Nutrient Deficiency or algae?

oheresy · 12-09-2009, 05:16 AM

I have a strange deficiency (or something) going on with one of my plants. the leaves are curling and turning black. The black parts are fairly rough. See image below.

I'm also still having trouble with stringy hair algae. I change 50% water weekly, and dose 1/16 tsp Trace & Fe 3x week and 1/16 tsp KH2PO4, K2SO4, 1/2 tsp KNO3 3x week.

Any ideas/suggestions?

Wasserpest · 12-09-2009, 10:53 PM

This is fairly common with Anubias. They are slow growers and as such tend to collect algae. Mostly green spot, which can turn black over time as they collect diatoms and crud and stuff.

The curling is normal too.

There isn't very much you can do about that. If nutrients are good, they grow out of it, and the older affected leaves can be removed.

Actually Anubias can do with relatively low light levels, and tends to look good, if not better than when blasted by direct light.

One thing to check is your phosphate level, it should be somewhere around 0.5 ppm or higher. Too low and green spot alga gets the better of Anubias.

oheresy · 12-10-2009, 12:52 AM

Thanks for the reply. This is the first time I've had Anubias. I don't have a phosphate test kit, so I'll have to pick one up.

oheresy · 12-10-2009, 01:06 AM

Maybe I should up my KH2PO4 to 1/8 tsp to add a little more phosphate.

Wasserpest · 12-11-2009, 05:51 AM

I would not. If you are already adding PO4 most likely it's not an issue, and if you struggle with hair alga more phosphate will make them grow better.

Are you injecting CO2? Looks like you are dosing ferts according to EI, so you probably should check and make sure CO2 levels are somewhere up there.

oheresy · 12-11-2009, 02:08 PM

Yes, I'm injecting co2 at about 2.5 bps. I think I need to increase it a little more. I need to find my drop checker or order a new one. I lost it when I moved last time.

12-09-2009, 05:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
oheresy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairfield, CA Posts: 72	Nutrient Deficiency or algae? I have a strange deficiency (or something) going on with one of my plants. the leaves are curling and turning black. The black parts are fairly rough. See image below. I'm also still having trouble with stringy hair algae. I change 50% water weekly, and dose 1/16 tsp Trace & Fe 3x week and 1/16 tsp KH2PO4, K2SO4, 1/2 tsp KNO3 3x week. Any ideas/suggestions? __________________ My planted aquariums 26 gal bow front Seachem Flourite Red Fluval 205 Pressurized CO2 with glass diffuser Dual Satellite 24" 64w Dual Daylight 6700K/10000K and Dual Actinic 420NM/460NM Single GLO Life-Glo T5 HO 24W 6700K Last edited by oheresy; 12-09-2009 at 10:53 AM..

12-09-2009, 10:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (87/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 11,459	This is fairly common with Anubias. They are slow growers and as such tend to collect algae. Mostly green spot, which can turn black over time as they collect diatoms and crud and stuff. The curling is normal too. There isn't very much you can do about that. If nutrients are good, they grow out of it, and the older affected leaves can be removed. Actually Anubias can do with relatively low light levels, and tends to look good, if not better than when blasted by direct light. One thing to check is your phosphate level, it should be somewhere around 0.5 ppm or higher. Too low and green spot alga gets the better of Anubias. __________________ Planted Tank Guide All my tanks Autodosing Water Change Temperature Monitoring Cheap Filter The Wasser-Controller

12-10-2009, 12:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
oheresy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairfield, CA Posts: 72	Thanks for the reply. This is the first time I've had Anubias. I don't have a phosphate test kit, so I'll have to pick one up. __________________ My planted aquariums 26 gal bow front Seachem Flourite Red Fluval 205 Pressurized CO2 with glass diffuser Dual Satellite 24" 64w Dual Daylight 6700K/10000K and Dual Actinic 420NM/460NM Single GLO Life-Glo T5 HO 24W 6700K

12-10-2009, 01:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
oheresy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairfield, CA Posts: 72	Maybe I should up my KH2PO4 to 1/8 tsp to add a little more phosphate. __________________ My planted aquariums 26 gal bow front Seachem Flourite Red Fluval 205 Pressurized CO2 with glass diffuser Dual Satellite 24" 64w Dual Daylight 6700K/10000K and Dual Actinic 420NM/460NM Single GLO Life-Glo T5 HO 24W 6700K

12-11-2009, 05:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (87/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 11,459	I would not. If you are already adding PO4 most likely it's not an issue, and if you struggle with hair alga more phosphate will make them grow better. Are you injecting CO2? Looks like you are dosing ferts according to EI, so you probably should check and make sure CO2 levels are somewhere up there. __________________ Planted Tank Guide All my tanks Autodosing Water Change Temperature Monitoring Cheap Filter The Wasser-Controller

12-11-2009, 02:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
oheresy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairfield, CA Posts: 72	Yes, I'm injecting co2 at about 2.5 bps. I think I need to increase it a little more. I need to find my drop checker or order a new one. I lost it when I moved last time. __________________ My planted aquariums 26 gal bow front Seachem Flourite Red Fluval 205 Pressurized CO2 with glass diffuser Dual Satellite 24" 64w Dual Daylight 6700K/10000K and Dual Actinic 420NM/460NM Single GLO Life-Glo T5 HO 24W 6700K

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