Question:
It's been just over two weeks since I planted my 20-gal and a couple of
my plants are looking a little funky. I'm not sure if it's stress due
to being freshly planted or a nutrient deficiency (or other?). I've
studied the chart at Chuck Gadd's site as well as the info at The Krib,
but I'm still scratching my head. Here are the symptoms:
* My hygrophila 'rosanervis' seems to be growing quickly but the new
leaves are crinkled along their margins (though they do tend to
_mostly_ straighten out after a few days) and the leaf tips eventually
curl down (this appears to be more permanent). Ultimately, smallish
holes develop in the somewhat older leaves. The plant has great color
and is otherwise looking healthy -- roots are developing from the
internodes as well as new shoots. It's really just the leaves that
seem to be suffering.
* Bacopa monnieri -- similar symptoms. No leaf curling/crinkling, but
pinpoint brown dots (not algae) appear in the leaves (like the
hygrophila) and small holes develop. However, it too seems to be
growing fine otherwise.
Answer:
Other plants in the tank that don't show these symptoms and appear to
be healthy:
hygrophila difformis, micranthemum micranthemoides, rotala indica,
limnophila aquatica, ludwigia repens, sagittaria subulata, eleocharis
acicularis.
Here is some of my setup info:
20 gal. 'tall'
2x40 AH Supply lights
100% Flourite substrate ~ 3-4 inches deep
Temp ~ 78 F
pH ~ 6.8
dKH ~ 3.5-4.0
CO2 injection from pressurized 5# tank
Livestock: 2 1" SAEs as of last night and 8 Yamato shrimp
No detectable ammonium/nitrites/nitrates...but this will, of course,
change with the addition of the SAEs.
Sidenote: I was WAY over-injecting CO2 into my tank up until a few days
ago. My CO2 ppm was something like 80! Ouch. Things are much better
now, though would too much CO2 affect the plants?
Ok, blah blah blah blah blah. That's a lot out of me...any
suggestions, aquatic plant gurus? Are these signs of a deficiency or
expected from (some) newly planted plants?
The potassium definitely isn't enough to be useful.
In both cases, if you were to add enough Flourish to add much calcium,
you will have over-dosed iron (and several other nutrients)
Same with potassium. Even more so, since potassium is a Macro
nutrient, needed in larger amounts.
To add calcium, I use Calcium Carbonate. (CaCO3) which raises both
the GH and KH. If you want to add Calcium without raising the KH,
you could add some Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), which will add calcium,
and chloride. The chloride itself isn't a problem, but I don't know
what large amounts of it will do.
To add potassium, there are several commonly used forms:
- Potassium Nitrate : Only use this if your tank is nitrate limited
(zero nitrates measured using an accurate test kit). And even then,
dose it based on Nitrate level, shooting for 5-10ppm Nitrate.
- Potassium Chloride : I've used this, no problems. This is what is
used in many different potassium suppliments.
- Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) : This is available in garden-centers,
sold as a fertilizer for plants, often under the name "all-green".
Note that a low GH also indicates that you are low on magnesium. A
magnesium deficiency will often look similar to an iron deficiency,
except that magnesium will effect the old leaves first, where iron
will effect new leaves first. This is because magnesium is mobile,
and will be "stolen" from old leaves and transfered to new leaves by
the plant. Lack of magnesium will hinder the plants ability to use
iron.
To suppliment magnesium, you can add Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4). This
is available everywhere as Epsom salts.
