Is this iron deficiency?

[Richardblack]

I took pictures to LFS (in the UK) and they said iron deficiency... is this right?

400lt planted
4x T5 55w on 8 hours per day
CO2 on 2 hours before lighting and off 2 hours before lights
GH13
KH7
PH7.3
Temp 29c

Good flow with four powerheads

2 x canister filters (aquamanta EFX 400's)

UV 2 x TMC 400

100 fish (tetras, guppies, Siamese algae eaters, petricola synodontis, plecs, krebs, harlequins, amanos etc

Ferts EI from the Nutrient Company, dose as per intructions

Water change > 50% weekly.

[KrazyFish]

Looks more like a K difficiency to me.

[Richardblack]

Originally Posted by KrazyFish

Looks more like a K difficiency to me.

What is 'K' ?

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

K is potassium.....

[nokturnalkid]

K is potassium.

The third pic with the anubias definately is gsa. The black spots look like dead gsa or maybe even some bba. Gsa grows with a deficiency in phosphates. I could be wrong but the sword looks like a nitrogen deficiency.

Do you know what levels your ferts are when you dose? It doesn't sound like your fert levels are up to ei levels.

[Richardblack]

Originally Posted by nokturnalkid

Do you know what levels your ferts are when you dose? It doesn't sound like your fert levels are up to ei levels.

On day 1,3+5 I dose 9 gram Potassium Nitrate KNO3 + 5 gram Monopotasium Phosphate KH2PO4

On day 2, 4 + 6 I dose TNC trace –My trace includes, Fe, Mn, Zn, B, Cu and Mo

I am in hard water area so do not dose Magnesium Sulphate

I am new to EI and started 4 weeks ago.

I used to use 50 / 50 RO and tap water until i started EI so some of my problems may be from then.

Additionally when i dose trace elements my water turns white cloudy for 24 hours. Someone said this is due to me having hard water and calcium reaction but i don’t know if I should go back to mixing RO again?

[Richardblack]

Have reduced timer for lights to 6 hours and am monitoring co2 (which now is set to be on 2.5 hrs before lights).

Have trimmed back Swords and removed the infected leaves of Anubias also

Have upped CO2 to between 10 bps and 20 bps.. its hard to count them now... DC still green

New growth is showing on the Anubias already.

[m00se]

Those sword leaves look like your plecostamus is eating them at night when your lights are off and you don't see him. That's classic sucker erosion to my eye.

Also, how is your pH so high with CO2 running like that? Are you sure you're dissolving enough of it?

I can't speak to the algae. I have little experience with that particular species you have.

[Richardblack]

Originally Posted by m00se

Also, how is your pH so high with CO2 running like that? Are you sure you're dissolving enough of it?.

PH now at 6.9... (100% Co2 dissolved) KH at 6

[Diana]

I would cut the KH2PO4 in half or less, plants need much less phosphate than they do nitrogen.
If your nitrate is not too high (under 20 ppm) then I would add more KNO3. That will give you more potassium, but still maybe not enough.
If you do not want to add more NO3, then add K2SO4 for more potassium.

I do not really see iron deficiency there.

Leaves that are weakened for example by potassium deficiency are much more easily rasped by snails or Loricariads, so there may be some of each going on.

Agree about the Anubias- 2 kinds of algae on those leaves.

If Excel is available to you you could treat the algae by syringing a little Excel directly onto the worst of the algae. Hydrogen Peroxide works, too. Caution: Most of the recipes you will find for H2O2 are starting with 3%. I understand that 6% is available on your side of the pond. If you are using the 6% I would cut it with water before using it. Might be too strong for the leaves, though it sure would kill the algae!

[Tom Barr]

Co2, all you have to do is check the pH/KH chart for CO2.

You are way way low on CO2 and all the algae species show me that and confirm it also.

Nutrients are not the issue, light(too high for such low CO2) and mostly CO2.
If you fix the CO2 correctly, then the algae will stop any new growth.

Fish should always be observed closely when adjusting the cO2. Do ti s........l.........o............w...........l..... ......y

Do not adjust and then leave for work all day.

pH should be more about 6.7-6.8 range.

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by Tom Barr

Co2, all you have to do is check the pH/KH chart for CO2.

I was a bit confused as to your user name at first, but that's another story.

In any case, you cannot measure pH and kH to get CO2 reliably, as there are other factors in aquarium water that will affect the kH.

The best way to check CO2 levels is to use a drop checker with a 4 dkH reference solution.

[Richardblack]

Originally Posted by Darkblade48

The best way to check CO2 levels is to use a drop checker with a 4 dkH reference solution.

I use JBL DC, it stays the same green regardless of how much co2 I use

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by Richardblack

I use JBL DC, it stays the same green regardless of how much co2 I use

When you first add the solution to the drop checker, it should be blue.

Are you using a 4 dkH reference solution?

[Richardblack]

Originally Posted by Darkblade48

Are you using a 4 dkH reference solution?

yeah it was blue .. and it came in the JBL box...

I am going to use the DC forum to help with this cos i feel something is not right.