# Tank is disappointing. Could use some advice, parameters, failing plants



## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Hi everyone. I’m in desperate need of some advice and help. I am new to the hobby of fish keeping and planted tanks. I have two tanks (a 20g and a 5.5g) and I’m going to talk about them both but I’m more focused on the 20g. 

I use an API liquid test kit with added gH and kH and phosphate tests. 
To start here are my Tap Water parameters
pH before gassing off - 8.0 - 8.2
pH after gassing off - 8.5
dkH - 18
dgH - 22-24
Phosphate - 0
My water company uses chlorine not chloramine. 

RO unit water 
pH before gassing off - 6.6
pH after gassing off - 7.6 - 7.8 so hard to tell? 
dkH - 2
dgH - 3

Both tanks previously matched tap perfectly. 

The past two weeks I’ve been mixing tap and Ro. 1/3 tap 2/3 ro. 
Which brings the numbers to 
pH - 8.0 
kH - 8 half change on 7 full on 8
gH - 8 half changed on 7 full on 8


Now my 20g has been set up for 6 months. 
In the beginning the plants (Wisteria, Pearl Weed, crypt wendtii, tiger lotus, duckweed, moss ball did amazing. So I ordered more a month later to put in there, Pogostemon stellatus (pogo octopus), 
Limnophila heterophylla, Ludwigia repens, 
Elodea (anacharis), Salvinia minima, along with the fish because my tank was finally cycled. I added 8 albino Corydoras, 1 betta, 1 assassin snail. Around month 3 the Limnophila heterophylla died off. Followed by most of the Ludwigia repens. Around month 4 the tiger lotus died and the Wisteria stunted. I also rearranged the tank at this point and changed out the substrate to PFS (which I totally regret because I miss my old substrate BDBS). I also trimmed a lot of the pogo trying to get rid of the huge chunky stalks that weren’t growing and were growing staghorn (I think) and trimmed off all the baby plants and planted them. I also removed the Betta to his own 5.5g tank. Now at month 6 my tank looks like it looks terrible... the anacharis has died off along with all but like a couple small stems of pogo. The Wisteria is hardly growing at all if any, I haven’t trimmed it since that first month, the leaves also have holes in them. The pearl weed is a magnet for green hair algae but it is growing still. The crypts are still growing. A few leafs have holes in them and it is growing what I think is staghorn on the tips of the leafs and the stems. My moss ball has a huge gaping hole in it... 
I had been using Nilocg Thrive C. I switched to it from easy green. But the past 2-3 weeks while switching to the mixed water I haven’t been adding it. I also use Nilocg root tabs instead of easy green now. 
I have a Nicrew Planted Plus light it’s usually at 75% and I’ve now turned it down to 35% and it’s always been on 6 hours a day except for in the beginning it was on for 10 (oopsie). 

I’ve learned that high kh can stunt plants. I’m wondering if I should go full RO? Or what should I do? I have plans for other tanks with fish but don’t want the other tanks without the plants too. 

My 5.5g is on month 3 and is still doing okay. It has Java Fern, Amazon Sword, Bacopa Carolinia, the last surviving trimmings from the anacharis from the 20g, and Ludwigia Ruben. Although it’s got issues with holes in the leafs of the sword and Java Fern. The bottom leafs of the bacopa are brown and hard? And the Ruben is obviously not red any longer due to low light which I knew would happen. And the anacharis hasn’t grown at all... 

I will attach photos from 2 month of 20g and currently. 
I’ll also attach photos of the 5.5g from day I set it up and currently. 

Also I used to do water changes twice a week but it seemed to make the staghorn worse? Maybe that was wrong. Now I do them once a week. I always do like 75%-90% water changes with ‘aged’ water in a brute now. 
My nitrates are around 20ish when I change water out every week. 
I feed my betta once a day 6 days a week with 5-7 betta pellets. I feed my cories once a day 7 days a week 2 carnivore pellets from Hikari. 

Now I know this is a very long post. But I wanted to include all info I could. If there’s something I left out please ask and thank you for your help!


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

I forgot TDS! 
Tap - 385
RO - 18

Mix - 130

Also the mixed ph is 8.0


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

With source water that's essentially liquid rocks, your choices are to use it nd keep what will do well in it, cut it with RO, or just use straight remineralized RO. The last option would probably be best for keeping a wider variety of plants, but if you don't have an RO unit that's a lot of water to buy and lug around. 

