Hornwort & Blue Hygro Coloration Advice

[Ahughes1805]

Recently established 10 gal tank for plants and shrimp.  Plants include Monte Carlo, Hornwort, and Blue Hygro. The Monte Carlo is spreading and slowly poking through randomly in the tank substrate. The Blue Hygro had melted when placed as a bunch and separated began growing new leaves. The Hornwort is floating and places in an easy planter rock. 
 

I’ve included a few images of the Hornwort and the Blue Hygro that I was hoping someone can explain what each planting is doing. From the redish/brown tinge on the needles of the hornwort to the random yellow spot and discoloration of leaves on the blue Hygro.
 

I use 1 pump of easy green every Monday morning and Thursday evening. 1 pump of Easy Carbon every morning. I root tabbed on the 4th and planed on doing new root tabs every month around the 4th. 

Water parameters shown and when KH drops I incorporate 1 cap of aquavitro Carbonate which puts it back up to around a 2-3 DKH. 

 

I test every morning to see where the KH and PH rest. I need to lower the GH and I do small 10% changes weekly. 

[Rube_Goldfish]

First, a caveat: I've never kept any of these plants. With that out of the way...

For the hornwort with the pink/red tinge, notice how it's the new growth at the top? It's closest to the light. Lots of plants will get a pink or red hue under bright light. I remember hearing that it's basically plant sunscreen to protect themselves from the light. Anthocyanins, I think? Anyway, it's not at all detrimental to the plant and a lot of people try very hard to get some of those colors in their tank.

You also said that the tank is recently established, so the hygro may just still be adjusting to it's new parameters, especially as your tank's chemistry stabilizes itself. Do you see any growth? It should be much healthier. You can trim melted leaves or just let them be. I have to say, though, that they don't look too bad to my amatuer eyes.

Your parameters, assuming they're stable, look very good for plant growth. Do you know your tap water parameters after the water has had a chance to rest (off-gas) for 24 hours?

Why are you doing Easy Carbon? Despite the name, it's not a CO2 thing, it's gluteraldehyde, an algaecide. It can be rough on some plants, too. Unless you're combating algae, I'd shelve it (you can always pull it back out for spot treatments later on).

[Ahughes1805]

On 1/29/2023 at 10:13 AM, Rube_Goldfish said:

First, a caveat: I've never kept any of these plants. With that out of the way...

For the hornwort with the pink/red tinge, notice how it's the new growth at the top? It's closest to the light. Lots of plants will get a pink or red hue under bright light. I remember hearing that it's basically plant sunscreen to protect themselves from the light. Anthocyanins, I think? Anyway, it's not at all detrimental to the plant and a lot of people try very hard to get some of those colors in their tank.

You also said that the tank is recently established, so the hygro may just still be adjusting to it's new parameters, especially as your tank's chemistry stabilizes itself. Do you see any growth? It should be much healthier. You can trim melted leaves or just let them be. I have to say, though, that they don't look too bad to my amatuer eyes.

Your parameters, assuming they're stable, look very good for plant growth. Do you know your tap water parameters after the water has had a chance to rest (off-gas) for 24 hours?

Why are you doing Easy Carbon? Despite the name, it's not a CO2 thing, it's gluteraldehyde, an algaecide. It can be rough on some plants, too. Unless you're combating algae, I'd shelve it (you can always pull it back out for spot treatments later on).

Thanks for the response! This is only my second tank and still learning. I just assumed with a name as “Easy Carbon” that it would be a form of liquid carbon so I am not injecting any form of CO2 to assist with plant growth. Stupid mistake on my end. In terms of the hygro, it has shown new growth in where I had trimmed and replanted throughout the tank. It has been like that for about 2 weeks until the yellow spot appeared and up to now that area has gone clear. I have placed 1 tab next to that specific hygro since every other hygro has been shown to be healthy. If I didn’t mention, my might timer is set from 8AM-5PM. 

I forgot to add. I can’t use my tap water. Even with a conditioner nothing survives…I purchase RODI water and use Seachem Alkaline / Acid buffers together in 5 gal buckets. Since I made this in excel. I’ll change total gal as needed, etc. 

Please ignore some of the notes since that’s the printout for my 20 gal at home with higher ph, GH, and KH for mollies. 
the tank in this thread has a printout with it at my office. 

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 1/29/2023 at 12:43 PM, Ahughes1805 said:

Thanks for the response! This is only my second tank and still learning. I just assumed with a name as “Easy Carbon” that it would be a form of liquid carbon so I am not injecting any form of CO2 to assist with plant growth. Stupid mistake on my end. In terms of the hygro, it has shown new growth in where I had

First, I could have worded my question about Easy Carbon a lot nicer, so sorry about that. I definitely made that mistake, too!

On 1/29/2023 at 12:43 PM, Ahughes1805 said:

In terms of the hygro, it has shown new growth in where I had trimmed and replanted throughout the tank. It has been like that for about 2 weeks until the yellow spot appeared and up to now that area has gone clear. I have placed 1 tab next to that specific hygro since every other hygro has been shown to be healthy. If I didn’t mention, my might timer is set from 8AM-5PM. 

Oh, the yellowing is on the new growth? That's a horse of a different color. Take a look, if you would, at this blog article on aquarium plant deficiencies on the ACO blog, and specifically this chart (from here😞

Anyway, with that chart in mind, and your photo showing (it looks like) about 10 ppm nitrates, I think that's the issue, too low levels of nitrate. Your dosage of Easy Green seems appropriate (depending on lighting etc.) unless you're injecting CO2. (Are you injecting CO2?)

If you have no plans to change your stocking level (and therefore your nitrate level), then you might want to try increasing (slowly) the Easy Green. Maybe try three pumps a week for a month?