[Nbot]

This is a LOW TECH tank, so any answers involving "add CO2" aren't right. Doing the EI isn't right either. This tank is following this low tech method :

4 months ago, I originally started this tank using tap water. In WI, that's limestone aquifers, high ph. I've switched in the last 2months to RO water, I'm not sure if that is the issue, or if the lilly's (melting), dwarf clovers (browning), and anubias lanceolata (holes & yellowing) have used up the nutrients in the ecocomplete? The other variable I have, is my KH2PO4 has formed a "clump" from the humid air, same as my Seachem Equilibrium, so I have to break it up before measuring dry to mix into the tank (would this change the ferts somehow)?

 

[Sharkfood]

This is a LOW TECH tank, so any answers involving "add CO2" aren't right. Doing the EI isn't right either.

How can you be sure? The pictures look bright. It may be too much light to go without CO2 or heavier dosing.

Pictures can sometimes lie to the eye, so maybe the light isn't as high as it looks. For all I know the light is too low.

Ecocomplete doesn't really have any useable nutrients BTW.

Honestly, it looks like deficiencies across the board to me (Macro, micro, CO2.). I see washed out colors, yellowing, pinholes, browning leaf edges, and stunted new growth.

When there's more than one variable, it can be difficult to pinpoint a specific problem, so why not tell us what size tank you have, and how it's lit. That's a good place to start, and can help us start to narrow down the answer to the problem.

 

[150EH]

How can you be sure? The pictures look bright. It may be too much light to go without CO2 or heavier dosing.

Pictures can sometimes lie to the eye, so maybe the light isn't as high as it looks. For all I know the light is too low.

Ecocomplete doesn't really have any useable nutrients BTW.

Honestly, it looks like deficiencies across the board to me (Macro, micro, CO2.). I see washed out colors, yellowing, pinholes, browning leaf edges, and stunted new growth.

When there's more than one variable, it can be difficult to pinpoint a specific problem, so why not tell us what size tank you have, and how it's lit. That's a good place to start, and can help us start to narrow down the answer to the problem.

Agreed, just start making small adjustments in that direction, less light/photo period equalls less growth, equals less nutrients needed or go the other direction start adding nutrients but you need to make the little adjustments to find the balance, and make sure you wait a little while to see the changes before adjusting more. No CO2 also should mean water changes every other month to let nutients build and keep the plants out of the on/off cycle of the added amounts of CO2 from fresh water.

A nutrient rich substrate is the key to low tech, so root tabs may be a help if you don't want to go with a better substrate. But it sounds like with all the worries about the water you very well may be over doing it with water changes.