RO water shouldn't have a pH of 7.6-7.8. I would be hesitant to buy such water, perhaps their unit needs cartridges changed?


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> With source water that's essentially liquid rocks, your choices are to use it nd keep what will do well in it, cut it with RO, or just use straight remineralized RO. The last option would probably be best for keeping a wider variety of plants, but if you don't have an RO unit that's a lot of water to buy and lug around.
> 
> RO water shouldn't have a pH of 7.6-7.8. I would be hesitant to buy such water, perhaps their unit needs cartridges changed?


This is my own RO unit. The ph straight from it is 6.6 but after 12-24 hours it’s at 7.6 or 7.8 I can’t really tell the colors are so similar

Photo is water straight from ro unit. I’ll test it another time in 12-24 hours. But it’s somewhere between 7.4 7.6 or 7.8


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## minorhero (Mar 28, 2019)

Blue Ridge Reef is hitting along the same lines as I was thinking. Except that my reading of your post is that you own your own RO unit? I guess this is the question, is this your RO unit or are you buying water from somewhere else and bringing it in?

If this is your RO unit then 1) service it, as blue ridge reef mentioned your RO water should not have those kinds of parameters, cartridge needs changing or you have a leek or something. 2) Then since you have an RO unit just switch to complete RO water and remineralize it. There are a lot of products out there to remineralize water with, pick one you like and go with it.

You may also consider adding some critters to clean up algae in your tanks. Especially the 20 gallon with nothing in it but corys and an assassin snail. Go buy some amano shrimp and set them loose.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

minorhero said:


> Blue Ridge Reef is hitting along the same lines as I was thinking. Except that my reading of your post is that you own your own RO unit? I guess this is the question, is this your RO unit or are you buying water from somewhere else and bringing it in?
> 
> If this is your RO unit then 1) service it, as blue ridge reef mentioned your RO water should not have those kinds of parameters, cartridge needs changing or you have a leek or something. 2) Then since you have an RO unit just switch to complete RO water and remineralize it. There are a lot of products out there to remineralize water with, pick one you like and go with it.
> 
> You may also consider adding some critters to clean up algae in your tanks. Especially the 20 gallon with nothing in it but corys and an assassin snail. Go buy some amano shrimp and set them loose.


This is my own RO unit. It’s an Apec RO-90. It’s brand new. I just got it for Christmas. The filters are also brand new.
It’s not RO/DI it only RO. I’ll insert a photo.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

So for gh I add a drop and it’s still orange. On the second drop it is green. 
For kh on the first drop it is yellow. 

So what numbers are those to you guys? In degrees?


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

2 GH, 0 KH on an API. I'd expect pH of that water to be under 7.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> 2 GH, 0 KH on an API. I'd expect pH of that water to be under 7.


I posted the photo of the ph 6.6. 2gh and 0kh. Alright so do you reccommend continuing to mix 33.3 and 66.6 tap and ro. Or just full ro?


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## minorhero (Mar 28, 2019)

Blonde said:


> This is my own RO unit. It’s an Apec RO-90. It’s brand new. I just got it for Christmas. The filters are also brand new.
> It’s not RO/DI it only RO. I’ll insert a photo.


I'm not particularly familiar with these units but I did look them up. You are sure you have the Apec RO-90 that is in the picture and not the one with the purple tube up top that is the RO-90PH unit with ph enhancer? That would certainly explain what we are seeing in parameters.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

minorhero said:


> Blonde said:
> 
> 
> > This is my own RO unit. It’s an Apec RO-90. It’s brand new. I just got it for Christmas. The filters are also brand new.
> ...


Yes I’m positive. Here is the photo of the unit installed.


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## EdWiser (Jul 14, 2015)

Sounds like the filter unit is not installed correctly.


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## minorhero (Mar 28, 2019)

Gotcha, well you have odd water then.

Anyway RO with PH of 7.6 is not impossible to grow plants in. You still need to remineralize since your GH and KH are low of course. You will want to buy something for this purpose. I use Seachem Equilibrium because my tap water has similar PH and GH of 5. Some of my tanks have a lot of snails in them so the GH can dip down to 4 or less unless I add the equilibrium. There are many other products out there so just find one you like and pick one.

