Sunbird wrote: ↑Fri May 17, 2024 2:04 am
I'm looking to give my aquarium a bit of a refresh. I've noticed my plants have been struggling lately, so I'm thinking of adding more substrate to help them out. They were doing great at first, but then things took a turn. I'm planning to remove the ones that aren't doing well and introduce two new ones to the mix. I'm also due for a filter change, so that's on the agenda. Any thoughts on this plan? My plants get around 8 hours of light a day, and we've got a skylight above the tank that adds some extra illumination.
I think there might have been a slight mistake, 6500K is actually the upper limit you'd want for aquarium lighting, as higher Kelvin numbers result in less red light, which is pretty crucial for photosynthesis.
boomer wrote: ↑Fri May 17, 2024 6:33 am
@willie32 is spot on with his assessment. The photos you've shared suggest a clear nutrient deficiency, which isn't related to the substrate, but rather a lack of essential nutrients. The lighting could also be a contributing factor to this issue.
I've had some interesting results with different light spectrums - I was using Nicrew's 6500k, but then I switched to allpondsolutions' 7500k and the growth really took off, even with the same tank and plants. Recently set up a new 200l tank with the 7500k lights and, combined with Tropica capsules, I'm seeing some fantastic growth, particularly with the Alternanthera - strong reds and no CO2.
boomer wrote: ↑Fri May 17, 2024 6:33 am
@willie32 is spot on with his assessment. The photos you've shared suggest a clear nutrient deficiency, which isn't related to the substrate, but rather a lack of essential nutrients. The lighting could also be a contributing factor to this issue.
I'm learning so much - conditioners can be a risk too if not used correctly. I only condition my water when I do a partial change, which is every 8-10 days, about 25% of the tank volume.
