Vallisneria Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I seem to have a problem with my java ferns. This has been going on since i started with plants a few years ago. my java fern's leaves seem to develope holes. They start to turn black and then they start getting holes. I have jsut been trimming out the affected leaves but now i want to find out why they are getting these holes. Here is a pic as its a bit hard to explain java fern's leaves MY sword plant used to also get holes. The leaf woudl turn yellowish and then between the ribs would turn translucent and break away. Eventually if i didn't remove the leaf it would completely break up. This isn't caused by a fish eating the leaf.Somethign is happening with the plant. My tanks parameters are ammo and nitrite-0 nitrate-20. 2 watts/gal. No co2(used to have DIY c02 but it didn't seem to help the leaf problems). I use fert tabs in the gravel but have stopped using the liquid fert.I found that the leaf problem didn't show any change with using ferts. When i was using DIY co2 and the liquid ferts the plants were growing like crazy but the holey leaves woudl still occur. The onyl difference was with using co2 the plants grew fast enough that the leaves i was removing were replaced faster. any ideas? I can get more pics if need be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garhan Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 COMMON SYMPTOMS OF NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY IN AQUATIC PLANTS Element Leaves to first show deficiency Symptom Nitrogen Old Leaves turn yellowish Older leaves die off quickly in extreme deficiencies. Iron New Leaves grow in pale or yellow Greenish nerves enclosing yellow leaf tissue First seen in fast growing plants Potassium Old Pinholes appear in older leaves, and slowly enlarge Yellow areas Withering of leaf edges and tips Calcium New Distorted leaf growth cupped leaves twisted and bent leaves twisted and short roots Damage and die off of growing points Yellowish leaf edges I have seen an extreme Calcium deficiency which resulted in a sword plant where new leaves were growing in almost completely white. Magnesium Old Yellow spots Often appears similar to iron deficiency since mg deficiency prevents a plant from properly using iron. Yellowing of old leaves starting from edges while major veins remain green Boron New Dead shoot tips, new side shoots also die Brittle stems Similar to calcium Sulfur New Similar to nitrogen deficiency Manganese New Dead yellowish tissue between leaf nerves Copper New Dead leaf tips and withered edges Zinc Old Yellowish areas between nerves, Starting at leaf tip and edges Molybdenum Old Yellow spots between leaf nerves, then brownish areas along edges. Inhibited flowering Phosphorus Old Stunted growth. Sometimes leaves become darker green Also symptoms can be similar to nitrogen deficiency Hope this helps, also keep in mind the black spots are seed pores and will be future plants. Can you post a pic, to access properly. garhan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Hope this helps, also keep in mind the black spots are seed pores and will be future plants. Can you post a pic, to access properly. Is the pic not working?it seems to be working for me. Not sure how to change it java fern pic i know the black spots grow baby plants but this is the whole leaf. I have leaves where there are baby plants growing on them, this seems different. How come when i was adding fert. and CO2 the plants didn't show any improvement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garhan Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 The improvement will be in the new growth. Old stuff is doomed. Plants dont regenerate serious damage. opened pic. I would think that this is likely a pottasium deffiency. Common problem. Garhan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 But when i was adding ferts the problem still occured. i was using seachem flourish and flourish iron. Should i get the flourish potassium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garhan Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Seachem has several doseing types of ferts. generally I use Comprehensive and Iron, plus organic Carbon with or without Co2 injection. The potassium often need to be boosted, so yeah it doesnt hurt. Garhan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted November 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Oops i forgot to add that i also used flourish excel. So if i start using the flourish(the general fert.) again, do you really think its necessary to add flourish potassium also, considerign my tank is a low light tank? if the flourish iron really needed in a low light tank also or do you think the general flourish formula would be good enough? Or is there a fertalizer in a tablet that woudl help increase the potassium? that would work better for the root feedign plants like my crypts and swords. I"m going to be going to the LFS tomorrow so i can pick up whatever is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garhan Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 well the damage to the leaves seems to be potassium problem, a lack of. Comprehensive and iron are still neccassary. But the likely hood of increasing the pottasium seems to be apparent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted November 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Do you know of a good tablet fertalizer(for substrate fertalizing) that would help with boosting the potassium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garhan Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 Sera make a good tablet fertilzer 9generl purpose booster for rooting plants), but it doesnt boost the potassium enough. Just out of the blue your not planting your java ferns sre you. Because they shouldn't be planted into soil, rather they are to be attached to rocks and wood. I ask this because you are asking about tablets that are based at the roots. Not under soil for Java,anubias, and ferns. They do not do well rooted into the substrate. garhan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted November 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 no i'm not planting my java ferns or anubias, they are attached to driftwood. I'm asking about the root tabs because i also have lots of crypts and swords. Since the flourish potassium will help the non rooted plants(java fern and anubia) i wanted somethign that would help the rooted plants as they are also showing problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtac Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 I agree with Garhan. Potassium (K) deficiency. You can get K inexpensively from a hydroponics shop. If you have low NO3, get KNO3, otherwise I recommend K2SO4. If you have shrimp, get Kent Iodine (from the marine section) which is primarily KI. The iodine will aid in the shedding of the exoskeleton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted November 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Thanks, I went last week and got a new bottle of flourish and a bottle of flourish potassium.Hopefully adding this will help it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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