Once you have 100% ro water in your tanks you should be in a better place. Any existing algae will remain of course. To combat that you can grow more stems and/or add Seachem Excel daily until the problem subsides.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

EdWiser said:


> Sounds like the filter unit is not installed correctly.


Why? Should it really take a gh of 24 down to 0? It isn’t RO/DI. should I take it out and re/install it? The TDS tells me it’s working or so I thought...


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

minorhero said:


> Gotcha, well you have odd water then.
> 
> Anyway RO with PH of 7.6 is not impossible to grow plants in. You still need to remineralize since your GH and KH are low of course. You will want to buy something for this purpose. I use Seachem Equilibrium because my tap water has similar PH and GH of 5. Some of my tanks have a lot of snails in them so the GH can dip down to 4 or less unless I add the equilibrium. There are many other products out there so just find one you like and pick one.
> 
> Once you have 100% ro water in your tanks you should be in a better place. Any existing algae will remain of course. To combat that you can grow more stems and/or add Seachem Excel daily until the problem subsides.


What GH and KH should I be aiming for?


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

My own unit produces 0 on both. I'd expect at least the KH to zero out.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> My own unit produces 0 on both. I'd expect at least the KH to zero out.


The kH was zero on the test I just did. It was already yellow after the first drop.
It’s now been 4hours or so since testing the ph and it is up to 7.0, or maybe even 7.2


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> With source water that's essentially liquid rocks, your choices are to use it nd keep what will do well in it, cut it with RO, or just use straight remineralized RO. The last option would probably be best for keeping a wider variety of plants, but if you don't have an RO unit that's a lot of water to buy and lug around.
> 
> RO water shouldn't have a pH of 7.6-7.8. I would be hesitant to buy such water, perhaps their unit needs cartridges changed?





minorhero said:


> Blue Ridge Reef is hitting along the same lines as I was thinking. Except that my reading of your post is that you own your own RO unit? I guess this is the question, is this your RO unit or are you buying water from somewhere else and bringing it in?
> 
> If this is your RO unit then 1) service it, as blue ridge reef mentioned your RO water should not have those kinds of parameters, cartridge needs changing or you have a leek or something. 2) Then since you have an RO unit just switch to complete RO water and remineralize it. There are a lot of products out there to remineralize water with, pick one you like and go with it.
> 
> You may also consider adding some critters to clean up algae in your tanks. Especially the 20 gallon with nothing in it but corys and an assassin snail. Go buy some amano shrimp and set them loose.





EdWiser said:


> Sounds like the filter unit is not installed correctly.


Alright guys. I let the unit run for 5 minutes before capturing the water and testing it. The kh and gh turn the color they are suppose to on the first drop... so according to a previous post from someone that means they are both 0. The ph looks to be 6.0. So hopefully this clears some stuff up and you guys can possibly help me decide whether full RO or do possibly a bigger split of RO to tap?? What would be an ideal gh and kh for a planted low tech tanks? Like I said I’m having lots of issues with algae and plants just not growing and some also dying? I’ve killed like a lot of plants including duckweed and salvinia minima also my Wisteria have tons of holes... 

Photos of holes and ph and Ludwigia repens issue?


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

Some people only buffer GH, and leave the KH 0. 2-3 KH is certainly soft enough to grow almost anything and still keep neutral-ish water. Holes in leaves could be from any number of deficiencies, oftentimes K deficiency is the culprit but not always.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> Some people only buffer GH, and leave the KH 0. 2-3 KH is certainly soft enough to grow almost anything and still keep neutral-ish water. Holes in leaves could be from any number of deficiencies, oftentimes K deficiency is the culprit but not always.


So should I continue dosing Nilocg Thrive C?


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

I know very little about that product. I keep shrimp in every tank so avoid anything claiming to have "bioavailable carbon" but this product claims to not use glutaraldehyde. But I don't know what they DO use, so it's not anything I've tried. Someone else with more knowledge on the product will hopefully chime in. You will want to does macros (N, P, K) and micros in one form or another though.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> I know very little about that product. I keep shrimp in every tank so avoid anything claiming to have "bioavailable carbon" but this product claims to not use glutaraldehyde. But I don't know what they DO use, so it's not anything I've tried. Someone else with more knowledge on the product will hopefully chime in. You will want to does macros (N, P, K) and micros in one form or another though.


