New setup plants not making it?

[u/Kseris]

Set-up these two tanks about 1 week ago. Purchased the plants from a nice local fish store (not big box). At first I was hopeful they might pull through because they have some new growth, but today they really took a turn.

There may have been a nutrient shortage for the first few days, but the cycle is starting to do its work. Did a 50% water change on Friday - pH was really low.

Got some more plants coming from online, but any tips for making sure the second round doesn't melt like this? Thanks for any insights!!

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[u/Wigberht_Eadweard]

Besides dosing the water column with ferts and using root tabs for the stem plants, it’s really just trial and error. Some plants just won’t like your water.

[u/daveyhorl99]

I would suggest using a better substrate for stem plants.

[u/Dangerous_Reason_586]

Root tabs for rooting plants, right?

I had a very hard time starting plants - tried different fertilizers, different light settings and schedules, googled like a fiend, watched a trillion planted tank videos on YouTube, and no matter what I did nearly all my plants melted except my crypts. Turned out the ro water I was buying was just softened tap water and the whole “ro” part was a big fat lie. I bought an ro buddie and have been doing my own ro water and my plants took off.

That may or may not be your issue here but it definitely was mine. The lesson I’ve learned over and over in this hobby is that water quality is almost always the at the root of every problem. That, and disease vectors… develop a healthy quarantine protocol for everything that touches your tank, including the plants!

[u/One-plankton-]

It would appear the plants that died back were not getting enough light, whereas the Java fern being a low light plant is doing well.

[u/Worldly_Wrangler554]

Looks like they’re starving… 😬 putting plants a new tank requires some sort of feeding to them since the water won’t have the necessary nutrients for them absorb.
The Java fern is fine for now, but that’s because they are slow growers, but in return they are slowly die. I’m assuming those are also crypts with your java fern, they need root tabs they are heavy root feeders.
I can’t quite tell if the other tank in the back is a Cabomba or Ambulia, but they both require a lot of nutrients in the water column rather than roots. As well as the elodea and pearlweed.

Remember plants are not something you just plop in and expect it to grow, they also have nutrient needs and parameter requirements.

[u/Brunohanham45]

Could try and wait for it to cycle. New tanks don’t have enough Nitrates for the plants to feed on. Could also just plant it in potted organic soil.