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Re: Calcium deficiency
On Tue, 18 Jan 2000, Aquatic Plants Digest wrote:
> Hi group
> an observation from my tank is that my mystery snails have a degeneration of
> there shells and by my reckoning it must be Calcium lacking in the water.
> I may be wrong but any clues would help.
> Also if it is calcium how can I safely add some so as not to hurt my fish?
> My water is
> pH 7.2
> KH 4
> Gh 7
Calcium is usually the largest part of general hardness, so with a GH of 7
it's unlikely that your plant's are calcium deficient. The exception I
can think of is if your tap water contains little or no hardness and you
get 7 GH by adding a magnesium salt.
Calcium deficiency causes deformation of new growth -- one symptom you
described in another letter -- but in my experience the deformation from
calcium deficiency is permanent. The deformed leaves don't get better.
I've also never seen calcium deficiency associated with chlorosis. Leaves
deformed by calcium deficiency are usually dark and thick. Not light
green or transparent.
You might look into boron deficiency. I've read that it can cause
deformities in new growth, but I haven't seen the symptoms. Your plants
need very little boron, so if there's any in your tap water or your
fertilizer, then it's probably enough.
Roger Miller