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Re: Aquarium Plant Nutrient Deficiency Project



>That way
>nothing is allowed to become deficient for too long and testing is needed
>much less since your estimating the uptake of nutrients and the levels your
>adding within a reasonable range.
>I'm trying to make is easier for folks to do this at a high level.

>Regards,
>Tom Barr


I have to agree with Tom 100% (and James)-  after spending much time and
misguided effort trying to root out deficiency problems in my plant tank. It
turned out that what I thought- and Tom thought (based on my descriptions)
was that my tank was macronutrient deficient- probably N and P- it turned
out that- my tank was deficient in one or more trace elements (not sure
which and I don't really care now either)- simply adding what I had
previously thought as an excess of trace mix (a hydroponics trace mix)
solved all my problems (well mostly- I still have minor algae issues as a
result of 6 large discus- perhaps I will have to add more light someday). I
think that all the pictures and nutrient deficiency descriptions in the
world would have confused things for me more than they would have helped-
for what it is worth the descriptions I read certainly did. For example- I
thought that the light green thin spindly growth on my hygrophylla was an N
deficiency or Ca- based on descriptions deficiency symptoms I had read on
the net- however these made no sense based on testing- I began to doubt the
reliability of the test kits. Finally I just added a bunch more trace than I
had been- problem solved (Thanks Tom)- now I can enjoy my plants and discus
instead of worrying about algae covered plants and glass. I think for any
newbie or relative newbie- Tom's shotgun approach will work far better than
trying to root out which culprit caused what- specific nutrient deficiency
descriptions and photos should be handled and used by only the experts- or
those trying to achieve optimum/maximal growth- for the rest of us who want
a nice tank to look at-  . . .


Cheers,
Cory Williamson