I need help with live aquarium plants!?

Question

I have live plants in my 29 gallon tank and lately they have all been looking yellowish. Is there anything I should check into that would cause this?

Answer 1

get rid of your airpump. fish and aquarium plants love stable not turbulant water.

Answer 2

HI, Like 8 In The Corner said-many so called aquarium plants are just normal plants that look nice underwater but they don't usually last long enough to establish themselves. Before I knew about this I was conned into buying several including a Peace Lilly & a Variegated Dracaena (Dragon Plant). Actually, the Dragon Plant has done very well in a pot on my windowsill for over a year now! However, if your aquarium plants are truly aquatic such as Vallis or Elodea I'm afraid they will die out of water for any length of time.

Answer 3

The biggest problem for aquarium plants usually is light. They require lots of light. You also need to add iron supplements to help the plant utilize the light that they can get. The people where you buy the plants should be able to tell you the specific light requirements for the plants you buy.

Another big problem is carbon dioxide. Plants require CO2 to photosynthesize. Fish in the tank usually can't provide enough. Unfortunately, most CO2 systems are bulky and expensive.

Check all your normal levels. Plants absorb ammonia (NH4) directly through their roots. If there is too much in the water there is nothing the plants can do to stop taking it up. Plant do have selectivity membranes for NO2 (very toxic) & NO3 (which they can store in plastids inside their cells untill they can use it). If you do regular water changes this probably won't be your problem.

You might also want to try adding some aquatic plant fertilizer. They make it safe for fish (but make sure it says that!).

Another possible problem could be your substrate. The fine grain sand-like substrate is better for plants than gravvel. It holds nutrients better and is easier for plants to root in. The substrate needs to be very deep for some plants.

Some plant also have a certain depth they need to burried in. Some like to bee deep and some prefer to be planted shallow.

A sudden increase in light levels can cause photobleaching.

There are a million possibilites.

Good Luck! I hope I have helped you!

Answer 4

Research your plants. You may have plants in there that require high levels of light. Unless you want to get into having a Planted Tank and CO2 injectors, fertilizers and such, I recommend steering away from such plants. There are plenty of plants out there which get along fine with regular tank-light light levels.

The bulbs you can get at WalMart and PetCo thrive very well at such levels, as well as Java Ferns and Java Moss.

Small things you can do would be to buy a full spectrum light to replace your current light. These aren't usually any more expensive than a regulr replacement would be and are good for your fish as well as your plants. The other thing is to make sure your light cover is clean. Also, let your nitrate levels be a little higher than you would otherwise do. I am not saying you can let them go above 40ppm, but keeping them at around 20, rather than less than that, will give your plants the supply of nutrients they need.

And speaking of plants, unless you keep your water salty, your houseplants will LOVE your change-water!

Answer 5

Make sure the glass between your light and tank is clean, check to make sure that your light is ideal for plants, if the light is over 8 months old, replace it. Also use an aquarium fertilizer. Be sure to pick up the appropriate test kit with it, either a phosphorus or iron.

Also, be sure your filter is clear and perhaps do a 24% water change.

If you are using coloured gravel it could be and probably is killing your plants, not to mention what its doing to your fish.

If you have a heavily planted tank invest in a CO2 filter.

Answer 6

One thing no one has mentioned yet is an iron deficiency in your water. Lack of Iron can turn your plants yellow. Buy a test kit and some iron-rich plant vitamin drops.

It can take up to three weeks for aquarium plants to either show signs of distress, or to show improvement, so don't give up easily!

Answer 7

make sure they are getting good light. If you have a light on it get a special bulb for plants or a full spectrum bulb.(both fluorescent) Also you may want to look into a fertilizer or C02 injestion ask a petstore person about it!

Answer 8

Some plants require special things like lighting and fertilizers. I would research the type of plants you have and see what they require.

Answer 9

What sort of lights are you using? They may not be getting enough light.

If they are well lit, the problem might lie in your water. Are you changing the water often? If so, are you using bottled or tap?

Answer 10

what type of fish do you have in your tank? How often do u change your water? Do you have enough lights in your tank?