# dechlorinator, water conditioner disadvantage for plants and some serious thoughts



## Joswan (Dec 12, 2010)

Hey I am just wondering that when I read the use-term of dechlorinator or water conditioner, it had written that the product also takes care hard metal such as iron and zinc which is beneficial to plants isn't?

My plants turning yellow nowadays, I don't know what caused it.
I guess, either because of the algae bloom I combat recently, or because it lacks magnesium, phosphate and some macro nutrients? Alternatively, it might be my tank temperature swing from cold to warm due to my error heater? Conversely, it might because my plants don't get proper light from my 75 watt daylight "commercial" bulb? The co two supplements are only from four fishes and one ghost shrimp.

My tank is a mess now. I'm just a beginner!!Cry:
my tank used to look like this a week a go

























on those pictures I still had 17 neon-cardinal tetras, they were dead swept away by ick. Right now there only three fishes with the best immune system left. I don't use ANY ick medication because that will harm my fishes, plants and ghost shrimps. So, I just use aquarium salt ( a lot actually) and a long period of aerator. Again, I am suspicious that some of the actions will cause my plants turn yellow.

I have green ozelot swords, java fern, silk plant and one ..I don't know what is named. They are getting yellow now. The baby dwarf tears was dead because of the beard algae. The fern on the decorative hop seems like stop growing.

I just struggle with algae, that is my first enemy for now, behind light and nutrients. I just did partial water change 25% for my algae removal and poured dechloronator until I saw the use-term. If my plants yellowing due because of lacking nutriens (whether micro/macro), does the dechloronator just make it worst?

I wish they are turning back green and lush like the way I bought. Does the yellow leaf can go back green? Because there are some of the leafs which accentuate my plant's beauty, and they are dying right now. I wish I don't lose them.

I have Christmas present list for me to ask my mom. This is not for me, but for my plants..
what are things you consider the best safety tool for "saving" my plants?

Thank you very much, I appreciate this a lot, what a neat forum! 

**I just did a research: http://badmanstropicalfish.com/plant_problems.html
from there, it seems I have multiple aquatic plant deficiencies, I just realized that is easy to grab assumption and action based on appearance of our plants even though what we did isn't essentially needed for our plants. I wish plants could talk


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Here are how the several problems you have experienced lately have affected your plants:

Heater failure: Some effect, especially if the tank got under about 68*F or over 78*F. Most aquarium plants are OK with some variations in temperature as long as it stays within these limits.

Ich: Salt is very bad for aquarium plants. Better to use Rid Ich or almost any other Ich medication. These medicines may be somewhat hard on the fish, but any treatment is based on this concept: "What will kill the parasite with the least harm to the fish?" No treatment is totally safe for the fish, but done correctly salt and heat can minimize fish loss if the Ich has not gone on too long and weakened the fish beyond recovery. 

Lack of fertilizer and other nutrients: Might become a problem. There are many products available in stores that can help. Continue doing some research, but here are a few places to start:

If the fish food (fish poop, other fish waste) keeps the NO3 over about 5 degrees, then you can assume the N and P are probably not too bad. 
If the GH is over about 3 degrees then the Ca and Mg are probably OK. 
If these are OK, then I would add K and Fe, and look into C in the form of Excel. 

The actual leaves that are yellow will not recover. When the toxins (salt) are gone and the nutrients are right the plants will grow new leaves that are deep green and healthy.


----------



## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

Diana K said:


> No treatment is totally safe for the fish


In the case of ich, there is. It is UV sterilizer. It is safe for both fish and plant and is very effective.


----------



## Joswan (Dec 12, 2010)

@Diana= I realized that salt was my wrong move to save the fish. According to this, and this is exactly my problem: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/aquarium-plants/will-salt-kill-my-plants-38946/
Some people are ok with salt concentration in their planted tank, some aren't and they got yellow leafs like me. I just hope in vain that my 50% water change could eliminate enough salt from my tank. Another problem arise everytime I change the water/ add new water, my fishes (tetra neons) are in distress and they will getting ick in a couple of hours, it's very frustating. 3 of the survivors who I called them "power-puff girls" are getting ick after I add new water. GOOD NEWS, they are fully recovered today after I fully heat my tank over night. They are the toughest neon I ever had and I proud of them 
I WON'T add salt or anything when my fish getting sick. I realized that aqua-terrarium is very fragile, sensitive ecosystem. One thing could lead to another just like chain reaction, I won't buy anything new until my tank fully recovered.
So, what I'm doing now:
1. Battle the algae with algae eater "pleco", darkness. I can't do more water change because my fish will freak out again.
2. Stop giving regular fertilizer from my seachem flourish micro nutrients, instead giving more fish food so my plants can get enough phosphate, nitrogen and other macro nutrients.

After I read this: http://www.aquatic-plants.org/articles/basics/pages/02_water.html
exactly, I'm a fish keeper start doing planted aquarium and just gotten my first tragedy tank, so yeah..it's a lifetime hobby isn't?^^

Thanks alot Diana.


----------



## Joswan (Dec 12, 2010)

@bartoli= UV sterilizer? Alright! Good christmas list to have


----------

