need help New Tank unhappy plants

[abkane]

Started a dirt tank about 6 days ago, plants were good for about 4 days, then yesterday started to wilt. I've got jungle vals(currently transparent and drooped), amazon swords(several leaves have brown spots), and micro swords(doing the best but looks like the vals in some spots).
take any advice or suggestions specs are:

fluval osaka 155(40 gal)
hagen glo t5 HO
eheim 2211
potting soil subtrate(miracle grow organic choice)
capped with onyx and flourite mix(i think)
ph: 6.5
gh/kh: 8
not nitrates, nitrites, or amonia present yet as the tank is still new

[mcrocker]

I'm no planted tank expert, but perhaps you need some fertilization? If you have no nitrates, maybe the plants are not being adequately fertilized by the soil?

Not to threadjack here, but maybe some planted tank experts can chime in on that. Does a complete fertilizer dosing regimen increase your nitrate levels measurably? If so, how much?

[tang daddy]

You can try to get some filter squeezings from members on here to start a bacteria colony, just post it and someone will have some for you. That will kick start your tank with a bunch of waste and nitrates.

[CGY_Betta_Guy]

By no means am I a plant expert but IF you are doing a fishless cycle, you could just put in some ammonia. I believe I read that plants do not discriminate which source of nitrogen it takes it from so it should be able to use it from the ammonia. Ferts in the water column will probably also help. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[Captured Moments]

That's quite a drastic change in just a few days. Did you start with healthy plants to begin with? Plants need basically 3 things to grow well: Light, Carbon in the form of Co2 injection or Flourish Excel or Metricide 14 and nutrients last. I never tried the type of soil you are using but it shouldn't be a nutrient issue since it is new and the plants you have are good root feeders types. These plants are not hard to grow but it seems they are melting from lack of carbon. Not likely the light is the culprit since it has only been a few days but it is good to know how many bulbs and the wattage of T5HO you are using. If you don't have a Co2 setup, I suggest you dose Flourish Excel.
Also, these plants don't need high lights to grow well so it works to your advantage in the beginning to start with medium to low light so that you reduce the risk of algae breakout which is kind of easy to do with soil substrate.

[discuspaul]

The 2- T5 HO bulbs that come with the Osaka 155 (If those are the lights that came with the kit) combined, are approx 1 wpg, (19w each ?) and that should be fine to grow those relatively hardy plants. The plants do need some time to adjust to your tank conditions and settle in before beginning some growth, so don't expect any overnite improvements. Begin dosing Excel at the bottle recommended dosage twice weekly, and dose some Flourish Comp. Supp. & perhaps some Plant Gro NPK, both of the latter on a weekly basis to start with. Also, to start with , modest weekly water changes wouldn't hurt to replenish trace elements from the tap water. For the soft local water, Seachem Equilibrium would help as well, for buffering purposes.
Hope this helps.

[abkane]

thank you for all your suggestions. The GH/KH reading i received was false, the water in my tank is actually extremely soft. I dosed with equilibrium and alkaline buffer daily over the weekend and things already look like they are starting to turn around. my vals are beginning to look a healthier colour and i think i see some new growth. I may try to devise a DIY CO2 system today, but not sure it's necessary with the amount of light i have. Ill keep you posted with the progress, and do a full post of my amazon biotope once the plants perk up a bit.