Alright thank you!
So if I’m going to switch my tanks over to complete RO but remineralized how would I go about doing it? Keep doing small water changes until it’s so diluted it basically RO? 
I do think I should wait a month and see if the change I’ve already made is going to help at all first though..


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## EdWiser (Jul 14, 2015)

TDS Should be 0 on a RO unit. I have been running a Ro/ DI unit for 28 years now. It can go a long time before I see TDS at the level you have. I just change out the filters every 6 months anyways. 
It’s hard to figure out the issue unless I see all the lines. I had a club member post something like this just a couple of weeks ago and after a bunch of pictures he had the lines going in the wrong way.


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

Agree with Ed.


Blonde said:


> Why? Should it really take a gh of 24 down to 0? It isn’t RO/DI. should I take it out and re/install it? The TDS tells me it’s working or so I thought...


I also have DI in my own unit but my understanding is that the RO membrane should bring TDS to 0 in any water. With hard water the cartridges will just get spent faster and more wastewater created. But let others who run just RO opine because I've not used one without DI in close to 20 years so my memory could be faulty on that. 




Blonde said:


> Alright thank you!
> So if I’m going to switch my tanks over to complete RO but remineralized how would I go about doing it? Keep doing small water changes until it’s so diluted it basically RO?
> I do think I should wait a month and see if the change I’ve already made is going to help at all first though..


If you have hardy livestock, you could probably just do 25% water changes every other day, replacing with remineralized RO water, so long as it's not too far off from what is in your tank. After a week of that, you'll be pretty close. Or better still, take the patient approach and do smaller changes over a longer period. As long as every water change will be with water of this "recipe," you'll get there. And then you can really control nutrients going forward. The storage and mixing aren't the fun part, but if you keep it consistent (having a large storage container for mixed water is priceless) it really does eliminate a lot of variables in tap and will open up your tank up to a lot more species to keep of both plants and fauna. If you've got the ability to make pure water in your house, might as well take full advantage.


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

EdWiser said:


> TDS Should be 0 on a RO unit. I have been running a Ro/ DI unit for 28 years now. It can go a long time before I see TDS at the level you have. I just change out the filters every 6 months anyways.
> It’s hard to figure out the issue unless I see all the lines. I had a club member post something like this just a couple of weeks ago and after a bunch of pictures he had the lines going in the wrong way.


I don’t have an RO/DI unit. I have an RO unit. It will only take TDS down to 90-99%. I ended up letting the t splitter I added with the inline shut off valve run for 5 minutes and then tested again the TDS is 5 and the kh and gh is 0. 
It is working perfectly. 
Only RO/DI will produce 0 TDS water I think


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> Agree with Ed.
> 
> 
> Blonde said:
> ...


Yes I have a Brute and it makes things super easy already!


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## Blonde (Mar 5, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> I know very little about that product. I keep shrimp in every tank so avoid anything claiming to have "bioavailable carbon" but this product claims to not use glutaraldehyde. But I don't know what they DO use, so it's not anything I've tried. Someone else with more knowledge on the product will hopefully chime in. You will want to does macros (N, P, K) and micros in one form or another though.


Thrive C is just ferts but for low tech tanks. It’s not like excel!


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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

Blonde said:


> Thrive C is just ferts but for low tech tanks. It’s not like excel!


ThriveC has a carbon supplement in it, similar to excel, that’s what C at end of name stands for, carbon.

Anyway, to remineralized your RO just get some Seachem Equilibrium. Add needed amount and let water stand overnight to equalize. There’s a calculator on Seachem webpage for it under directions. 

It will add all these back into water...

Guaranteed Analysis
Amounts per 1 g
Soluble Potash (K2O)	23.0%
Calcium (Ca)	8.06%
Magnesium (Mg)	2.41%
Iron (Fe)	0.11%
Manganese (Mn)	0.06%

For your type tank I’d be shooting for 3-4GH. I also always let a bag of superpeat/almond and oak leaves float in bucket overnight with pump. 

