# damage control



## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

I am having some issues with the plants in my aquarium which I have had up since December. It is a 39 gallon tank with gravel (not the plant substrate I am seeing in most of the posts). I got the tank for goldfish. Right now I have one medium sized oranda, two black moore, 2 african dwarf frogs, and a small algae eater. The tank has an undergravel filter and a submersible Aquatech Power filter for 20-40 gallon tanks. I started with a small plant and two bamboo but those were turning yellow and brown so got some plant food tabs, an aqueon floamax light (specifically for plant growth) and a Co2 Biosystem (http://www.amazon.com/Aquaculture-T...HSHK/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1298187015&sr=8-9). I also added some liquid plant nutrient from flora pride. After adding the co2, I got some more plants including some moss balls, a sunken head (kind of like an underwater chia pet) and some others including some grass. It looks like plants are still turning brown and I was wondering what I could do without taking everything apart. I've checked the ph, hardness, amonia, etc and the water appears to be fine. I know that goldfish are hard on plants but I got the tank for the goldfish. Also, I definitely don't want any fake plants in my tank. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I think you have a good variety of non aquatic plants that are drowning to death. The bamboo will not survive completely submersed, and I doubt the chia-head thing has an aquatic plant on it. Many stores sell plants as "aquatic" but that is due largely to lack of knowledge. Can you post some pictures of the plants? Also, look through the PlantFinder (link is at top of page in a gold menu-bar) for some good aquatic aquarium plants.

I see this is your first post on APC. WELCOME to APC!


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## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm posting a pic here. Hope this helps


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

The two plants at the right end are definitely non-aquatic. So is the thin-leaved one at center back---mondo grass. The one in front of the mondo grass may be aquatic. It could be an Anubias species. If so, it should stay alive and grow. I can't tell much about the stuff on the skull. It looks like some moss and a dark green plant that does not look aquatic, but I don't know what it is. 
On the left, you have _Egeria densa_ (formerly called Anacharis) which should grow, but the leaves look picked off. Are the goldfish eating them? That thing with a spiral coil is a bamboo plant and is definitely terrestrial.


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## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

wow! That was very informative but also very frustrating. I got most of those from petco. I think the moss balls and moss should be fine right? Would you recommend keeping what I have and adding some aquatic plants or get rid of everything turning brown and put new stuff in its place? Also, where would you recommend getting aquatic plants? I wasn't so sure about getting plants online because of time in shipping and maybe I'm not home right away to open the package. What would you guys recommend?


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## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

also, yes the goldfish are eating some plants. I was wondering why the plants were turning brown though. I measured the ammonia and it appears to be fine. I added the tablets to the gravel, the liquid plant food to the water, and got the co2 system up and running so was hoping it would be smooth sailing but apparently not. Are they just drowning like was mentioned before?


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Those brown spots on the glass are expanding colonies of diatoms, a type of algae. I also see colonies on the stem of that corkscrew-shaped bamboo. The diatoms and perhaps other dark-colored algae could be making the plants look brown.


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## Aquaticz (May 22, 2009)

What would be a way to get rid of the brown diatom [email protected]@k?


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## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

HeyPK said:


> Those brown spots on the glass are expanding colonies of diatoms, a type of algae. I also see colonies on the stem of that corkscrew-shaped bamboo. The diatoms and perhaps other dark-colored algae could be making the plants look brown.


would the dark-colored algae be killing the plants? Also, is the algae eater going to be eating the diatoms or are certain algae better than others?


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## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

my plan was to let some algae grow before getting the pleco so he would have some food. I wasn't sure about different kinds of algae and their affect on the plants and fish. Is it harmful?


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## Lizzz (Nov 28, 2010)

HeyPK said:


> Those brown spots on the glass are expanding colonies of diatoms, a type of algae. I also see colonies on the stem of that corkscrew-shaped bamboo. The diatoms and perhaps other dark-colored algae could be making the plants look brown.


I'm pretty sure thats not actually bamboo. If it was sold as "lucky" bamboo, its most likely a type of lily, that should be emersed. I believe the moss on the head is java moss if you got it from petco.


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## RickRS (Dec 20, 2010)

It does appear to be diatoms. Fish, plants, and diatom will co-exist, but to most of us it messes up the look of whatever it grows on. You can find a short write up in the AlgaeFinder section in the APC top bar.


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## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

I've been doing some reading and (as I suspected) the gravel I have isn't helping the situation however, I wasn't sure if substrate was a big enough factor to justify taking everything down and starting over. Also, I started with an under gravel filter and the submersible filter because I was told that both were necessary for goldfish however, it appears many aquatic plant enthusiasts say not to get the under gravel filter. Would starting over from scratch do more harm than good for the fish and the plants I can salvage?

Also, it looks like many of the plants aren't supposed to be submerged and that the goldfish are eating them. I'm thinking I need some plants that can be submerged completely and that grow fast enough to keep up with the goldfish. Any ideas? Also, would it be best to order them online and ,if so, where? 

Thanks


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## Lizzz (Nov 28, 2010)

I honestly wouldn't invest much money in plants if you plant on keeping goldfish. They'll destroy most of what you put in there. However, upgrading to a canister filter and a planted substrate would help.


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## saladbar2000 (Feb 20, 2011)

I concur. I've already probably invested too much (UV light, tablets and liquid plant food, co2) for the results I have been having. However, it appears I may have the wrong plants as well. I'm liking the moss balls and the sunken head (the chia pet contraption). The moss balls appear to be pretty green still and the sunken head has some brown but appears to be growing. The lucky bamboo has been a headache from the start so that might have to go. I'm thinking there has to be some kind of aquatic plant (maybe one that doesn't require rooting which would make the gravel a non-factor) that can be submersed and grows like crazy and looks decent. That way the goldfish could go to town and eat whatever they please. Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Anubias varieties would be goldfish proof.


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## Lizzz (Nov 28, 2010)

I know the member(s) Barbarossa4122 have a goldfish tank, and have been able to maintain a nice aquascape using Swords and I think even Cabomba. I've seen pictures on other forums of their tank, I'm not sure if they have one here though...


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