I’m pretty sure I overdosed recently on CSM+B, so I am a believer in this thread, http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=503585 despite the ability of many to “lard on” the traces with no ill effects. Over the past few months I increased CSM+B dosing to EI levels in order to revive some A. Reineckii at the suggestion of another member. It appeared to work. A couple weeks ago I was seeing stalled growth of many plants, with curling leaves on AR and ludwigia glandulosa, ludwigia ovalis, and even warped new leaves on swordplants which I had never seen before, even with medium light and DIY CO2 on a 155 gallon tank. (I now have pressurized CO2.) A couple weeks ago I also increased CSM+B to 1 tsp three times a week on the 155, and noticed new glandulosa leaves being very skinny and warped with little color. Changes were apparent as soon as several hours after dosing. Also noticed that new swordplant leaf tips turned brown and stopped growing, like I had singed them with a blowtorch. Last week I held off CSM+B for a few days, did a 50% w/c, and dosed again accordingly. I saw immediate results the next day – new AR leaves were brittle and shriveled, glandulosa leaves looked worse, and swordplant leaves were also crinkled up to match pictures of boron deficiency. I wish I had the before and after pictures! So, last night I changed 40% of the water and will hold off on CSM+B to see what happens here. Lately I’ve also noticed more lower leaves of plants looking bad, yellowing and falling apart to suggest nitrate or potassium deficiency even though nitrates measure 20-40 ppm with calibrated kit and I dose 20ppm of K2SO4 a week. Wonder if the excess iron and traces are prohibiting some plants from using macros the way they normally would? I don’t believe I have a CO2 deficiency since pH is 6.3 and de-gas test reads 7.5, and I thankfully have no BBA, hair algae or GSA to speak of. Only a little GDA on some lower leaves, which if they are stressed, could make perfect sense. GH is 7, kH is 4 and lighting is BML Dutch XB dimmed to 75% and dual T5 HO (over glass cover) run for 7-hour period, 24” over substrate. Substrate is old fluorite with Osmocote+ tabs, and its possible I could have a large iron/trace buildup over the last few months.
At this point I will risk running a deficiency since dumping in CSM+B by the tsp appears to give immediate problems with brittle and curling and deformed growth tips on some plants.
Question - As I hold off on trace dosing to see if things improve (glandulosa looked better last summer when I dosed CSM+B at ½ EI levels), what plants would show an iron or trace deficiency first?
Swordplants
Ludwigia Glandulosa
Ludwigia Ovalis
Ludwigia Arcuata
Vallisneria Spiralis
Crypt Wendtii
Bacopa Caroliniana
Java Fern
Anubias Nana
At this point I will risk running a deficiency since dumping in CSM+B by the tsp appears to give immediate problems with brittle and curling and deformed growth tips on some plants.
Question - As I hold off on trace dosing to see if things improve (glandulosa looked better last summer when I dosed CSM+B at ½ EI levels), what plants would show an iron or trace deficiency first?
Swordplants
Ludwigia Glandulosa
Ludwigia Ovalis
Ludwigia Arcuata
Vallisneria Spiralis
Crypt Wendtii
Bacopa Caroliniana
Java Fern
Anubias Nana