This is my prep bucket, I’ve got a basement and tap off RO there so I keep it always full ready to go. I’ll pull bag of leaves up out of water once it get the color I want for my betta/tetra tank. All softwater fish, so this comes out about 3 GH/KH and around 6.8PH.


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## Rotala macrandra (Mar 2, 2020)

> A few leafs have holes in them and it is growing what I think is staghorn on the tips of the leafs and the stems. My moss ball has a huge gaping hole in it...
> *I had been using Nilocg Thrive C.*


This is the problem right here. It's very unbalanced especially in the micronutrients. The symptoms you describe are of zinc deficiency which this fert is lacking which is compounded by the high iron and manganese concentrations.


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## TexasBrit (Mar 12, 2020)

*Tank parameters for plants*

I know this is probably going to get screams and shouts from the purists, but I don't see why the problems! Here in West Texas, we have VERY hard water! I just use a de-chlorinator during water changes; no need for expensive RO systems! I have fully planted 38 gallon, 15 gallon and 3 planted 5 gallon Betta tanks. ALL have pea gravel substrate; ALL have some form of UV sterilizer system either standalone for the two larger tanks or combined hang-on filter/UV for the Betta tanks.


I undertake 40% water changes EVERY week; clean out the external filters on the 2 larger tanks making sure to preserve bacteria in the media. I do the same with the 3 external units on the Betta tanks. ALL 5 have nerite snails to keep down any algae issues (these are culled every so often as these snails multiply worse than rabbits!).


I ALSO have supplemental CO injection, but again, nothing fancy! I use the disposable 95g cartridges from a well known manufacturer with an adjustable flow regulator and a bubble diffuser in the aquariums themselves.



Now, here is the biggie: I use external LED LIGHTING! Yep, nothing fancy or expensive, just a combination of daylight & night time LEDS! I have found that any aquarium hoods with built in LEDS are useless! I go online and buy extendable legs, hooded LEDS for the larger tanks, and small clip on LEDS for the Betta tanks. All have daytime and night time modes. 



THAT is the set up I have on my tanks; no fancy chemical additives except Prime de chlorinator from Seachem for the hard tap water and no fancy RO systems or high powered highly expensive lighting! Remember, before all these nice supposedly helpful (and so called essential) systems came out, aquarists were enjoying the hobby with basic filtration, lighting and water changes and had plants flourishing in their tanks. Yes, the LED lighting today is MORE than enough for a planted aquarium; yes filtration has improved in leaps and bounds since the early days, CO2 injection systems certainly make a huge difference in plant growth and health, and dechlorinators have made modern tap water usable. But apart from that, nothing has changed or needs to be changed if you follow a regular maintenance routine: or at least for MY 5 aquariums at any rate!


I apologize if this missive has hurt anyone's feelings about how a planted tank SHOULD be set up. That's not my intent. I'm just showing that a healthy, planted tank CAN be set up and maintained without expensive bells and whistles!


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> I know very little about that product. I keep shrimp in every tank so avoid anything claiming to have "bioavailable carbon" but this product claims to not use glutaraldehyde. But I don't know what they DO use, so it's not anything I've tried. Someone else with more knowledge on the product will hopefully chime in. You will want to does macros (N, P, K) and micros in one form or another though.



I have not had any issues with my shrimps and I use it in both my tanks. I dont know what the "carbon" source is but it doesnt seem to have any negative effects that I have noticed as far as shrimp, snails, or fish go. 





Rotala macrandra said:


> This is the problem right here. It's very unbalanced especially in the micronutrients. The symptoms you describe are of zinc deficiency which this fert is lacking which is compounded by the high iron and manganese concentrations.


 

I thought zinc deficiency was pale leaves with dark spots, darker veins (something along those lines)? If his leaves are getting holes wouldnt that be some other type of deficiency? Not to defend ThriveC or anything but it seems to work in my situation however I know most of these one size fits all type things are never 100% for everyones situation.


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## Rotala macrandra (Mar 2, 2020)

Quint said:


> I thought zinc deficiency was pale leaves with dark spots, darker veins (something along those lines)? If his leaves are getting holes wouldnt that be some other type of deficiency? Not to defend ThriveC or anything but it seems to work in my situation however I know most of these one size fits all type things are never 100% for everyones situation.


