Plants Going Brown?

[xweeqtx]

I've noticed my plants are starting to get little holes, and leaves going brown. Not all of them are doing it, some of them are growing like mad. Any reasons? Read on the internet a potassium deficiency maybe..

I bought a Sera CO2 kit, and have been doing that every 2 days as per instructions along with Flourish Excel fertiliser. Tank is quite heavily planted and plants in question are Blyxa, Vallis and some I have no idea what they are(redish leaves, quite flowery looking). Anubias, HC, Flame Moss, Rotala Rundifolia(sorry, spelling!) and Crypts are all doing fine. Everytime I add Java moss it dies off as well

Tank is a Juwel Rio 180 with 2 x 45w T5 bulbs.

 

[three-fingers]

Are you adding any other fertilisers?

With that amount of lighting and carbon...it's almost certainly deficiencies, potassium being one of them.

I would recommend using Tropica Plant Nutrition + for an easy all-in-one fertiliser that provides all the nutrients.

Or make your own much cheaper with something like this: http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm

If your interested enough, read up on the EI (estimative index) approach, here's a good article: http/www.ukaps.org/EI.htm

Those three options will give you faster growth and the best results.

Otherwise, you could try randomly using other incomplete cheaper brands of fertilisers, or you may have some luck adding just something like Seachem Potassium - but unless you provide more of all the nutrients that plants need, with lighting and carbon not limited, a few other things will almost certainly always be holding you back.

 

[xweeqtx]

Are you adding any other fertilisers?

With that amount of lighting and carbon...it's almost certainly deficiencies, potassium being one of them.

I would recommend using Tropica Plant Nutrition + for an easy all-in-one fertiliser that provides all the nutrients.

Or make your own much cheaper with something like this: [URL="http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm"]http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm[/URL]

If your interested enough, read up on the EI (estimative index) approach, here's a good article: [URL="http/www.ukaps.org/EI.htm"]http/www.ukaps.org/EI.htm[/URL]

Those three options will give you faster growth and the best results.

Otherwise, you could try randomly using other incomplete cheaper brands of fertilisers, or you may have some luck adding just something like Seachem Potassium - but unless you provide more of all the nutrients that plants need, with lighting and carbon not limited, a few other things will almost certainly always be holding you back.

Ok so I attempted to read that EI article. And was confused within the first few minutes. I have to admit, my bank account has been dwindling with the amount its costing me to keep this tank going so I wouldn't mind saving a bit of cash - if it wasn't confusing to understand Are you saying the lighting is too much for the tank? Or just that I need to counter it with enough nutrition?

 

[xweeqtx]

On this article, I think I've figured right... I would need to purchase:

Nitrate (NO3)
Potassium (K)
Phosphate (PO4)
Magnesium (Mg)
Iron (Fe)

Is that right? All in powder form? But how do I figure out how much I should be adding? And would this stop the need for "shelf bought" plant food/fertilisers?

Sorry for all the questions, just needing to make sure I got it right. Oh! And where would one find these powders?

 

[aaronnorth]

for EI:

potassium nitrate (KNO3)
potassium phosphate (KH2PO4)
trace elements (CSM+B)

Potassium Nitrate - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.
Potassium Phosphate - 15g to 500ml of water and adding 5ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 1ppm.
trace - 25g to 500ml and add 15ml per 100l

Thats all the info you need

 

[xweeqtx]

for EI:

potassium nitrate (KNO3)
potassium phosphate (KH2PO4)
trace elements (CSM+B)

Potassium Nitrate - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.
Potassium Phosphate - 15g to 500ml of water and adding 5ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 1ppm.
trace - 25g to 500ml and add 15ml per 100l

Thats all the info you need

Ok.. so I mix 40g of KNO3 with 500ml of water and for my tank I would add 20ml to my tank? It works out at 207 litres.

And where can I purchase these things?

 

[aaronnorth]

for EI:

potassium nitrate (KNO3)
potassium phosphate (KH2PO4)
trace elements (CSM+B)

Potassium Nitrate - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.
Potassium Phosphate - 15g to 500ml of water and adding 5ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 1ppm.
trace - 25g to 500ml and add 15ml per 100l

Thats all the info you need

Ok.. so I mix 40g of KNO3 with 500ml of water and for my tank I would add 20ml to my tank? It works out at 207 litres.

