FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hi, well first off, im not expert to fish or plants to i dont really know what to do other than the basics.
I've just got back from a 2 week holiday, and my plants (other than hornwort, which grew a bit but is dying lower down the stem) havent grown one bit, all my floating plant has died in both of my tanks(one is 125l the other 50l.)!
As i said none have grown and about 50% the plants are going brown and leaves tapering.
I cant think of what did this at all, i did 20% water changes for 3 days before i left, which i read on this site i should do to keep the water fresh. Also i added a nitrate remover sponge to the filter as the levels were a bit high.
Those 2 things are the only things i can think of that may have done it.
One of my gourami's died 2 days after i left, but i dont think that is related, my neighbour removed it the same day.
In my 125l tank i have:
1 dwarf gourami
1 fighting fish (dont worry the he gets on fine with gourami)
6 platies
3 guppys
4 tetras

In the 50l tank there is nothing currently only plants which i thought i'd leave to grow over the holidays.
Any help here would be greatly appreciated
thanks
tom

Hi,
Ouch! Not a great return from a vacation, sorry.

We would need to know several things about the tanks
before something definitive could be pinpointed.
But, in general - The 125 is way under populated
with fish which means that plants will not have the
nutrients they need to grow. In a tank that is
"normally stocked" the fish waste, extra fish food,
and any decaying plant matter all provide food for
the bacteria that provides the nutrients for the
plants to thrive.

You don't mention what the plants are, nor do you
say anything about the lighting for the tank.

It should be at least 1.5 watts/gallon, and should
be turned on for at least 10hours/day. In the
125, it is deeper than the 55 and so would require
more intensity than the 55. The deeper the water
the more the scattering and absorbtion of the light,
leaving less to reach the substrate where the plants
are rooted.

Eventually, if you want a good lush green growth,
you will have to give some thought to using presurized
CO2 injection. Although, you can do without, if you
go low tech with garden soil or potting soil instead
under a cap layer of gravel (read THE ECOLOGY OF
THE PLANTED AQUARIUM) for more information on that.

Sorry to be vague, but we don't know anything about
what plants, how established the tank is, how long
the lights are on, and if the "tank sitter" simply
forgot to turn them on for a few days (or more).

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

well frank what more can i ask for, i really appreciate these forums cos people like you are so helpful to a total stranger and you bothered to write all that to help just me, thank you so much man.
Anyway so i'll tell you my what my lights are: sylvania standard 18w one daylight one warm white. These both have reflectors to reflect light down into the aquarium.
The light are on a timer so they get enough light a day for sure, that cant be the problem.
im sorry but i cant help you with the plants at all cos i dont simply dont know. The guy in the fish shop said they were the easiest to grow. I have noticed that hardly any of these plants seem to root or some start and then just stop.
I dont really want to go down the path of CO2 if i can help it as that gets quite expensive and im just a student!
As for the stocking i did have:
2 dwarf gourami
1 fighting fish
6 platies
4 guppys
5 tetras
(and one chinese algae eater i forgot to mention him in the last post).
Would that be sufficient or still more fish needed for more substrate etc?
Thank you again frank and i hope you can help again!
thanks

Moose,

You have just over 1wpg which is a little on the low side. This would be the reason for the weak stems on the hornwort and depending what the other plants were their demise also.

The warm white bulb is pretty useless for plant growth and I would change it to another daylight.

The CAE I would definately reconsider. They get to about 6 inches and become incredibly aggressive. This aggression can literally appear overnight. On top of this they are actually pretty useless as an algae eater. I would be casting a wary eye on him if your gourami died without any signs of illness.They also poop like hell which could be the reason for the high nitrates. It's not really suitable for 125lt (about 30g) tank.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

yeh thanks m8, i've always disliked that slimy yellow thing, my dad thought it had personality and bought it for me! So wots the best way to get rid of it? and any suggestions for a different algae eater?
So also i should be getting a brighter bulb, wot should be the wattage to look for?
Oh and would the stocking mentioned in my previous post be sufficient for my tank?
thanks again

How about a bunch of ottos, say 4 or five. Maybe more!
these guys are great at getting algae off of plants without damaging them. Ottos are non aggressive (from my experience) and are good clean little cleaners!

Moose,

The wattage will be determined by the size of your fixture. Basically get the most wattage that will fit into your light fixture. Make sure it's a bulb with a color temp of 6700k usually marked as "Daylight", this should be on the pack somewhere. If you are willing to spend a couple of extra quid, try to get a tri-phospor bulb, these are a little more expensive but usually are up to 20% brighter then ordinary bulbs (again make sure it's daylight colour).

For algae eaters, it depends on what type of algae you have, as different algae eaters eat ..well...different algaes. For a tank tour size ottos would do a good job on keeping the plants clean or a bristle nose pleco for keeping rocks and decorations clean (just 1 and make sure it's a bristlenose, most other plecos get huge). But if you don't have an algae problem then I would hold off.

You could try trading in the CAE at a local store.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.