# When red plants turn green?



## rustinj74 (Aug 18, 2004)

I can't remember the specific plant names, but two completly different plant types have turned from red to green. I'd like a little variety in my tank...does anyone know if this is a light intensity/wavelength issue or nutrient defficiency? It's a 10g tank with weekly water changes (25%) and supplemented with a miscellaneous aquatic plant fertilizer. The hood has two screw in bulbs, one a 15W generic plant bulb and the other is a 25W regular bulb.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

Someone correct me if I'm wrong about this one...but don't red plants generally need iron?


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## zapus (May 26, 2004)

Sounds to me like they aren't getting enough light. Might want to look into a retrofit lighting system.


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Mind giving more details to your setup? Such as: how long you've had those bulbs, what kind are they (kelvin reading or whatever is labeled on them), how long they're on, what kind of fertilizer you are using, what's your water condition like, which red plants are you talking about (description, or pictures would be helpful), etc.

Really a lot of unknowns right now, so if you can supply any of those, it'll be a better start. As for iron, all plants need it to varying degree...


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## ming (Dec 6, 2003)

Even without hearing the specs, Sounds like the first step is better lights
Those bulbs sound like the incadescent bulbs and the "plant bulb" isn't that great either


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Lights I agree but also give them a chance... even in good lighting sometimes "red" plants can lose there color for a bit until they settle in... but muh man you definately will not get the most out of "any" red plants with your current lighting. Maybe some Sunset hygro but even that is not going to thrive there.


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## rustinj74 (Aug 18, 2004)

Wow, thanks for all the input! I thought it might be a common problem with an easy answer. I'll do my homework tonight and provide more details and pics. Thanks again for the help!


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## raykwonx (Feb 26, 2004)

I had the same problem with some red plants of mine. Supplementing iron helped quite a bit, then adding more light helped even more. Iron helped my other plants a lot as well. I didn't think there were any problems with them, but then they just kind of exploded after I began supplementing iron.


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## rustinj74 (Aug 18, 2004)

Raykwonx,

Thanks for the info! I've been adding Nutrafin Plant Grow (0.15% N, 0.26% Fe, .05% Mn, and trace Cu, B, Mo) every other week at the recommended dose. Do you add extra iron, or is part of a multipurpose supplement? After reading more of the vast info on this site I've come to the conclusion that it's probably my lighting. I've just been using incandescent bulbs from Walmart (Aqua culture). I figured 40W would be enough for my 10g, but I don't think the small bulbs that fit in the hood it came with really hold up to the 2W/g rule. If anyone knows of a reasonable internet source for 10g lighting setups I'd appreciate some suggestions. 

Thanks again!


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## ming (Dec 6, 2003)

A step up would be the compact flourescents they sell at walmart for $5 each, if you want higher wattage, then I'd go with ahsupply.com and retrofit your hood


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## rustinj74 (Aug 18, 2004)

Ming, Great suggestion! I went to Walmart and got two 13W compact fluorescent lights. My tank is at least 5 times brighter!!! I'll let you know if my plants turn red again.

Thanks! Justin


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## malkore (Nov 3, 2003)

red plants typically need iron, and low nitrates (less than 10ppm)


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## rustinj74 (Aug 18, 2004)

Thanks, Malcore. I think it was a lighting issue...in this case. The plants are turning even more red than when I got them. Now I'm worried I might have too much light. My plants are putting out so much O2 it looks like the water is starting to boil. :icon_bigg


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Phosphates will play a role in certain ones also, but then that ties in with nitrates also...

Rustin, I wouldn't worry about having too much light over your tank, as others are running even higher wattages.

Just make sure that you are keeping up with the CO2 and fertilzation.


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## jmiz16 (Aug 12, 2004)

I am pretty sure red plants need more light.


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## rustinj74 (Aug 18, 2004)

Ming,

Those compact flourescents are a wonder!!! My plants are growing like crazy. I've never tested my water for anything, just change 25% volume every week and add a little ferts. I don't even have a substrate, just normal aquarium gravel. I recently switched from tetra florapride to iron enriched Nutrafin plant gro. My "red" plants have turned from green to red to purple. Now I'm getting a little thread algae so I'm guessing it's a little too much Fe? I can't wait to upgrade to a larger tank, I'm trimming every other day!

I appreciate all the help from everybody!

Justin


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## Freebird11 (Aug 19, 2011)

My understanding is that green light is not usable to plants, it is only the most visable light to humans. The pigment will change in plants from receiving improper light spectrum. The deal with red plants is that they come typically from deeper waters where green light is reduced and more blue light is what penetrates. The reason green plants are green is because the chlorophyll absorbs red and blue spectrum light and reflects green spectrum. A red plant being for deeper water with less green spectrum doesn't need to reflect green light as much as it's green leafy buddies. Red plants absorb blue light and reflect red light.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

Red plants can be pushed to green with light in both directions but in general red plants require very high light and for most the second requirement would be Fe, but they just require some Fe and not any huge amounts.

It would be best if you posted some pictures in the plant section to see what plants you have before purchasing more lighting.

In my experience red plants tend to get a more intense red color as they grow closer to the surface or light and some others will be red all they way down to the substrate.

Thread is one of the pitfalls of too much Fe.


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## chiefroastbeef (Feb 14, 2011)

I had a low light tank, and I've tried dosing iron (lots of it), the pink bacopas (the leaves were pink when I bought it) started growing green leaves despite over dosing iron. I replaced my old light with an LED light with much higher light output. Within a few days, the the growth from the pink bacopas are growing pink. So like every one else is saying, light comes first before iron.


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## b0b95 (Jul 11, 2010)

are you guys realizing that this thread was from 2004? lol


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## chiefroastbeef (Feb 14, 2011)

haha


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