[FishFarmer]

Hi folks,

I have noticed that my Pygmy Chain Sword (H. tenellum) is slightly chlorotic on the young leaves. I was wondering of this is normal for this plant to exhibit slightly less green leaves when young, or if I have a deficiency.

My hunch is that I have a deficiency. I does Flourish Comprehensive fertilizer twice/week, and all of my other plants are very green and healthy. I have a feeling that I may be lacking some sort of micro nutrient since I do not dose any micros (except for what's in the Flourish Comprehensive). The three deficiencies that come come to my mind are iron, potassium, and magnesium. Another possibility could be calcium, because I have noticed some leaves are deformed a bit. Any ideas/thoughts on what could be making my chain sword chlorotic. They're not strikingly yellow, they just seem to be a very "washed out" shade of green on the new leaves. My nitrates are around 15ppm--so I don't think that's the problem.

Thanks!

 

[Optix]

its such a fast growing plant

wait 2 days and see if its actually a deficiency....my guess is that it is not

 

[HolyAngel]

That plant likes a lot of iron in it's diet that's for sure..

 

[FishFarmer]

its such a fast growing plant

wait 2 days and see if its actually a deficiency....my guess is that it is not

Yes, it is a very fast grower. I though the same thing--to wait a few days, but it has been about the same for a week or more.

 

[FishFarmer]

That plant likes a lot of iron in it's diet that's for sure..

I think I'll pick up some Iron and Trace and see if that helps.

 

[The Dude]

I've got it in my 10g shrimp tank. Started out with just 2 pieces from another tank and I've only got maybe 1 1/2 inches of substrate. I stuck a couple Osmocote + caps in the substrate near it. It's only been 2 weeks and I've got 4 new plants. No C02 on the tank either. It grows like crazy!

 

[FishFarmer]

I've got it in my 10g shrimp tank. Started out with just 2 pieces from another tank and I've only got maybe 1 1/2 inches of substrate. I stuck a couple Osmocote + caps in the substrate near it. It's only been 2 weeks and I've got 4 new plants. No C02 on the tank either. It grows like crazy!

Does your exhibit a deep green color, or are the new leaves a lighter, almost yellow-green shade? I'm trying to figure out if it's just the way this plant normally grows to show lighter colored young leaves, or if I have a deficiency of some kind.

 

[DeChaoOrdo]

Mine used to grow like that, but then I started dosing mg and it greened up. What's your lighting? CO2? Careful chasing deficiencies, rather than dosing a full regiment because as you fix one issue you may expose another.

 

[FishFarmer]

Mine used to grow like that, but then I started dosing mg and it greened up. What's your lighting? CO2? Careful chasing deficiencies, rather than dosing a full regiment because as you fix one issue you may expose another.

The tank is 29 Gallons and I have a T5HO 48 watt light, on for 8hrs/day. For carbon I dose API CO2 Booster, 5mL/day. Up until this point I have not been dosing micros, except for what's in the Flourish Comprehensive fert. I ordered some micros and iron so I'll start to dose those on a regular basis as well and see what happens.

Thanks for the help