What is missing

crystalview

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Sep 6, 2008
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I have java fern (windelov) but it doesn't matter which Java fern I try it, always gets black on the ends. The rest of the tank is ok except for the anubias which turns brown and then melts in spots. Someone said I might be short on Potassium. I am using EI for my 46g and everything else is growing very fast. The stuff on the fern almost looks like burned leaves. Any idea what might be missing?

I do get what I call sludge on the gravel and in the filter. If it is diatoms it does look the same on the two plants. I am going to test my tap for silica to see if that is why the brown sludge. Not sure what to do if the tap has to much silica, for I added the pelts for that to the filter and they turn dark brown in a week. R.O. is expensive and a pain to do because you then have to add back in. What to do next?
O, O, 6 ph 6.5 80 degress
 

Biollante

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Information Please

Hi,

Can you tell us about your tank and specific dosing, lighting so forth?

Not to be rude (Evil Plant Monster thing), but I want to be sure that the horizontal rhizome’s are not covered with any of the plants you mentioned.

Is this a 45-gallon tank?

Is this your current dosing?
• 1/4 teaspoon of KNO3 3-4x a week (every other day)
• 1/16th teaspoon of KH2PO4 3-4x a week (every other day)
• Traces added on off days as the macro nutrients, so 3x a week,
• Excel daily

How much Excel are you dosing?

Silica is easily and cheaply removed from the tap water.

Biollante
 

crystalview

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Sep 6, 2008
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You say silica is easy to remove from the water but how to do this cheaply is what I need to know. I soaked the beads to remove the silica or Diatoms and it still does not come clean it is still beige.

You can see my Sig for the specs of the tank. I am using one capful of the generic Excel that Tom sells. I just have it in a Flourish bottle.

Neither the anubias nor the java fern are dug in they are tied to weights or wood.

Yes I use that EI dosing for my tank. I don't use the GH booster or the Eq. my waters PH is 6.5 from the tap and in the tank.

I have a lily that I pulled the roots out and it now sends side shoots like crazy. I thought the roots of the lily needed dug in.
 

Philosophos

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Is it the new or old growth? I find java fern begins to deteriorate after a certain size, and it usually starts in around the tips. Usually by this time it's starting to get plantlets growing off the underside, but not always.

-Philosophos
 

Biollante

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No Brain

Hi,

First an apology, I based the “silica, SiO2 is easily removed “was based on my situation here. I spoke to someone who actually knows about these things. Water treatment, prior to getting to my home allows me to use a flocculent injected sediment filter and a de-limer to remove 95% or so of the silica.:eek:

If you have tested for silicates or contacted the water company, can you tell me the level and if any descriptive terms such as ‘colloidal’ or ‘non-ionic colloidal’ were used and of course the quantity.

The diatoms should just wipe away any staining in my opinion likely indicates the staining by the weak acidic form of the silicates.

I am kind of slow, not having a coordinated central nervous system hence no brain. Can you tell me what the ‘pelts’ you mention are? Can you tell me what the ‘sids’ are?

I would advise using the GH booster once a week as long as you change at least 50% of the water each week. I do not know what “Eq.” is, no brain.

If my guess about your EI dosing was correct, I doubt you are short on potassium.
My guess:
Is this your current dosing?
• 1/4 teaspoon of KNO3 3-4 a week (every other day)
• 1/16th teaspoon of KH2PO4 3-4 a week (every other day)
• Traces added on off days as the macro nutrients, so 3x a week,
• Excel daily


On water change day I recommend ½ teaspoon GH Booster
I am not familiar with “Tom’s Excel”, if it is equivalent to Seachem’s Excel I recommend 4 teaspoons (20 milliliter) on water change day and 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) on 3rd, 5th and 7th day.

I recommend on water change, 3rd and 6th day:
• KNO3 ½ teaspoon
• KH2PO4 1/32 teaspoon
• MgSO4.7H2O 9/16 teaspoon (Epsom Salt)

I recommend on 2nd 4th and 7th day:
• CSM+B ¼ teaspoon

Biollante
 

crystalview

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Sep 6, 2008
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Using a can opener to get this info in my head

I will get a water company print out in a day or two. I will also re-test my tap water. and use the silica test kit on both tap and tank.

The java fern dies back at the tips only. Have not noticed any new side shoots at the bottom.

Eq is Flourish Equilbrium. When it comes to how the chems work and what they are I am an dunce. I just know that somethinig is missing when the tips die and and a leaf slowly melts.

Sids are Dwarf Botia-Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki

I meant I used pellets in the filter that was to remove Phosphate and Silica for several months.
Phosphate Sponge

They have a reactor for their product but I think it would work just as well in my canister. I will put it back in. I reacharged it like the instructions said by bleaching it and then neutrilizing it.

This is my EI dose at this time

40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change
Excel Daily

Isn't trace the same as CSM+B ¼ teaspoon

Sorry about the Toms Excel thing. He sells generic Excel and the EI chems also.

What does Gh booster do?
 

Philosophos

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Tossing in a phosphate remover isn't going to help anything. After months it may be back-leeching, but it still isn't the best idea. Perhaps this is part of where your deficiency came from. If you're dosing based on ferts that Tom handed you, using his recommended methods, this is the only likely way I can see having a deficiency.

GH booster is 3:3:1 by weight K2SO4, MgSO4 and CaSO4 according to the aquariumfertilizer.com bag I've got sitting here. I'm fairly sure the MgSO4 is meant to be MgSO4.7H2O. I'd have trouble seeing a lack of Ca/Mg severe enough to cause problems in java fern given the region you live in, especially using EI.

How much is Tom selling that generic Excel for?

-Philosophos
 

crystalview

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Sep 6, 2008
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I guess it is my day to not mean what I type. I removed the Phosphate remover 3months ago because it got dirty so fast. I also just noticed that the company changed there product.
I will still get my water company print out and we shall see what I have. I live in the mountains and our town owns it's own dam. So it is different then say big city water.
 

LoudCreature

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Oct 17, 2009
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We have awful water here. Lot of old mines.

black tips seem to produce more plants.

I read black leaves on java can be N defeciency.
 

Tom Barr

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Blackened tips on Java is typically poor CO2.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

crystalview

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Sep 6, 2008
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I thought Java fern grew well in low CO2 tank as in my Excel tank? So are you saying just the opposite? That it needs more CO2, I am guessing not more excel. Would that also be why the anubias is melting slowly? I had mentioned in another post that it could be a lack of something other then CO2.
 

Biollante

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Excel

Hi,

I also believe the primary problem is CO2 or at least carbon in a plant friendly form.

That is why I advise the Excel regimen, “Tom’s Excel”, if it is equivalent to Seachem’s Excel I recommend 4 teaspoons (20 milliliter) on water change day and 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) on 3rd, 5th and 7th day.

I do not believe that calcium or magnesium deficiencies are a direct cause, rather that you have a number of limiting factors

I think your plants will do just fine.:)

I also think you need to make sure your filter is clean. Additionally, I believe that the filter is too small for your tank, especially with the heavy bio-load.;)

Biollante
 

Philosophos

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You know, I didn't even catch it, but your lighting is high to be relying on excel without at least a double batch of DIY CO2. It pushes the upper bounds of what I'd do without compressed.

As the mantra we all chant around here goes, "It's the CO2" and Tom is right again.

-Philosophos
 

Biollante

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Manageable

Hi,

I think with our bio-load that the lighting is still manageable on Excel. :)

Though backing off the lighting would not hurt.;)

You may even find less light makes your Discus happy.:cool:

Biollante