No, those are not the symptoms of Zn deficiency in aquatic plants. 

Zinc deficiency is the most common deficiency in aquatic plants, especially if excessive Fe (or any metal) or phosphate is present. There is an incredible amount of ignorance regarding phosphate on free metals; virtually everyone in this hobby thinks phosphate only binds Fe. Not true. Phosphate binds Zn just as well as it binds Fe. Thus, excessive phosphate often leads to an induced zinc deficiency which is exacerbated by excessive Fe.

Zinc deficiency symptoms vary depending on plant species and if it's induced (e.g. induced via excess phosphate, Fe, etc.) It can affect new leaves first especially if it's an acute deficiency, or old leaves first if it's chronic (inadequate amounts, or induced deficiency). Zn is a somewhat mobile nutrient; under chronic or induced deficiency, plants can translocate it from older leaves to new leaves which is why older leaves develop holes which may be chlorotic and ultimately result in leaf senescence. This symptom of older leaves senescing is not what most ppl on these forums assume is lack of light or magnesium deficiency or whatever.

-Zn symptoms can include smaller new leaves and shortened internodes of new growth, and/or undulated/wavy leaf margins or hammered leaves (e.g. common in many submerged crypts and buce), chlorotic holes in older leaves and/or senescence.


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

Thanks Rotala, more stuff to look into. I dont know much about this stuff so good to know some of the reasons behind various issues. IMHO the hard part seems to be just figuring out what the underlying issue is to allow the proper adjustments to be targeted. 

I wonder if having a small fish load in the OPs tank with less feeding of fish and associated waste has any input vs like my tank that has a much higher fish load with much more food and waste. I know Zn is in most fish meal based fish foods (which is most of them it seems). Will try not to derail the OPs thread any more.


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## Greggz (May 19, 2008)

Blonde said:


> In the beginning the plants (Wisteria, Pearl Weed, crypt wendtii, tiger lotus, duckweed, moss ball did amazing. So I ordered more a month later to put in there, Pogostemon stellatus (pogo octopus),
> Limnophila heterophylla, Ludwigia repens,
> Elodea (anacharis), Salvinia minima, along with the fish because my tank was finally cycled. I added 8 albino Corydoras, 1 betta, 1 assassin snail. Around month 3 the Limnophila heterophylla died off. Followed by most of the Ludwigia repens. Around month 4 the tiger lotus died and the Wisteria stunted. I also rearranged the tank at this point and changed out the substrate to PFS (which I totally regret because I miss my old substrate BDBS).


Diagnosing deficiencies of plants via a picture rarely if ever works. There are too many symptoms that look pretty much the same. Most times it has nothing at all to do with ferts.

In the beginning, you had a bunch of low light plants that require little of anything. Next you added some stems which have different needs. Most stems will be difficult without injection of CO2. 

As those plants melt and die they release ammonia, which then affects other plants in the tank. Plus you changed substrate, which often leads to a mini cycle and more ammonia. Algae loves ammonia and weak plants.

My advice would be to stay in your lane. If you are staying low tech, focus on plants that do well in low tech. There are loads of journals here, and I would find ones with a similar set ups that demonstrate success. Study their methods, and it will help provide a path for your own tank.

If your desire is to expand your horizons and add colorful stems, your best bet is add CO2. Dosing "carbon" is nothing like injecting CO2. 



Blonde said:


> I had been using Nilocg Thrive C. I switched to it from easy green. But the past 2-3 weeks while switching to the mixed water I haven’t been adding it. I also use Nilocg root tabs instead of easy green now.
> I have a Nicrew Planted Plus light it’s usually at 75% and I’ve now turned it down to 35% and it’s always been on 6 hours a day except for in the beginning it was on for 10 (oopsie).


You are bouncing around with light and ferts. Plants prefer a stable environment, and in general attempt to adapt to what you are providing. I am not familiar with your light, but my guess is that turning it down to 35% is part of the problem. Any stems may be light deprived, and if so they will slowly wither away and melt. 

Be careful with root tabs. Too many can foul the water column, as the release is uncontrolled. 

So again, IMO chasing something like a Zinc deficiency is not time well spent. Think of the tank in the global sense, and approach with a more holistic approach. 

Good luck and I hope things begin to improve for you.


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