Could I use some fertilizer?

[AllenIsbell]

Hey, guys. My plants are weird... Or maybe not. I don't know. The part of my plants that are alive, look really good. Then there are some parts of the plants that are dying off or losing color/turning brown.

I'm using two 23w 6,500k CFLs (100w equivalent).
20 gallon tank.
Mollies and snails.
Weekly water changes of at least 25%.

Is this normal?

Here are the pictures of everything in my tank:

Red Flame Sword. Doing okay, growing fast, but often has dead leaves:


Part of the RFS that I propagated a month or so ago:

Not too much luck with it...


This Lace Java Fern - Windelov... Seems to be doing fine:



This thing is growing like crazy, but it seems to be turning like a "pale" green:


I was told that Seachem Flourish is a good all-round fert that would do great. I didn't give any details of my tank or situation, it was just general conversation.

Buy it, or no?

Thanks, everyone.

[Strider199]

Some plants do well in my tank while others which should do not. I found over time to buy the ones that do well. A fert. will be beneficial to the tank if your bio-load is light. Seachem is a brand I use occasionally in my planted tank.
Just remember not to bury your plants too deep in the substrate.
As far as the odd leaf turning an ugly colour, thats what pruning is for. Some plants take awhile to get use to their new home, shedding a few leaves as they adjust.
Just don't give up, it is worth the overall experience.

[AllenIsbell]

Thanks! So, it seems like I should prune once a week if that's the case. Does that seem irregular to have to do it that often?

[Strider199]

Every water change (which is once a week for me), I do a little pruning. I once let my plants go for 2 months without a touch-up. I found it alot easier to do a little once a week.

[Goes to 11!]

I was told that Seachem Flourish is a good all-round fert that would do great.

Lol, There's 5 different kinds of liquid Seachem Flourish so you are going to have to be more specific. Consider the root tabs.

How long have they been in place, Plants like fish acclimate to new environments and this often involves dropping old growth.

I would unbury the rhizome of the lace java fern, They tend to rot if buried.

[AllenIsbell]

Oops! I meant to put Seachem Flourish Excel.

Red Flame Swords and front Aponogeton have been in there for at least a month. The Aponogeton Longiplumulosus and Lace Java Fern have been in there for a couple of weeks. The new two are doing great.

I unburied the rhizome RIGHT after posting the first picture of it buried. I have been told 10+ times to unbury it LOL. I'm going to delete that picture of it buried to stop the madness.

EDIT: Wait, I just realized that the rhizome is buried again... It did it by itself!!!!!!

[Strider199]

If that rhizome keeps getting under the gravel try trying it with some 4 pound test fishing line to a piece of driftwood or a piece of slate.

[talldutchie]

Fourish excel is a co2 source I think.

What I see in your pics is that your plants seem to struggle for nutrients. Have a look at this:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UlxSzABwSo...deficiency.jpg

Two possible solutions
1. add fertilizer to the water
2. press some root tabs near your plants into the sand.

[korith]

One thing to keep in mind is some plants are heavy root feeders, like the sword plants. They may not got much benefit from fertilizers added to the water. So they will benefit more from a fertilizer root tablet, that is a fertilizer that goes into the substrate that the plant roots can feed from.