I've got some Amazon Swords that had been doing really good but now I'm getting dark brown spots on the leaves and some green fuzzy algae. Some other plant (can't think of the name) is losing a lot of leaves but I'm also getting a lot of new grown. Looks like the leaves closer to the base are thinning out and the stems are growing taller. I use Flourish and now am thinking maybe I need to bury some fertilizer tabs. Looks like I'm getting new Amazon Sword growth but everything looks dingy.

FWIW I always have some leaves that "die" off. As long as new leaves are sprouting you should be ok. Just clip off the brown leaves if you don't like the looks.

also this sometimes happens because plants are adjusting to water only life.


my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

By your description, it sounds as if you don't have enough light. Not knowing your setup...can't say for sure. Plants shed their bottom leaves and become "leggy" when light levels are low. The end result are leaves up top and bare on bottom. The plant does this to help survive the imbalance.

I think I have more then enough light for the types of plants I have. I've got the 2 bulb T5 Glow lights... I'm thinking I've got some Hornwart that's shading the ludwig that's starting to lose it's leaves... plus I might have high phosphate levels because of the well water I'm using.

Shading is possible...see explanation above. ;o)

Shading is one of the biggest problems with stem plants. You need to make sure that they are kept trimmed and nothing shading the bottoms that much. Mine will do that when they get over grown.

With the swords, I would put some fert tabs under them, they are heavy root feeders, and most of the time when you buy them in stores they are grown emersed and have to adjust to being submerged and you will loose the older leaves as it does that. Also are you using c02 and ferts. With high light you should be doing both.

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I'm not using Co2 simply because I really don't feel like spending another $200 on a set up. The DIY models aren't enough for 75 gallons.

The 2L DIY model does enough for 75 gallon. But your problem sounds like lights to me. There are 2 kinds of T5... are you using the higher power one? At this point the kind of plants you are keeping don't need CO2 but even every 2-3 weeks of water change would help too.

Been doing weekly water changes. I'm trying the plant tabs now instead of the liquid. And I moved the ludwiga so we'll see how it does where light can reach the entire plant.

Been doing weekly water changes. I'm trying the plant tabs now instead of the liquid. And I moved the ludwiga so we'll see how it does where light can reach the entire plant.

I ended up tossing the hornwort... loved the way it looked and it really filled out well and grew fast, but damn it left a mess behind. Stuff was always breaking off and floating around. I'm still finding pieces of it in my tank.

Yep...good ole hornwort...it sheds like crazy.

It sounds like a lack of nutrients, especially iron and/or potassium. This will cause some brown spots, which in tern causes nutrients to leak from the leaf, which then promotes the growth of the algae. I would cut off the bad leaves and focus on making the new growth better by adding root tabs or a liquid fert. Add more (volume) or fert more often, as your plants get bigger. You can't keep dosing the same amount as when you first start.

As for the other plant, if you don't keep them trimmed they will eventually die at the base and grow taller and skinny. If you are too late, I would cut the top and re-plant that, and remove the skinny base.

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