# Dieing plants-help!



## MGrant (Mar 30, 2013)

I have a 30 gl. acrylic tank that has 18 or so various plants. They have been in the tank about three weeks and are turning yellow and brown. I have a Aqua-Gro Grobeam 600 duo led for lighting. I have dosed with a cap of Flourish, and Flourish Excel twice, right after 50 percent water changes each time. I have an algea problem from a little neglect. (Traveling). The lights are on a timer for about 7.5 hours a day. (I just dropped it from 8.5 per day)
The substrate is Eco-Complete.
As you can see, I have a snail issue also, but from what I read, shouldn't be a problem unless they eat the plants. I don't know what species they are.
The water is hard at 160 GH, 170KH, ph is about 8.2, ammonia is at .25, (cleaned the Eheim 2217 when I added the plants, three weeks ago), Nitrites are o, and the nitrates are 120.
I have two female African Chiclids in the tank.
I have to be missing something here! Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Could be a few different things, which is always the problem when diagnosing ailments in plants. I would guess since they are still new to your tank that they might be "melting", i.e. any leaves that were grown emersed are dying off and the plant will soon start growing leaves suited for submerged life.

Where did you buy the plants? And were they growing in air, emersed, or in a tank?

The other cause might be a nutrient deficiency, and my guess is one of the macros like carbon, potassium, phosphorous or nitrogen. Looks like your nitrates are VERY high (are you sure things are alright in the tank?), and you dose Excel for carbon, so it might be a potassium or phosphate deficiency. Consider investing in some KH2PO4 and/or some K2SO4 dry chem fertilizers from GreenLeafAquatics or similar.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Can't say I would recognise a specific defiency(I let these otherguys help me),but it looks like every plant in every pic does have good looking "new" leaves comming in.I don't think it is uncommon for the old leaves to die or fail to recover.I wouldn't worry unless some of the plants aren't growing any new leaves(that's how I tell if they are doing ok when new to me).


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

The java ferns do not need to be buried. With the rhizome under the substrate they are starving from lack of light and water movement.


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## MGrant (Mar 30, 2013)

Gizmo said:


> Could be a few different things, which is always the problem when diagnosing ailments in plants. I would guess since they are still new to your tank that they might be "melting", i.e. any leaves that were grown emersed are dying off and the plant will soon start growing leaves suited for submerged life.
> 
> Where did you buy the plants? And were they growing in air, emersed, or in a tank?
> 
> The other cause might be a nutrient deficiency, and my guess is one of the macros like carbon, potassium, phosphorous or nitrogen. Looks like your nitrates are VERY high (are you sure things are alright in the tank?), and you dose Excel for carbon, so it might be a potassium or phosphate deficiency. Consider investing in some KH2PO4 and/or some K2SO4 dry chem fertilizers from GreenLeafAquatics or similar.


Thanks for the reply! I got the plants from Drs Foster and Smith (Live Aquaria). Don't know if they were grown immersed.
I know that the nitrates are high from my own neglect. I had been away for some time. I have a feeder installed so that when I have to be gone, they get fed. I have it set to deliver the smallest amount of food that is possible twice a day. 
I don't know how to test for macro's?! they sell test kits for these nutrients?
I will unroot the java ferns! Thanks for the help!...I have lots to learn about plants!


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

API makes liquid titration test kits for nitrate and phosphate, you can get them at petmountain.com. For carbon you're fine as long as you follow the dosing directions for the Excel, and I'm still on the hunt for a potassium test kit, the only ones I've found are in emergency drinking water test kits.


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

When the shoot tips are yellow usually lacking iron. BTW beautiful pictures.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Is your nitrates 120ppm? If so you need to do a couple of 50% water changes and try to keep it under 40ppm.


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## MGrant (Mar 30, 2013)

Thanks every one for the help!
I have been doing 50 percent water changes since I returned to get the nitrates back to acceptable levels. A couple more and I should be there.
For the most part, the plants that seem to be going are just melting. I see that my lighting has 61 par at 400mm in the air so I suspect that this may be adequate for the plants I have. I read that with more light, I may need C02. 
Do I have too much light and 8.5 hours of it is not good for the plants?
Maybe I need closer to 10 hours. I am guessing on all of this mind you!
I am leaning towards nitrogen with the yellowing.


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## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

If you have algae problems, leave the snails. They help more than you would probably think.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Can't be nitrogen if your nitrates are that high.


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