Let's play "Guess the missing nutrient"!

[JeffHerr]

I've got a 55gal Carbon-supplemented tank, fully cycled. New to EI, about 3 weeks. Many new plants added at that time.
Dosing:
1/4 tsp KNO3 x 3
1/8 tsp MKP x 3
1/8 tsp K2SO4 x 3
1/4 CSM+B x 3 (alternate with macros)
10mL Excel daily
1/8 iron (DPTA) on non-CSM days

My hygro old leaves are falling away due to the new tank transfer, which I expected, but they're curling. Potassium?


My (sword?) has dark veins and a dark almost-texture to them.


My stem plant (what is it?) keeps losing tips, mostly on old leaves but still strong presence on new.


Okay, what're your guesses?

Thanks! Jeff

[n00dl3]

Co2

[scags]

I am not an expert on using ferts, I generally dose less than what you're doing.

What is your lighting?

Why the excel if you're using co2? Algae control? Some plants don't do well with excel- you will see burning leaf tips, dropping leaves, etc.

In my non-professional opinion it looks like maybe too little light- too much fert dosing. Just a random guess though. Maybe one of the experts on here will chime in.

Good luck!

***edit*** maybe I misunderstood your post. It looks like your aren't injecting co2, that would cause all those symptoms. You could also help your plants alot with proper substrate. Large gravel usually doesnt work well.

[bikinibottom]

What kind of light do you have on the tank? If you're dosing EI you should have more than enough nutrients. Wondering if what you need is less light.

[Kathyy]

Don't know about the wisteria but the other plants are growing healthy new leaves and stems that are doing just fine. Most of the time new plants come into my tank the old growth declines in health but new shoots and leaves are healthy. The last photo is Rotala rotundifolia and looks like mine. I run too much light which means there probably isn't enough CO2, possibly the case here as well. Might raise the lights or put something to shade the tank a bit and only run the lights for 7-8 hours. Lower light might be fine but my plants sure let me know that a shorter day is not acceptable.

[funkman262]

Originally Posted by JeffHerr

My stem plant (what is it?) keeps losing tips, mostly on old leaves but still strong presence on new.

Rotala Indica

[happi]

1/4 tsp KNO3 x 3 ???? this should be 1/2 tsp

leaves curling upward mean excess Mg or low co2

plant loosing lower leaves mean, not enough nitrogen and water flow, also not good co2.

[happi]

what are the water parameters? flow? filtration? co2? lights??

[JeffHerr]

Thanks to all for the notes. Here are more details:
No CO2, only 7-9mL Excel daily
I have 2x65w T5 (correction, I have compact fluor) for 10hrs/day

I used a Magnum 250 and a supplemental koralia nano for increased circulation.

NO3 usually runs between 10 and 20.
Iron about .25
Phos is unknown
Ph is roughly 7+
GH and KH both 6, IIRC
Temp is 76

I will say that because I'm not dosing CO2, but am supplementing Excel, I'm not sure what exactly my EI amounts should be.

Someone suggested I should be dosing twice as much KNO3 as I am. Yes? No?

CORRECTION: I listed my lighting as T5, but it's standard compact fluorescent. Is 130w of CF for 55gal still too much?

[JeffHerr]

Oh, and my substrate is actually Eco-complete with a sprinkling of gravel for the looks.

[UDGags]

Yeah, should be 1/2 tsp....My guess is CO2 is the issue.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by JeffHerr

Thanks to all for the notes. Here are more details:
No CO2, only 7-9mL Excel daily
I have 2x65w T5 for 10hrs/day

I will say that because I'm not dosing CO2, but am supplementing Excel, I'm not sure what exactly my EI amounts should be.

Someone suggested I should be dosing twice as much KNO3 as I am. Yes? No?

I would dose abut 1/4 EI if you use non CO2 Excel dosing.
IME/IMO, add a lot more plants.

You likely only need 1 of those bulbs, not both, so if you can turn one on for say 5 hours then off, then the other on for the last 5 hours, that would be best.

This is 100% CO2 related.
Excel will take a little time for the plants to bounce back, and that is reflected in your growth.

Since you are only doing 1/4 EI, you likely can reduce the water changes once things settle down to monthly.

Excel: dose this amount DAILY: 25 mls.

[Dx3Bash]

2 T5HO is High light on a 55 Gallon and needs pressurized Co2. Either cut back on lights and only run one bulb, add some window screen or raise your lights about 10-12" above your tank. You could also choose to keep the lights as they are and get pressurized CO2. Lots of options, but your current set up needs modified. Also check your dosing as others previously mentioned and do your weekly water changes 40-50%.

[JeffHerr]

@plantbrain: just checking, but 5 times the recommended excel dosage for a 55 gal?

Thanks all! I'll increase Excel and reduce photoperiod to 8 hours.
I cannot control single tubes, so I may look at the screen approach.

[bikinibottom]

Originally Posted by JeffHerr

@plantbrain: just checking, but 5 times the recommended excel dosage for a 55 gal?

Thanks all! I'll increase Excel and reduce photoperiod to 8 hours.
I cannot control single tubes, so I may look at the screen approach.

FWIW, I have (2) 54w T5s on a non-CO2 40-gal-long, and I don't have the option to use only one bulb either, so I use the screen approach and run them 10 hours a day on a split photo period (5 hours on, 5 hours off, 5 hours on). Seems to work -- everything is growing well, some things better than others. Water sprite and brazilian pennywort growing like weeds. Red myrio has been trimmed trimmed/thinned several times in 2 months. Swords are all growing new leaves. Banana plant went from 2-3 leaves to 7-8 huge leaves in a month. Bacopa carolinia is sprouting new plants at the base. Vals are growing slowly. Microswords are the only thing that are struggling.