[Zapins]

How long did you have it growing for before the HC started to show issues?

How long since the issues started?

Can you do an ammonia reading?

Do you have any broad leaf type plants in your tank that you can take a photo of?

Can you take a very close up photo of the HC?

 

[chocological]

It was DSM for awhile.. and it was lush and green for two weeks or so. Here's the best I can do with a strand of HC.

It's not the best, but basically it's yellowing at the tips, getting holes in it, brown spots..

I have downoi growing in here too. Some of it looks good, here's a pic of the worst stem in there.

I have the API test, here's the current results:
NH3/NH4: 0ppm (bright yellow)
Nitrite: 0ppm (sky blue)
Nitrate: 0-5ppm (not exactly 0, not exactly 5)

Signs point to a Nitrate deficiency -- which is something I suspected. But could it be something else?

 

[Zapins]

How long since the issues started?

Are you using CSM+B for traces?

Are you using level spoons or heaping the traces on the spoon when you dose?

How high up are your lights above the tank?

While the problem may be nitrate deficiency I find this a bit unlikely (perhaps I just can't see the damage well enough on the HC). You are adding 10.5 ppm nitrate every time you dose KNO3 and there is aquasoil under it. Even without KNO3 addition you'd probably have enough. Alternatively I think this problem may also be caused by either emersed die off as it converts to underwater growth or possibly a trace overdose.

Have you looked at nitrogen deficiency in HC on the DeficiencyFinder? http://deficiencyfinder.com/?page_id=401

 

[chocological]

Using CSM+B for traces. Also, level spoons. The lights are 11.5 inches from the HC.

This week I just upped my traces. I was only dosing 1/64 tsp traces.
Also, in my 20 gallon tank, I'm having issues. It's the same type of yellowing/ browning going on. I figure they might be related as I simple scaled down the ferts by 4, a 20 gallon to a 5 gallon.

These are pics in the 20 gallon.

Thanks for your help so far zapins!

 

[chocological]

Anyone have any ideas? I'm losing more and more plants.

 

[jrman83]

Are you using tap water or RO?

 

[Zapins]

Are the ludwigia plants showing any symptoms? Can you take a photo of one of them?

How many days (or weeks) has it been since the issues started?

Was the water dechlorinated properly when you last did a water change?

I think for now you should increase your nitrogen dosing so that you are getting at least 15 ppm nitrate constantly. We can at least start working on eliminating possibilities. If that is the problem the plants will stop deteriorating further and will start growing healthy new growth. The old growth will still stay damaged, it will not heal.

 

[chocological]

Tap water, conditioned with prime.
The ludwigia in the 20 gallon appear to be okay. I'll post a pic later.

Just a question.. how long should I wait after dosing KNO3 before I test?

 

[Zapins]

You can test within a few minutes, an hour to be sure it has properly dissolved and spread evenly in the tank.

How long since the symptoms started in your tank? Without an idea of how long it took the possibilities are much broader.

 

[chocological]

Well, I added the hydro Japan nearly 3 weeks ago, and the p. erectus 2 or so weeks ago. It was all lush and green prior to being in the tank.

I added another 1/4 tsp to the 20 gallon, which is now double the dose. Testing is barely registering any difference...

 

[Zapins]

Hmm. That is certainly enough time for a nitrogen or another macro deficiency to occur in. Let us know in a week or so if the plants have started to recover and grow quickly (with pictures!).

 

[chocological]

Thanks for the help. I'll update in a week's time.

 

[chocological]

Just a small update here.. I realized I've been testing wrong. Nitrates atm show 5ppm in the 20gallon, and nearly 40ppm in the 5gallon.