High Amonia Killing plants?

GumboJones · 09-18-2006, 10:56 AM

My Girlfriends tank is having a bit of a strange problem, that I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about. The first sign of problems was when I put one of those prepackaged plants from petsmart (Guaranteed snail free), which happened to be a fern. The next day, it was all but gone. There was one leaf left, and when she touched it, she described it "instantly disolving". So, a little while goes by and then we see her ghost shrimp have died, do I do a water test, and her amonia is off the chart, 8.0+. We've taken action to restart the biological cycle and so far no fish have died, only shrimp.

1) My question to the forum is this, can high concentrations of amonia destroy aquatic plants? It seems that some of her other plants have haven't been doing well either.

2) Has anyone baught an aquatic fern from petsmart in one of those pre-packaged cases? I like the idea of guaranteed no snails, but won't buy them again becuase it was expensive and fell apart so quickly.

3) Does anyone reguarly vacume their planted tanks? Someone suggested this to me to combat the high levels of amonia in the tank, but I have usualy been under the philosophy that the more crap in my substrate means the more food for my plants.

**Damon** · 09-18-2006, 11:03 AM

Yes high ammonia will kill anything (plants included). What type of fern was it? There are many species and not all are aquatic.

Puffer Pita · 09-18-2006, 11:56 AM

Most of the "aquatic" ferns sold at pet stores in those packages are not aquatic at all, will die and rot and foul up the tank. Chances are pretty good that you got a borneo fern.
http://plantgeek.net/plant-281.htm

**Damon** · 09-18-2006, 12:50 PM

Thats what I was thinking to Boxermom.

GumboJones · 09-18-2006, 02:21 PM

I think you might be right about the fern, it looks very similar to the one in the picture. What a terrible scam!

girth vader · 09-18-2006, 10:43 PM

some plants will melt off leaves as well in new water parameters. they will come back if they are aquatic. my lotus melted the first week, but are now growing like weeds. keep using plant tabs and that will speed up recovery as well.

09-18-2006, 10:56 AM	#1
GumboJones Shrimp-O Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Jersey Age: 23 Posts: 118	High Amonia Killing plants? My Girlfriends tank is having a bit of a strange problem, that I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about. The first sign of problems was when I put one of those prepackaged plants from petsmart (Guaranteed snail free), which happened to be a fern. The next day, it was all but gone. There was one leaf left, and when she touched it, she described it "instantly disolving". So, a little while goes by and then we see her ghost shrimp have died, do I do a water test, and her amonia is off the chart, 8.0+. We've taken action to restart the biological cycle and so far no fish have died, only shrimp. 1) My question to the forum is this, can high concentrations of amonia destroy aquatic plants? It seems that some of her other plants have haven't been doing well either. 2) Has anyone baught an aquatic fern from petsmart in one of those pre-packaged cases? I like the idea of guaranteed no snails, but won't buy them again becuase it was expensive and fell apart so quickly. 3) Does anyone reguarly vacume their planted tanks? Someone suggested this to me to combat the high levels of amonia in the tank, but I have usualy been under the philosophy that the more crap in my substrate means the more food for my plants. __________________ ________________________ 30 Gallon Tall heavily planted tank w/ Driftwood -1 Micky Mouse Sword Tail -2 Female platy -3 Guppies -6 Serpae Tetras -3 Ghost shrimp -1 Macrobrachium Shrimp -1 Common pleco -1 Transparent knife fish -2 Bolivian Rams -3 Otto cats -3 Apple snails

09-18-2006, 11:03 AM	#2
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Yes high ammonia will kill anything (plants included). What type of fern was it? There are many species and not all are aquatic. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

09-18-2006, 11:56 AM	#3
Puffer Pita Puffer Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,677	Most of the "aquatic" ferns sold at pet stores in those packages are not aquatic at all, will die and rot and foul up the tank. Chances are pretty good that you got a borneo fern. http://plantgeek.net/plant-281.htm __________________ Tina Puffers: Auriglobus silus x2 Colomesus asellus x1 Tetraodon travancoricus x1 Tetraodon biocellatus x2 Tetraodon nigroviridis x1 Tetraodon baileyi x2 Tetraodon lineatus x1 Tetraodon palembangensis x1 The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated. - Mohandas Gandhi

09-18-2006, 12:50 PM	#4
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Thats what I was thinking to Boxermom. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

09-18-2006, 02:21 PM	#5
GumboJones Shrimp-O Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Jersey Age: 23 Posts: 118	I think you might be right about the fern, it looks very similar to the one in the picture. What a terrible scam! __________________ ________________________ 30 Gallon Tall heavily planted tank w/ Driftwood -1 Micky Mouse Sword Tail -2 Female platy -3 Guppies -6 Serpae Tetras -3 Ghost shrimp -1 Macrobrachium Shrimp -1 Common pleco -1 Transparent knife fish -2 Bolivian Rams -3 Otto cats -3 Apple snails

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09-18-2006, 10:43 PM	#6
girth vader Hey Now! Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 33 Posts: 616	some plants will melt off leaves as well in new water parameters. they will come back if they are aquatic. my lotus melted the first week, but are now growing like weeds. keep using plant tabs and that will speed up recovery as well. __________________ I have a tank!!! A nice one too!

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