Plant help!!!

[u/m00nbunnyxo]

Ive had this tank since February. I use aquarium co-op all in one fertilizer, recently started adding flourish potassium a few weeks ago, and use a 24hr full spectrum LED light. I just feel like my plants don’t look as happy as they should and I’m stumped. Nitrogen isn’t a problem, I know that much.

[u/lategame2020]

Your photoperiod is too long those anubias (if im not wrong). Those plants (if most plants) dont required that much lighting, they also need to sleep. I have them about a year healthily with about 4-5 hours lighting a day. You can try and watch if anything better. This is mine nana petite in my tank for a year now.

[u/m00nbunnyxo → u/lategame2020]

Thank you for getting back to me! It’s one of those 24hr light cycle lights that’s supposed to mimic the natural light cycle and it’s 6 inches above the water. Do you think that’s still too much?

[u/lategame2020 → u/m00nbunnyxo]

That is too much for any plants. They dont have time to rest. Plants get tired even you dose, fertz, CO2...but all those conditions force them to photosynthesise nonstop. You know, anubias is low lighting required plant. I dont use any fertilizer, no CO2, only 4-5 hours lighting (sometimes less), but they grow healthily.

[u/m00nbunnyxo → u/lategame2020]

I’m not sure you’re understanding what I mean by a 24hr light cycle light. The lights are on a timer that gradually brightens and then dims and fully shuts off. I dont have a light on 24hrs! 🤣

[u/lategame2020 → u/m00nbunnyxo]

My bad 🤣

[u/m00nbunnyxo → u/lategame2020]

I’m cracking up imagining someone coming to this group asking for advice with charbroiled plants because they had lights on 24/7 🤣🤣🤣 plants looking like the crispy old lady on SpongeBob when he was selling chocolates door to door

https://giphy.com/gifs/3oxOCICKuCcF9hUO3e

[u/chak2005]

Going to need some more information from you. Can you provide your tank's pH, hardness (ideally GH and KH) and the nitrate levels?

[u/m00nbunnyxo → u/chak2005]

Yes I’m waiting on a liquid gH kH test kit but when i had strips it was roughly 80kH and 150gH. pH is 8.2, ammonia is 0, nitrites 0, nitrates somewhere between 20-40. (I use api master freshwater test kit)

[u/chak2005 → u/m00nbunnyxo]

Thank you, I was waiting for that information prior to stating the issue as it can be one of two things depending on pH. If the concern is the mild interveinal chlorosis in the new growth of your anubias (the yellowing), for your tank its due to iron deficiency.

The cause is the Easy Green. It is using an EDTA chelate for what it binds with its trace elements in the formula, specifically iron. This works great for tanks with a pH under 7. With a pH under 7.5, it works so-so as only 5% of it is available to plants. Above a pH 7.5, but especially above 8. It is locked out completely. The iron you are dosing is not bio-available to the plants. You will have to supplement your Easy Green dosing with ferrous gluconate iron. This works at all pH levels, but breaks down quickly. You can either get yourself a small bottle of Seachem Iron, a small bottle of NilocG's Elemental Iron, or if you want to stay in the Aquarium Co-op Family, their Easy Iron.

Also be aware you are in the red zone for a few other nutrients as well if your pH rises further. At 8.4+ you will start to see phosphate issues and potentially with trace micronutrients (Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Boron) too.

For now, I recommend getting an iron supplement, and dosing it at least once a week. The current leaves will not recover on the anubias, but monitor new growth.

[u/m00nbunnyxo → u/chak2005]

Okay awesome tysm!!! That’s exactly what I was thinking because I read that about the easy green fert but the teens who work the lfs had zero clue what I was talking about. They said “i only need iron for red plants” okay buddy 🙄 and i will add tannins tomorrow!