doing better?

Fish day observations. I'm giving the full dose of nutrients on both tanks, although I probably need to double the root tabs (gave five whole tabs to the 20 gal today; recommended dose is ten once a month) which is 1 ml micronutrients on the small tank, 2 ml for the bigger one, 1/32 tsp potassium for the small, 1/16 for the bigger. Maybe I need more of that too- a few java fern leaves are showing pinholes again and in the smaller tank they are not recovering yet.... or they need other macros as has been suggested- still black areas on many leaves (not algae, doesn't rub off) although that might be just foliage dying off with the new adjustment, as the newer leaves look better.

At least in comparison. Rotala still has leaves  green like stars on top and some from base of stems, longer leaves not stunted dark curling ones. I'm pleased. One stem has almost reached the water surface; maybe soon I will trim and reset the tops.

Amazon sword has responded too. Its newer leaves show no signs of algae (green splotches) or decay (black marks) and have stronger-looking veins, with kind of a purple tint. I wasn't expecting this change, I take it as a mark of health.

It's grown quite a bit taller, too.

The crypts also seem to be doing better. All their younger leaves, that were just emerging when I began dosing potassium and root tabs, have a nice olive hue, stronger veins, pretty pinkish tint to the underside and stems. No sign of algae on the newer foliage. Older leaves blotchy and dying off, but I think that's normal for the adjustment. New foliage growing constantly from the base too. Soon I will divide these- they're actually growing in two main clumps which have three to five or six crowns each, plus there's three baby offshoots in another loose group (younger leaves on those look healthier too) but I don't want to disrupt them too soon, and plan to separate the crowns on a day I might move or introduce new fishes- changes in the aquascape distracts resident fish from bullying newcomers too much (I still want to move the kuhli Sam into here, at least).

Java fern. It has some big leaves holding on to their bold green lush color, these also have stronger-looking veins. Oldest leaves turning black and dying off, but not as rapidly as before, and for the first time in ages on cleaning day I didn't feel compelled to pull out yellowed and bleaching leaves. A few new fiddleheads as well.

I have never gotten a picture of this, but on the back end of the java fern log, there is the tiniest clump of java moss growing with minute little leaves.

Apono, my poor aponos. Only four of them look okay, the others I think might be too far gone to recover now. The "good" ones are still sending out new shoots, but older foliage also continues to die. It was actually looking great earlier this week, started to look peaky just a few days ago and this morning mottled brown on the older ones. I think nutrients still too few for this plant. Needs more root tabs or maybe a second dose of micros halfway thru the week...

Watersprite is coming back! All the plant bits I pegged down have doubled in size, new shoots unfurling from the bases of some too. Phew. At least I have saved some. It's hard to get a pic of those- they're behind the sword.

So- overall I think it is slowly improving. I can see now why people told me on the forums to "do a proper low-tech tank" with a nutrient-rich substrate. Then I wouldn't have to put in root tabs all the time... but I don't want to tear this tank apart and start over. Maybe I'll do it the other way when I upgrade to a thirty for angels...

When I glance into the tank from afar, the overall appearance is one of green things growing, not yellowing and brown, so I am hopeful again. Also for the first time ever, I see the plants producing oxygen- little bubbles pearling on the leaves. I think that's a good sign!

Last note: in the tenner, java ferns are not doing too good (I haven't seen any new leaves start in a while, and the older ones pinholes and black splotches again) but the anubias all continue to produce new shoots, and when I trimmed the java moss (I'm still growing it in jars) discovered that some strands are actually clinging to the top of the fake skull. I thought it was never going to do that!