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Re: [APD] Anubias Melting

On 28/09/2010 17:22, Bill Wichers wrote:

Been on this mailing list for ages and here I am posting my first

query. I

had seen this issue of anubias melting away in quite a few tanks off

late.

I
am from India and been into planted aquariums for quite sometime now.

This

phenomenon happens to lush growing anubias. We suddenly find that the
rhizome weakens and then the leaves just detach and eventually melt

away.

One sudden day we find a bush of leaves floating on the surface. This
happens in a short period of about 10 days span. Has anyone

experienced

this? Will there be anyone who can help us out?


I suspect this "melting" issue is similar to "Crypt rot", which many
have attributed to a rapid and drastic change in the nitrate level in a
tank. While I'm not entirely certain this would be a nitrate issue, it
is most likely caused by a rapid change in water chemistry, such as
occurs after doing a large water change or possibly making a significant
change in dosing regimen.

Personally, I am suspect of the nitrate theory of Crypt rot as I have
intentionally made changes during water changes of between 0 and 10 ppm
(big, fast swings) to test this and I have been unable to trigger the
problem in my own Crypts. I think the issue may be related to water
hardness as I've never made drastic, sudden changes in the hardness
parameters in my tanks (maybe that will be the subject of a future
expieriment...).
I had a Walstad tank with a nitrate of ~50ppm and due to the bogwood turning the water gradually more brown after many months I decided to do a 50% water change and my Crypts did a partial melt. Amazon sword seemed unaffected. The GH in the tank was quite high at 20d and the new water was virtually zero. So you could be right about GH. 


I've heard several stories.
It is suppose to be that the nitrate they accidentally absorb (they prefer ammonia) is bad for their leaves and when a large water change happens, they then release this thinking it's a stored nutrient and it kills off the leaves.
I've also heard it is due to the leaves having adapted to absorbing nutrients in the current water conditions and can no longer do so with the new conditions and so this triggers a leaf shut-down and new growth. Rather like Autumn. 

Be nice to know one way or another.


--
Stuart Halliday
http://mytriops.com/
200 Million years in the making...
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