[puntific]

I've got holes in my plants and Black Beard algae reducing in size currently. I'd like to do something about the holes.

I'm running a 100 gal tank with 135 wts of T5 lighting above it. I've got nitrates between 10-20 ppm and phospates between .5-1 ppm. I used to run CO2 and had more lights but I always had trouble with cyano bacteria. Things are going much better now. For a source of carbon, I'm currently adding "The Wet Spot"'s Liquid Carbon.

Here are some pics.

puntific

ps. The're right side up when I view them on my computer...

 

[Solcielo lawrencia]

What are you dosing for micronutrients and potassium?

 

[Zapins]

What species of fish are in the tank? The damage looks like bite marks. Do you have loaches?

That said it looks like something else is going on with your plans as well. What are you adding for fertilizers?

 

[drip loop]

Holes usually signify potassium deficiency if I remember correctly. See what others say

 

[bluesand]

potasium deficiency looks like lots of little holes punctured by a needle. Looks more like phosphate deficiency, dead patches between the leaves. have you checked your co2?

 

[Zapins]

The holes are not from a deficiency. You can tell because they are in both new and old leaves. If it were potassium or phosphate deficiency the damage would only be in the older leaves and not in the newer ones. In addition, you'd see a yellow chlorotic margin around the edges, the holes would be smaller and you'd see holes on almost all species of plants in the tank, not just a few plants.

The damage on his plants is too clean cut, large holes, indiscriminately on new and old leaves and is on only a few species. This is the type of damage that a fish would do.

More photos & a list of the tank inhabitants would probably help figure out what the problem is.

There may also be an underlying deficiency which is unrelated to the holes, but from the few photos and angles it is not easy to tell.