect. All of my levels are fine, and since first dose of Plant Gro, my No3 has been hovering around 20/30ppm. Yet still no effect.

Anyone have any ideas on what I can do to promote plant growth (cheaply?)


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

What kind of light do you have? Your profile doesn't say.


Mattallica874353
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:03 pm

by Mattallica874353

Sorry,
It's a Perfecto model 36 rated for 30 watts. I just purchased 2 15W Power-Glo bulbs abour 2 weeks ago and still now change.

Im guessing I'll need to invest in another lamp?


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

It sounds like you have lights designed for displaying the fish. I have some old lights that I got from someone rated at 15 watts and they're just not strong enough. I would use a minimum of a double flouescent 40 watt plant bulb from the hardware store as long as your tank, say 3 or 4 foot, to grow low light plants like Amazon sword, Anubis, Java fern and moss. I would go with the low light plants as they are many times easier than grasses and others that require very expensive setups and expensive bulb replacement every 8 or so months. With more light comes more problems with algae as well. Run the light 8-10 hours a day on a regular cycle. I personally don't use fertiliser as my tanks seem to cycle the fish waste into plenty of nitrates. It's just increased the algae growth for me. Good luck. PS You still need to replace regular hardware store bulbs because they diminish in their spectrum every 8, 10 or so months. I just saw your cichlids and they're said to eat live plants. Anubis nana and anubis bartari are pretty tough.


Mattallica874353
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:03 pm

by Mattallica874353

Thanks for your help. The bulbs I have are actually meant for plant growth, and were about $25 each. Is there a ratio of watts/gallon? Because with what I have right now, it's running at only .5watts/gallon, and Ive heard elsewhere that it should be higher. Before I purchased the expensive plant bulbs, I actually had the hardware store type but they didnt really seem to do anything either.

I also have a THIN layer of duckweed covering about 50% of the water surface, and it isn't even reproducing haha.

Oscars, and Cichlids do have a habit of eating plants however mine havn't as of yet. It's not that the plants are getting eaten, it's the fact that they seem to have become less thriving, and their growth is dwindling.

Thanks for your tips though


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

Well, the duck weed should be growing even though it's blocking a lot of light for the rest of the plants. I think it's either that you need more light and I would thin the duckweed or you have plants that need a lot of light. www.plantgeek.com is a good site for reference. Are your lights for aquarium plants? I have some 15 watt bulbs that say plant bulb and they're not good enough to grow anything. Do you have any algae? If you have lots of algae and your plants still won't grow it may be too much fertiliser. Ratio watts / gallon is supposed to be 2-3 watts per gallon for a planted tank.


Mattallica874353
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:03 pm

by Mattallica874353

Believe it or not, I have absolutely no algae haha this is a mystery to me. The bulbs I have are specifically for plants and aquaria; heres a link: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... source=cse

I think what I will do is get another fixture, with bulbs more intense then the ones I have now. that should fix it. Ive tried to eliminate all the options haha. I mean the duck weed is thinned out, and not even covering the whole surface; the fish arnt eating the plants; all levels are good; no algae; and I purchased only medium-low light plants such as java fern and moss! Ugh... I didn't want to spend more money on more lights but I guess I will have to.


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

I'm sorry you spent $25.00 on these bulbs. They are way insufficient. You can't find real aquarium plant lights at Petsmart, Petco, wallmart or any store that's not specifically an aquarium store. Lights for plants start around $100.00! You have a 60 gallon tank. I think you could grow the plants I mentioned above, low light plants, with 4 4ft 40watt flourescnt bulbs.(I made a mistake when I said 2, 4 ft) I had this set up myself on my 60 gallon and it was fine for low light plants. I just wonder if you can fit 4, 4 ft fixtures on your tank as it as it's curved in the front. I think that you could just try to pack as many 40 watt bulbs you can, build them into a nice looking hood (mine didn't look nice), and use plant bulbs. Then you can grow the lower light plants (thin the duckweed though). If you want to get into what I got into it's called VHO very high output, and it's not cheap, but it's cheaper than halides and some of the others. Make sure that if you buy VHO lights you don't get the marine kind like I did. Make sure you don't have any blue bulbs. Blue is for coral. In all flourescent bulbsyou have to replace them after 8 months to 12 months, and most aquarium people say that 12 is too long, but damed! There expensive! Bythe way, I've tried to use hallogen and halide lights from the hardware store and it's not a good idea. It's the wrong spectrum and these halides can burn your fish's eyes.


Mattallica874353
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:03 pm

by Mattallica874353

hahaha ya I saw your other post about the floodlight.

Thanks for your input though, and you're right, lights are freakin expensive.

Looks like i'll be pimpin out my tank for umpteenth time haha. Thanks.


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

Yep! It's the lights that'll get ya. Have fun.

Plant Problems

11 posts • Page 1 of 2

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