New tank, new plants, new hobby! Many questions!

Hi everyone,

This is my first post in this forum, so please bear with me. I am new to this hobby, and after many months of researching and watching videos, I have pieced together a setup:

Mr. Aqua 17.7 gal. (24Lx12Wx14.4H) Rimless tank

Eheim 2213 Canister Filter

Fluval Heater

Coralife T5NO 30" Light Fixture with (2) 18W bulbs (6700K) (lights on 9 hours a day, 1 hour siesta midday)

Seachem Flourite Black Sand substrate with root tabs installed

Ferts: Seachem Flourish, Excel, Flourish Iron (all 1/4 doses atm)

Plants: amazon sword, anubius, micro crypts, water wisteria, didiplis diandra, java fern

Questions: I have had this tank up and running for 5 days, planted and no fish. My main issue is with the didiplis diandra. When I received it from my LFS, it was green on the top of the plant, and almost completely dead the rest of the way down. I trimmed off the dead portions and replanted it, and a couple days later it is now turning yellow on the very top leaves. My sword is also turning yellow on new growth, but i have put a root tab directly underneath to supplement its appetite (results still unknown). Does it just now have enough light? or is CO2 injection necessary for this plant? or am i being a newb, and not waiting long enough?

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Permalink Reply by Peter on July 31, 2012 at 2:41pm

Be patient 5 days isn't even enough to cycle ur tank be patient your plants are adapting to your tanks conditions jus l

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Permalink Reply by Peter on July 31, 2012 at 3:39pm

Jus look for the new growth The new leaves are he 1s adapted to ur tank as for the stem plant sound like it jus melted they do that sometimes in new tanks

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Permalink Reply by Jetmatt on July 31, 2012 at 3:54pm

ok, thanks! thats definitely what it sounds like (i hope).

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Permalink Reply by Michel Hanna on July 31, 2012 at 4:08pm

ya do not put root tabs those are useless pices of shit lol just use liquid ferts. the reason it was dying i any plant that u put in a new tank will die and then grow back to adapt to th enew waterf parameters and bacteria. you shouldent of taken it out and if it has like a metal strap around the roots take that off. look up the water parameters for that plant if their differant then what u have thats a nother reason why it would die and it wont grow back

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Permalink Reply by Jetmatt on July 31, 2012 at 4:42pm

well, whether they suck or not they're in there, so i guess ill find out the hard way! there are still many green leaves on the didiplis, just the tip is yellow. gonna give it another week to see what it does. thanks for the input!

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Permalink Reply by Robert Jango on August 2, 2012 at 12:21am

If you place the tablets to close to the roots it can burn the plant.

You've listened to all the advice; now listen to your tank and watch. Watch closely. Your fish and plants will talk to you. Take in all the information but don't act hastily. Just listen.

Plants go into shock when you move them; so do fish. Let everything settle down and see what happens. If a plant dies it doesn't necessarily mean you're doing something wrong. It may just mean that it needs to die.. or not. Its kinda like a first date. You do all the right things and say all the right words but sometimes its just not there. Don't try to force anything. Last time I checked Mother Nature wasn't taking orders.

Relax and enjoy the show. The real research begins now.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Douglas on August 3, 2012 at 3:46am

I have had great success with florish root tabs. I also use small amounts of liquid fertilizer. Be careful with the fertz at first so you don't get an algae bloom. Enjoy your new tank! Welcome to the hobby it may takeover your life!

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Permalink Reply by Jetmatt on August 7, 2012 at 5:14pm

thanks for all the advice! sitting and watching my tank will not be a problem....its now one of my favorite things to do! the root tabs seem to be working fine so far, will update in other posts in case anyone is curious.