what is wrong with my plants?

[shockshockshad]

My ocelot swords aren't doing very well. The leaves have only the veins left, and they are brown. There are all spces between the veins. If it has anything to do with light, I have 20 watts on a 30 gallon. Here is the link to the requirements: http://azgardens.com/habitats_easy.php I am doing everything right. Whats wrong?

[shockshockshad]

Ooops, I should have posted this in the plant section! Sorry!

[Lady Hobbs]

Swords need more light than provided and require iron at the roots and in the water.

[shockshockshad]

I have 1" of laterite in the gravel, and I am using kent freshwater plant fertilizer. How will I increase the light? My hood only accomodates one 24"/20 watt bulb.

[Lady Hobbs]

Laterite is clay but is of no nutritional valve. It's used to help hold the nutrition you are giving your plants but by itself it's like growing in sand.

Swords need plant tabs stuck in at the roots as well as in the water.

You need something like this. I didn't see that one when I ordered my lights and ended up with 2-28 watt instead. Wish I'd have gotten this one.
http://tinyurl.com/2mvwmo

[shockshockshad]

Oh, i have those too.

[Lady Hobbs]

Like you, I lost several swords until I finally updated my lights. Sites vary on what it tells you they require for light. Some even say high light but I do think at least medium lighting is required for them to remain pretty and green.

Flourite Excel will help if you don't have CO2 but the light problem should be addressed first.

[shockshockshad]

Do you mean flourish excel? If you do, i am using that daily. I really think I dont want the swords if they need more light. If it was 5 types of plants, I would upgrade, if its just one plant, well, i can get another type. What type of background plant do you think is good? i have enough bunch plants, so i would like something differnt.

[CAF]

With 20W on a 30g you have less than 1 WPG. Definately up the lights. Even if your other plants are growing, most likely they are still not doing well. They are probably leggy (lots of space between whorls) trying to get to the light. Your best bet is to replace your current hood with a glass one and put multiple light bars or to get a fixture meant for your set up with multiple tubes. Ideally, you should have at least 2 WPG so you need 3 tubes at 20W each.

[shockshockshad]

So, should I just get a glass hood, and get 2 more of the 20 watt fixtures I have?

[smaug]

If what you are trying to have is a planted tank with good growth,yes you will need better light.I always recomend compact flourecants,I dont know how long your tank is?36" possibly?The lights made by Current are always a good choice and with a 36" you could get a single light with 96watts or the dual with double that.Your present lighting level is definetly to blame for yor ozelots demise.I have quite a few ozelots and with good light they are beautiful.It sounds to me like everything else you are doing is good.Yeah you have to get a glass hood to use the current.good luck.

[shockshockshad]

My tank is 30". I am hopefully getting this: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15690

The instructions on the website I got them from siad no more than 3 wpg, (90 watts) but the only fixture that fits my tank is 130 watts. I dont think you can have too much lighting, can you?

[smaug]

you can have too much ligting if you dont have enough plants to outcompete algae for nutrients.130 watts will be alot of light,but dont sweat it too much,you can always have floating plants that can diffuse some light.If your plants are growing well and you have lots of them it will use up alot of the nutrients and leave the algae starved.Get things like cabomba and hornwarts they use up nutrients like crazy and they love lots of light.Im not trying to change your mind too much but the fixture one step down from the one in the link is the one I have ,its much cheaper and every bit as useful and still has a lunar light.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13637&pcatid=13637
good luck

[shockshockshad]

I would have gotten that one if I had seen it. Thanks! Thats a 70 dollar save for me! Are there any plants on this list that would die from that amoun of light?

Rotala indica
Blood Stargrass
Japanese Fans
Dwarf Onions
Ambulia Tall
Sagittaria subulata
medium red-spot Ozelot swords
Crypt Walkeri

[smaug]

I only have one of the plants that you list{ozelot].The only one i see that might be a prob for you is the crypt.There is something else that might ease your high light,that fixture I showed you may come with an actinic bulb in one side,they dont add much power for plant growing but they do produce a nice color hue,I had the one in that came with my fixture for awhile until I wanted more light then I put a 6700/10000k in to replace it.That would definetly help bring down the wpg and still give you the ability to upgrade.The bulb you would want would be the smart pack 10000k/actinic dual bulb on one side and the 6700 or 10000 on the other.Realisticly that will give around 3 wpg or so .

[shockshockshad]

The fixture says it comes with 6700k and actinic bulbs. Plus a lunar light. (But that doesnt do anything). So this is good?

[Algenco]

6700k is fine, actinic provide no usable light for plants, replace it with a 10,000k or better yet a GE 9325 k

[smaug]

algenco said:6700k is fine, actinic provide no usable light for plants, replace it with a 10,000k or better yet a GE 9325 k
Exactly ,as I said actinics do nothing for plants.My answer to him earlier was leave the actinic in so that he is not way overkill on lighting right off the bat,later if you want more light then put a daylight bulb in its place.An actinic also offsets that pee yellow coloration of a 6700 bulb.So yes this is good.

[shockshockshad]

Thank you. I will order it soon.