12 October 2014

the plants

in my aquarium seem to be slowly improving. At least they are all still putting out new leaves at a steady rate. I went a little more conservative with the Flourish this week, after water change. Gave the 20 gallon aquarium four drops, the ten gallon two. There is not much hair algae now, but still black spots on the foliage that does not rub off. I don't know if this is a stubborn algae or marks on the leaves indicate deficiency. Since giving the plant food and root tabs, the yellow leaves have turned green again new foliage has better, healthy green color, so I still think I'm in the right direction. The rotala all is growing new pale green leaves, longer than before. When the tank lights are out, they look like stars in the dimness:
If the lower leaves on these stems never green up, eventually I think I will pin them down, cut when the tops root, trim off to grow anew from the original roots... I didn't realize I had a few pieces of vallisneria left in here- they are growing more now as well!
Still the aponogeton keeps putting out new shoots, but the foliage seems to loose vigor as soon as it gets a certain size. Either I need to just be patient and let it recover (all the smaller ones are slowly getting bigger) or gradually increase the plant food- or adjust the light so curb algae...
I keep looking back at old photos and thinking it was all looking better in the beginning. Before I moved fish and driftwood in and out, before I changed the light source and back again, before the ich and salt. I can't figure out if the plants would have declined and come back anyways, from adjusting to my tank, or if I've done things all wrong.

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