plants dying

[Joe Barta]

I could use some advice...

Early this spring I installed a 4 lamp high output T5 fixture over my
simple 55gal fish and plant (anacharis) freshwater aquarium. Before
this, plant growth had been mediocre at best. After hanging the lamp,
plant growth exploded. Now it's October, much of the plant material
has recently died and I'm having a hard time getting any plant growth.
They'd rather die than grow it would seem. I even extended the lamps
on time to about 13 hrs.

Is it possible that the T5 lamps have lost their juice somehow? If so,
is this a common thing or just a common thing with cheap lamps?

Any ideas why plant growth is now so labored?

How big a factor is temperature (or temperature fluctuations)?

If memory serves, I had a smaller aquarium a few years ago that
enjoyed phenomenal plant growth during summer (hornwort or some
similar pond plant). Maybe my plants are pond plants that experience
some sort of trigger that tells them to shut down for the winter?

Thanks.

[default]

Joe Barta wrote:
> I could use some advice...
>
> Early this spring I installed a 4 lamp high output T5 fixture over my
> simple 55gal fish and plant (anacharis) freshwater aquarium. Before
> this, plant growth had been mediocre at best. After hanging the lamp,
> plant growth exploded. Now it's October, much of the plant material
> has recently died and I'm having a hard time getting any plant growth.
snip

Hi Joe, It could be that the explosive growth consumed all of the
nutrients needed for growth, or at least all of one vital nutrient. Do
you add fertilizer? If not, I heartliy suggest the Tom Barr estimative
index for dosing fertilizers. It works wonders for me.

http://aquaria.info/members/ervis/
steve

[Elaine T]

Joe Barta wrote:
> I could use some advice...
>
> Early this spring I installed a 4 lamp high output T5 fixture over my
> simple 55gal fish and plant (anacharis) freshwater aquarium. Before
> this, plant growth had been mediocre at best. After hanging the lamp,
> plant growth exploded. Now it's October, much of the plant material
> has recently died and I'm having a hard time getting any plant growth.
> They'd rather die than grow it would seem. I even extended the lamps
> on time to about 13 hrs.
>
> Is it possible that the T5 lamps have lost their juice somehow? If so,
> is this a common thing or just a common thing with cheap lamps?
>
> Any ideas why plant growth is now so labored?
>
> How big a factor is temperature (or temperature fluctuations)?
>
> If memory serves, I had a smaller aquarium a few years ago that
> enjoyed phenomenal plant growth during summer (hornwort or some
> similar pond plant). Maybe my plants are pond plants that experience
> some sort of trigger that tells them to shut down for the winter?
>
> Thanks.

How are you fertilizing, and are you using Excel or CO2?

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Larry]

It took me a couple of months to figure out why my plants were slowly
turning brown even though my lighting is more than adequate.

Had to add iron and liquid CO2. Iron once or twice a week and Co2
every second day.

So far so good.

Good luck with yours.