[fenster58]

I've had the tonina belem for 3 months now, but the tips of the plant have been browning since the first week. It grows tall and spreads but the older leaves always brown eventually. Any ideas on whats causing this?

I use eco complete, and have read somewhere that this might be the issue...is this true?

 

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Are you dosing with anything? I use Metricide.

 

[fenster58]

I do EI dosing and run co2...I'll also spot dose excel for gsa on my anubias. I've never used metricide before.

 

[2wheelsx2]

I had the same problem with my Tonina Belem a while back and it all melted away. I am having similar trouble with my Tonina Fluv. now, and I was advised to cut back on my phosphates. You might want to try that. I've stopped dosing phosphates totally.

 

[fenster58]

I had the same problem with my Tonina Belem a while back and it all melted away. I am having similar trouble with my Tonina Fluv. now, and I was advised to cut back on my phosphates. You might want to try that. I've stopped dosing phosphates totally.

ok maybe i'll try that...has your tonina fluv. shown any signs of recovery thus far?

 

[2wheelsx2]

It's only been 2 days, so I can't tell anything.

 

[fenster58]

so i put some belem into another tank of mine with florabase substrate, and the new growth there has been great. no brown tips, and a clean bright green. so i'm assuming its growing better because florabase is more acidic than ecocomplete.

i've read people have used peat moss to make their ecocomplete more acidic...so my question is, without disturbing the substrate too much, what's the best way to make my ecocomplete more acidic?

 

[2wheelsx2]

You did better than me then. My Tonina all died. I'm going to get some pointers from Bien this week I hope.

 

[imtrippedup]

u got it right on the dot

its the acidity of the sub

 

[2wheelsx2]

u got it right on the dot

its the acidity of the sub

I don't that's the only factor as I tried in Florabase twice.

 

[aquaflora]

Just a thought, our water out of the tap tends to be deficient in Ca and Mg, do you suppliment with any thing to build GH? Burning of the leaf tips can be anything from lack of CO2, Ca/Mg deficiency, even K deficiency (although you dose EI, so this isn't likely). Is it older leaves or younger leaves that show the problem?

 

[punchbuggy]

i really hate toninas. i've never had success with them.

 

[fenster58]

Just a thought, our water out of the tap tends to be deficient in Ca and Mg, do you suppliment with any thing to build GH? Burning of the leaf tips can be anything from lack of CO2, Ca/Mg deficiency, even K deficiency (although you dose EI, so this isn't likely). Is it older leaves or younger leaves that show the problem?

I've never added anything to any tank to build GH.

The tank with florabase is not getting any co2 supplied...the florabase is relatively new and was told i could hold off on adding co2 initially. In fact, I don't dose this florabase tank with anything yet; yet the belem grows great.

The tank with ecocomplete is getting CO2 at about 30 ppm and the typical EI dose. With this tank, the belem tips brown on the older leaves.

 

[alym]

I can't grow it either - it's been my nemesis for years!

 

[fenster58]

Tonina Belem troubles...(updated - pic added)

update:

not sure why, but things turned around...after a couple trimmings in the tank with the ecocomplete, the belem is growing green without brown tips. (attached pic)

(sorry for the poor quality, grainy iphone picture)

 

[2wheelsx2]

Good work. Looking great.