And where can I purchase these things?

40ml KNO3 - you should aim for 20ppm NO3, so you will be adding 30ppm every week. plants will use this & the 50% water change will bring the 30ppm back down for you to start next weeks dosing
10ml KH2PO4 - you should aim for 2ppm PO4, so 1ppm x 3 per week will give you 3ppm by the end of the week, but same as above it will decrease with plant growth & water change
30ml trace x3 per week

thanks,

http/www.fluidsensoronline.com/
http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/

potassium nitrate & potassium phosphate are cheapest here, however they dont sell trace so it depends on what it works out with postage costs
http/www.gardendirect.co.uk/fertilisers-...=1&sort=20a

you can also try ebay

 

[xweeqtx]

Thanks Aaron! Probably be easier ordering them all from Fluidsensoronline methinks

 

[aaronnorth]

i ordered form them, they are good. I got a free extra long pipette (good for spot dosing) ans some free tweesers

i do reccomend you buy the syringe from them unless you have on..

 

[xweeqtx]

Have a supply of syringes at hand, kids that won't take medicine..
I really don't understand the plants, one of the ones that has brownish leaves and some holes is now out of the water.. so it is growing, but going funny at the same time??

 

[xweeqtx]

Just bought

potassium nitrate (KNO3)
potassium phosphate (KH2PO4)
trace elements (CSM+B)

and also Easycarbo.. is it any good? Did this after hearing horrendous reviews on the sera carbon system.

 

[xweeqtx]

40ml KNO3 - you should aim for 20ppm NO3, so you will be adding 30ppm every week. plants will use this & the 50% water change will bring the 30ppm back down for you to start next weeks dosing
10ml KH2PO4 - you should aim for 2ppm PO4, so 1ppm x 3 per week will give you 3ppm by the end of the week, but same as above it will decrease with plant growth & water change
30ml trace x3 per week

One thing, you said I should be adding 30ppm every week to aim for 20ppm by the time a water change is done etc. But wouldn't that be 60ml I would need to add?
And is that all at the one time? for example, should I dose 60ml on the Monday, do a waterchange Sunday then dose 60ml again on Monday and so on?

 

[aaronnorth]

40ml KNO3 - you should aim for 20ppm NO3, so you will be adding 30ppm every week. plants will use this & the 50% water change will bring the 30ppm back down for you to start next weeks dosing
10ml KH2PO4 - you should aim for 2ppm PO4, so 1ppm x 3 per week will give you 3ppm by the end of the week, but same as above it will decrease with plant growth & water change
30ml trace x3 per week

One thing, you said I should be adding 30ppm every week to aim for 20ppm by the time a water change is done etc. But wouldn't that be 60ml I would need to add?
And is that all at the one time? for example, should I dose 60ml on the Monday, do a waterchange Sunday then dose 60ml again on Monday and so on?

yes 60ml is correct, but you are dosing 3x per week, so that is 20ml each dose.

Sunday - WC & macros
Monday - micros
Tuesday - macros
Wednesday - micros
Thursday - macros
Friday - micros
Saturday - rest day

Personally i add my macro & micro's on the same day (Sunday, Tuesday & thursday).

It doesnt make too much difference.

 

[xweeqtx]

Er... Macros and micros?? LOL

KNO3 - Micro?
KH2PO4 - Micro?
Trace - Macro?

Hopefully I've got that right..

So my schedule should be..

Sunday - WC & 30ml Trace
Monday - 10 ml KH2P04 and 20ml KNO3
Tuesday - 30ml Trace
Wednesday - 10 ml KH2P04 and 20ml KNO3
Thursday - 30ml Trace
Friday - 10 ml KH2P04 and 20ml KNO3
Saturday - Rest day

And 3 or 4ml of Easycarbo per day? Says 1ml per 50litres.. tank works out at 207litres but I think after water level etc takes down to 180litres?

 

[aaronnorth]

other way 'round lol

NPK = macro
trace = Micro

you have everything else correct, including Easycarbo dosage