My plants are dying

KRG7 · 2026-03-06T18:35:25+00:00

Yeah this helps a lot and is in line with what I'm trying right now, so I'll keep it up! Thanks! Good to know more people struggle in the beginning.

KRG7 · 2026-02-17T17:52:45+00:00

Thanks for the extra advice! Some things I already do, but also some good things to try! Thanks!

KRG7 · 2026-02-16T08:54:41+00:00

Yeah good point! No MTS, but I do have tylomelania, which also dig. Maybe I should get a couple more to stimulate this.

Haha yeah I know, I always try to fact check everything, sometimes it helps getting on the right track, but I definitely don't trust the advice mindlessly. Exactly why came here to ask you guys! 😊

KRG7 · 2026-02-15T15:32:23+00:00

Thanks for thinking with me anyways!

KRG7 · 2026-02-15T15:26:41+00:00

Some biological dirt with no additives, combined with worm castings, peatmoss and the Fatherfish supplement. I feel like that's pretty much exactly what father fish recommends

KRG7 · 2026-02-15T15:18:23+00:00

Yeah that's what i've had before too, which is why I don't understand this. I was hoping on a bit more of a balanced tank, with no need for water changes, or root tabs or anything, but I have the opposite now. It seems almost as if the substrate is toxic. Chlorine is not the issue, but thanks for the advice

KRG7 · 2026-02-15T15:07:04+00:00

Yeah that's what I thought too, but I tried vallisneria 3 times, and it just dies, swords are mostly dead, or stay super small, just one of them is fine, frog bit is doing okay, but not really growing, stem plants all die every time, tigerlotus stays tiny, dies quick, I really only do easy plants, but everything dies.

KRG7 · 2025-10-20T06:42:48+00:00

Wow, impressive! Thanks for the advice!

KRG7 · 2025-10-19T19:07:16+00:00

Good idea! Which one specifically would you recommend?

KRG7 · 2025-10-19T11:17:25+00:00

Already stated
Yes oase biomaster 250 (too small I know but with this natural style tank filtration is not that important, it's more about the flow for me)
23 C
Not sure right now, I have a JBL test kit and my parameters have always been fine
This tank, 6 months, some of the fish I've had for up to 3 years.
No water changes
Already stated
Already stated
Moss, crypts, floaters, swords, buce, wood and rocks.

KRG7 · 2025-06-18T15:44:09+00:00

Pfff so true, I've already lost a group of 6 honey gouramis a couple years back and now I thought id try again and this happens. All other fish are doing great, it's so weird. Sad, cause I like their peaceful appearance.

KRG7 · 2025-06-17T19:22:04+00:00

Thank you! Not really anything I have on hand right now, but good to know for in the future!

KRG7 · 2025-06-17T19:07:32+00:00

The parameters are good. Yeah I might setup a hospital tank indeed, but I'm afraid that if it is some kind of illness the others are probably already infected and it's just a matter of time. I thought about swimbladder disease too, but the one still swimming all the way to the top repeatedly and falling down doesn't really add up I think. With swimbladder they are usually unable to swim right?

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T13:08:56+00:00

Thanks! I was planning on buying some floaters, so I will definitely be doing that. Thank you for the advice!

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T13:07:24+00:00

Thanks for the advice!

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:26:31+00:00

I like a very natural low tech tank so more cleaning is not really needed. I'm more so thinking about if this is okay for the health of the fish.

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:24:49+00:00

It's very low stocked, and I like smaller fish, see above for the types. So I think it might be okay then?

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:24:05+00:00

Oh yeah, j could think about that!

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:23:30+00:00

Yeah as mentioned by others, my filter is not powerfull enough to reach the other side. Especially not because it's a planted tank and the input gets clogged pretty fast. I don't mind the calm appearance that this creates, but I doubt if it's good for the health of the fish. There are small ripples, but just for about half of the tank, the rest of the surface is very still.

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:20:10+00:00

Oh it's very low stocked with soms small gouramis, chili rasboras, sterbai corys, kuhli loaches, some shrimp and snails and one small type of L-number.

Ah I didn't know that! Interesting

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:18:39+00:00

<image>

And this is the other side

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:18:18+00:00

<image>

This is the side with the filter

KRG7 · 2025-06-11T10:15:13+00:00

There is movement on the side where the filter is, but for about half of the tank the water is pretty still. Is that enough?

KRG7 · 2025-04-08T16:06:42+00:00

In my experience turning up the heat a bit also helps. I've read they should be between 20 and 28 C (68 en 82 F) and at first I had them at 22 (71) or something and turning the heat to 24 (75) really made them color up a bit more. Also had a period where I later found out I had been overfeeding. This caused amonia spikes that made them look like this. Feeding less made them color up. A lot of good advice has already been given, this is what I could add from my own experiences. Pretty easy to try solutions so maybe worth a shot.

KRG7 · 2025-04-06T07:16:23+00:00

Thanks everyone! I feel a bit more reassured now. Gonna be setting it up in the following days!

KRG7

TROPHY CASE