Having some troubles

[MonteCarlo]

About day 6 with my new NPT, you can see how it looks here http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=122738, and I've run into some problems.

My anubias, anacharis, and ludwigia seem to be doing good and growing. I even trimmed a piece of anacharis and replanted and it has grown over an inch too. The wisteria is shaky, it seems fine, but then again I can see some leaves easily falling off, and the midsection seems a little bare compared to when I first bought it. The crypt is what is not doing well. Its leaves are thinning and ripping with any pressure, and one stalk already fell and is not upright anymore. The two problems I can imagine are
1) I use two of these lights http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...uctId=11740166. I know you're ideally supposed to use one with 6700k daylight, but my petsmart didnt sell one in this type of bulb form, and I was told that two of these would be fine for my low light plants.
2) I only got my betta yesterday, maybe there just simply not enough organic ferts produced since crypt are root feeders (i think)? I was told my soil would be enough to get it by, but Im not sure what else could be the cause.

The other problem is that my ammonia is not at 0ppm. I liquid tested it and its somewhere around .25ppm. I thought I was supposed to have none with this big a tank and with live plants. Also, I just only added my fish in a day ago haha. (ive had 4 apple snails for a few days tho) I did leave a dead shrimp in there overnight tho, since I was waiting to see if he was dead or not. I bought the ghost shrimp for 50 cents as an experiment to see if my betta would eat it or not, but as I was acclimated my betta, I carelessly just dropped the shrimp in b/c i was impatient. I guess not acclimating him made a big difference (my tank is 79F), since he was very hyper for about 45mins and then jus eventually died. I cant think of anything else that would have killed him.

[Oldfishlady]

The crypt might be going through a normal leaf change over-from emersed to submersed. As long as the crown is above the substrate line-it should bounce back in time. Do you know if the crypt was grown emersed or submered at the nursery.

The wisteria might be going through the same thing and/or it could be due to not enough light reaching the lower section of the plant. Its not uncommon for them to drop a leaf on occasion either. If you let the leaf float for a week or so-often the leaf will sprout roots-mine do and one of the ways I propagate them too.

How long are you leaving the light on and what is your total watts. I couldn't tell from the link what the kelvin was...Are they 6500k???

As for the ammonia-have you tested your source water-with and without your normal additive to rule that out. It could be due to the decay of the dead shrimp along with poor plant growth. Its only been 6 days and you have limited stem plants. Do you have floating plants, if so, what kind and how many. Once you start having a lot of active stem plant growth and plant growth in general-the plants will take care of the ammonia.

What I would recommend-make a 25% water only change, remove dead/dieing leaves, stay on at least 10h/day photoperiod. Monitor water prams and make 25% water only with ammonia, nitrite 0.25ppm or greater-but rule out your source water first so you don't make any unneeded water changes....

[MonteCarlo]

I bought the crypt when it was submersed but they literally just got it in that day, so I'm not sure what it was wherever it came from. I guess Ill just trim off any leaves that die n hope to see a transformation.

I have no idea of the K on those bulbs, isn't it weird they don't tell you? They give you a chart in the upper right hand corner under product features here: http://www.aqueonproducts.com/produc...cent-lamp.htm# . I don't know how to read it but it seems like it is okay. And yes I leave them on for 10hr, altho one or two days were only around 9

I tested my water source with and without the conditioner, both were 0ppm.

I added in some telanthera cardinalis which is a stem plant. I also have a package of bacopa caroliniana, another stem plant, so I take it it would help to add that in too, even though it is getting a bit packed.

Ona side note, I seem to have a misty haze near the top of my tank? I figured it was jus kicked up sand from me planting the cardinalis plant, but usually that would settle, and it didnt overnight. It also wasnt there from the beginning. I did a ~20-25% water change (for the ammonia reasons) but also b/c of the haze, but the cardinalis plant got uprooted so I basically kicked up more sand again, and I still have this haze. Im just guessing its sand...

[aokashi]

let the crypt melt. ignore it. it's like the phoenix of plants. seems to doe tragically then spring up anew from seemingly nothing.

As for the water. what are you testing for? the tank water has a chnace of being high innitrates. test for that, also make sure you shake the nitrate bottle well.

Frequent water changes at this time will help a lot

[Nothingness]

I believe those colormax bulbs are 8000k

[babystarz]

Originally Posted by aokashi

let the crypt melt. ignore it. it's like the phoenix of plants. seems to doe tragically then spring up anew from seemingly nothing.

LOL @ "the phoenix of plants," it's true, every leaf could fall off and you'll have this depressing mass of what looks like dying plant matter, and then there'll be a tiny new leaf one day. And a couple of weeks later you'll have a beautiful plant!

[Viva]

Crypts are awesome, mine are growing out of control it seems!

[MonteCarlo]

My petsmart also sells a 10watt fluorescent 5100k bulb. since this isn't 6500k either, is it worth it to buy it instead of having two of my colormax? Assuming Nothingness is correct with the 8000k, they probably are around that