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My poor plants are not looking so well, the Anacharis 5 plants (Egeria densa) has quite a few leaves with brown tips. My Micro sword 3 plants (Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae) has quite a few brown blades. The Bacoba has some brown spots but this could be brown algae on the leaves as I have a little of it present in my tank as well a a green string type algea on the leaves of my Amazon Sword.

I have found that the brown algae could be caused by lack of light which could be the case as I only have 2 watts a gallon right now. My other bulb should be here today and will give me 3 watts a gallon so hopefully this will clear up the brown algae.

I also read were the brown leave could be a lack of iron and or potassium. Could this be the case? I have Flourish iron I just purchased but have not used as I am concered about over doing it. I have been dosing about 10 Ml of Kent trace every 3 days.

My Amazon Swords seam to be doing fine and producing a lot of O2 as all the leaves have bubbles on them and some are even pearling.

Tank. 46 gallon Planted for 2 weeks, PH 8, KH high, GH 15, Ammona 0, Nitrate 20, Nitrite 0.

I was looking at getting an iron test kit but from what I have read they are not to accurate. How are the CO2 test kits? Potassium test kit?

Thanks Jim S.

Hi,
A brown coating or dusting on the leaves and on the
substrate is a textbook description of an outbreak of
diatoms. This is caused by an excess of silica in the
tank, generally slow currents or "dead" spaces within
the tank and low light.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa091100.htm

While this is a saltwater aquarium, the principles of
cause and control are the same in a freshwater aquarium.

If the spots are actually on the plants then those are
symptoms of nutrient defficency and this link will help:

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htm

Frank


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

If you purshcased the plants recently it may be the case that they were grown emmersed, and this is just old growth dying off. In most cases, IME, old growth from newly purchased plants will die off over the course of a few weeks no matter what.

Are you adding CO2? Pressurized or Excel? Anacharis, as LF can attest, reacts poorly to Excel, turning brown and unhealthy. Has the tank just been set-up? Is there new gravel? Brown algae is diatoms, a great food for otos. It's casued by excess silica in the water, which usually happens when new gravel (made of silica) is added to a tank. It'll go away on its own in a few weeks.

More specifically, what is your fert dosing schedule? There are certain staples you should be adding at regular intervals: N (KNO3 most common), K (K2SO4 most commonly), C (CO2 or Excel) and P (some phosphate solution, or whatever excess fish food gives off). You should also add some sort of micronutrient solution, like Flourish or Tropica Master Grow. I don't know what Kent trace contains, but it may be lacking in some important micros.

Bensaf also mentioned in another thread that high GH can be a problem for some plants, but before going to that conclusion I would:

1.) wait for old growth to die off and new growth to appear - this'll give you a better idea of how the plants are doing

and 2.) get a good fert routine going and see how that helps

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Back in the saddle!

Thanks guy

My tank has been set up for a couple months. It has been planted for about 2 weeks.

I have no CO2 at this time. I am looking into pressurized but was thinking of using excel until the funds are present to set up a co2 system.

The only fert I have been using is the Kent trace stuff which appears to be about the same as Flourish trace.

I will keep an eye on things and hope its just old growth dying off.

How are the CO2 test kits? Potassium test kit?

Unless you are adding Co2 a test kit is unneccessary. Even after Adding Co2 it's also unneccessary as you can get a more accurate measurement by checking pH and KH.

Potassium test kit are not available.Very specialised test.

GH wouldn't be an issue for these plants and the indictaions aren't there.

How long are the lights on ?

---

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.