Cryptocoryne 'broad Leaves' Plant

[mark4785]

After commencing c02 injection and upping my macro/micro-nutrient dosing my plants have started to thrive and the brown algae diatoms have been replaced with a more appealing green algae.

One plant called Cryptocoryne undulata 'broad leaves' appears to be doing well just like the rest however on one particular day I noticed a really small trail of vertical bubbles travelling from one leaf right up to the surface. Days later, two holes appeared in one of the leaves as can be seen in the picture below.

The leaf has two holes and has turned yellow. Should I remove the stem and leaf altogether or just the leaf? If I do remove the leaf and/or stem will a healthy stem start to grow back? Also, why do holes just randomly occur on some leaves and not others? The fish are not eating the leaves.

Note: the white blobs on the leaves is fish medication so that isn't causing issues with the health of the plants.
Mark.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Yes go ahead and remove the leaf and stem.

 

[mbsqw1d]

The stem or root portion may have become damaged. What substrate do you have? How often are you dosing ferts? What wattage per gallon do you have? Upping co2 and ferts would require an equal 'upping' in light. Keep an eye on this plant it may be the start of it losing a few leaves to cope with the balance you have created. It has something to do with RuBisCO although I haven't fully read up on it myself yet

 

[mark4785]

The stem or root portion may have become damaged. What substrate do you have? How often are you dosing ferts? What wattage per gallon do you have? Upping co2 and ferts would require an equal 'upping' in light. Keep an eye on this plant it may be the start of it losing a few leaves to cope with the balance you have created. It has something to do with RuBisCO although I haven't fully read up on it myself yet

Hey,

I have Caribsea instant aquarium torpedo beach sand.

I dose phosphate every 2-4 days, nitrate every 3-4 days, Iron & potassium every 7 days.

I have 2 X 24w T5 bulbs in a 120 litre aquarium.

I was kinda told I had to up my nutrient dosing because of the very powerful lighting so I'm a bit confused at how I've got the nutrient dosing to kill off a plant rather than save it's life...

 

[mbsqw1d]

cool. sounds good to me, i wouldnt say its powerful lighting though... if you keep everything the same for a few weeks and see how things go. I wouldnt worry about one leaf for now.. there are numerous reasons to why it died off

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Here's a tidbit regarding the balance of light, CO2, etc. from a book I have. Maybe it will help... Obviously, we can throw in there that striking the right balance with nutrients is important. While adding too many nutrients won't hurt the plants, adding insufficient amounts is. This is why most of use dose a little more than what we find is needed so that there is always some safety net of supply to the plants.

 

[mark4785]

Here's a tidbit regarding the balance of light, CO2, etc. from a book I have. Maybe it will help... Obviously, we can throw in there that striking the right balance with nutrients is important. While adding too many nutrients won't hurt the plants, adding insufficient amounts is. This is why most of use dose a little more than what we find is needed so that there is always some safety net of supply to the plants.

I believe i've got to the stage mentioned in the lower picture on the right handside. The aquarium water temperature is 28 degrees C, I have a drop checker indicating there is plenty of dissolved c02 and I believe I'm adding enough nutrients.

Typically I get the following macro-nutrient results:

Nitrate - 5-10 ppm
Phosphate - 10ppm! (not reasonable, but at least there isn't a deficit!)

As for micro-nutrient dosing, I am following the advice given on an Easylife leaflet and bits of information given to me on this forum. I've been told my high water temperature and lighting is increasing my plants' metabollic rates so from this I know I need to be providing lot's of plant nutrients, however, I only have slow-growers and not many of them so I'm not adding a double-dose of micro-nutrients (as adviced by the Easylife leaflet) or upping my macro-nutrient dosing regime until I've installed some naturally fast-growing plants.

 

[myrtle]

It just looks like an older leaf dying which is a natural occurrence in all plants, aquatic or terrestrial and it is nothing to worry about. I would bet my bottom dollar on the fact that it is one of the oldest leaves on the plant and therefore just dying of 'natural causes'. Is the leaf stalk attached to the outermost part of the base of the plant, ie not covered by another leaf stalk? If you folow the stalk down to where it attaches as pull it away from the main plant it will come off easily enough. Always remove any yellowing leaves as when they rot they will begin to cause problems (but only in sufficient numbers).

 

[aaronnorth]

It is either going to be
1) Insufficient nutrients (usually Potassium when yellow burns/ holes appear)
2) Adaptation to the new environment. Cryptocorynes usually suffer from "Crypt melt", just keep trimming the leaves off and eventually they will last longer like they did before.
3) Old age.

It has something to do with RuBisCO although I haven't fully read up on it myself yet

RUBISCO is just an enzyme involved in carbon fixation, it doesnt have anything to do with nutrient uptake, I would read up on the calvin cycle, as reading an article on rubisco itself won't be as informative, you will learn a lot more from the calvin cycle without having to know the details on RUBISCO. It is a lot more interesting IMO.

Thanks, Aaron

 

[mbsqw1d]

Aaron, just had a quick look at your drop checker pinned post. I'm after getting one off ebay (for example).

Now this says it already comes with a solution. Would you recommend I buy the other 2 solutions as well to make my own?

Thanks. Martin.

 

[aaronnorth]

Aaron, just had a quick look at your drop checker pinned post. I'm after getting one off ebay (for example).

Now this says it already comes with a solution. Would you recommend I buy the other 2 solutions as well to make my own?

Thanks. Martin.

Hi,
I'm not sure what you mean by the other two solutions? There is Bromothymol Blue & 4dKH solution.

If you are on about Bromothymol Blue then this is supplied with the DC, and it is fine to use.

If you are on about making some 4dKH with sodium bicarbonate & DI water, then yes you can, or you can purchase it from Aqua Essentials.


Thanks, Aaron