# What is causing my plants to brown (not algae cover)



## scuba guy (Feb 10, 2007)

See the attached picture - what is causing the browning of this plant.
Is it a nutrient deficiency - I add Flora 24 every day...
(The plant stalk in the lower right also shows the browning)

Or is it the 15 degree Kh?

Also - what is this plant?


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## crataegus (Nov 16, 2006)

(Standard I-am-not-an-expert disclaimer)
It looks like a Vallisneria from that photo. How close is the light to those tips, and how long is the photo period?


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

Also, what type of light is it? What size is your tank? Can you give a little bigger picture that shows more of the plant? It does look like a Val, but just to be sure.


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## scuba guy (Feb 10, 2007)

Thanks guys ... more info:

The photo period is 13 hours (with an hour or so on each side of dimmer light).
I am using two 96 watt compact fluorescents 6700K
Also two T12 30 watt fluorescents

The tips are about 6 or so inches from the lights in a 65 gallon aquarium.
The base of the plants come out green and strong.

It is not just the tips - but along the sides of the plant, I get the browning down towards the bottom.

I'll take another picture showing the tank so you have context.

I might add that many of my plants have slowed down their growth (as indicated by both O2 bubbling and leaf production) despite a constant CO2 supply (measured continuously by Ph meter) and these lights.

I add Flora 24 every day - so I don't understand why there should be a nutrient deficiency....but suspect one anyway.

Also - When I first added the plants to this established 5 year old aquarium with lots of angels - the plants took off!! I had manageable nitrate load, etc and Unbelievable O2 bubbling - it was fantastic to see.....that's all but stopped now. And Nitrates are zero. I do water changes just to keep the fish hormones down so my fish grow big.

Nitrogen?


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## scuba guy (Feb 10, 2007)

This link shows what the plant is starting to do?

Is this normal - looks just like this picture

http://www.moje-akvarium.net/pic/rostliny/vallisneria/vallisneria-gigantea-03.jpg


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

When plants get A LOT of light the can start to turn red. With all the light your val's are getting it makes me wonder if they are just reacting by reddening but it looks brown. Are the brown tips dying? If not I would say they are just reddening. 
In the picture it just looks like the are reddening.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

Hi,

You have giant vals which are voracious root feeders. I've had them develop leaves that were more than 5 feet long and shaded the rest of the plants too much.

I suspect that the brown leaves - probably dead - are caused by some kind of nutrient deficiency.

Your tank is quite handsome except for the vals. If it were mine, I would remove them (as I did mine) and find a less invasive rooted plant.

Good luck.

Bill


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

That's quite a bit of light. If you're using CO2 and only supplementing with Flora 24 then you almost certainly have a nitrogen deficiency. Flora 24 only supplies trace elements. Get some KNO3 and some KH2PO4 and try adding a bit. I bet you'll see an enormous difference.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I notice this is in the el natural forum, which is devoted to those who use soil substrates, low light levels, no CO2, no fertilizing, etc. None of those fit your tank. You have a high light tank, with CO2 and with inadequate fertilizing. I suggest, as guaiac boy said, get some dry ferts from Greg Watson and try the EI method of fertilizing. Also, make or buy a drop checker to verify that you have adequate CO2 in the water. Your Flora 24 will work as a trace element mix, so you don't need to get Greg's CSM+B traces.


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## scuba guy (Feb 10, 2007)

Thanks all!

I put this in the EI forum because you low light natural substrate guys tend to know more than the high-light-throw-lots-of-tech-at-it-guys. No disparagement to high tech guys - I'm one of them.

Seems like Nitrogen is the limit. I was sold Flora 24 - told it had everything. Nothing on the label that I could find. Typical.

Thanks again.

p.s.

My substrate are pebbles - don't yell at me...I'm trying an experiment


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