Jungle Vals rotting?

[African_Fever]

I brought some jungle vals up from a tank in the Hat to fill my new 120 gallon Tang tank. The vals seemed to be growing well when first added, sending out shoots, lots of new leaves. I had to cut back on the light a bit (about 2 hours a day, down to 11-12 hours) b/c the algae was growing too much. I currently have 2 54w T5's over the 6" tank (24" of overlap in the middle), and do have two others on the canopy as well (I haven't used them yet though b/c it was almost looking like too much light). The plants did start to 'rot', getting holes in the leaves and the leaves starting falling off and getting stringy. I've since upped the hours of light to 13-14 hrs daily, and it hasn't appeared to make a difference. New leaves are still coming up, but the shoots are growing quite as fast.

I guess the main questions are: is this due to a lack of light, the wrong spectrum of light (the lights were bought at a gardening store, Sun Blaster F54T5), or a missing nutrient and I need fertilizer? I've had vals for years and have never needed to add a fertilizer, and this is the first time they've ever done this to me (even with my WC mbuna they grow like weeds and need to be thinned every month).

If anyone has any ideas, it would be much appreaciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Tanker]

I'll chime in with a "Me too".

I have the corkscrew variety, and I get the same thing, holes in leaves on one plant and dead leaves, and the plant next to it has shot out a daisy chain of four runners and sprouts in the past four weeks. I just started using Flourish, the first additive for plants I have used; it's too early to tell if this will make a differnece, in my situation.

Very interested in the suggestions to be made, here...

[chloeclose]

I believe vals are a root feeder... do you have any ferts in the substrate? Have you tried using substrate tabs? I like the Flourish ones... HTH!

[viper3]

100 watts in a 120 gal? seems to me you need a little more light. Vals can get by on low light but maybe not that low. I have 200 watts over my 75 and and pull at least 6 new plants off of runners a week. If I didn't I wouldn't be able to see any of my other plants.....Do you have CO2 ? big help.

[African_Fever]

I've never used anything 'special' for any of my tanks, and this is the first time that I've ever had trouble getting vals to grow. Never used a root fertilizer, but have been considering it. I guess I'll add the other two lights (it'll be 216 watts in a 120), but was thinking that it was already bright enough b/c it's far brighter than any of my other tanks (regular vals are growing fine in a 25 with only an 18W (I think) 24" powerglo - the 120 is no comparison as far as 'brightness' goes).

I'm not adding CO2 b/c it's a Tang tank and I don't want to mess with the pH (a friend did it and his fish sufferred; poor colour, stopped breeding - as soon as the CO2 was out, they returned to their prolific, colourful selves).

Guess I'll have to pick up some root fertilizer and see if it makes a difference.

Edited May 12, 2005 by African_Fever

[Garhan]

You have 2 problems, not enough light and need more Pottasium.

Double or triple your light.

Garhan

[African_Fever]

What's a good fertilizer to use that has potassium? or is there another way to add more?

[Garhan]

Go to a Hydroponics shop and buy Potassium Nitrate and Pottasium Sulfate. Cost abot 10.00 total.

In seperate 500 ml bottle put 1 level teaspon and add 350 ml of water. Shake and your ready to fertilize.

Do it seperately. Pot . Nitrate in 1 bottle and Pot. Sulfate in another. If you dose read the Sear Colins dosing requirements.

If you have an algae outbreak then stop feeding any nitrates. It just that easy.

Now you also have about 2 -3 years worth of dry powder left over. (economical way to purchase)

Garhan