[APD] Re: Aquatic-Plants Digest, Vol 5, Issue 31

["Xisco" <xisco__ at hotmail_com>]

> From: "pieter cool" <pieter_cool at student.kuleuven.ac.be>
> Subject: [APD] high ph values, distorted growth, Ca, K
> To: <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
>
> Hello,
>
> I have been following the threat about high K+ concentrations and Ca
uptake and I wanted to add my story to the group.
>
> Some time ago I stopped using RO water to reduce the hardness off my
tapwater.  Currently I am using pure tapwater in my tank with a Gh +-20  and
Kh +-15.
>
> I am also seeing distorted growth (which looks like a calcium deficiency)
of some plants (echinodorus, ammania, hemianthus, ).  I assume it can't be a
Ca deficiency because of the hardness of my tapwater.  I did dose a lot of
potassium untill recently.  I followed the method advised by Tom Barr.  Last
week I stopped adding the extra amount of K2SO4 after every water change on
his advice on this list.  I have more than enough K because my KNO3 dosing
is really high (almost no fish in the tank).
>
> I was thinking that I get the distorted growth because a lack of
micronutrients.  I do add them but the tracemix I use is self prepared.  I
use for example Borax, ZNSO4,..and mix them in the right proportions with
demineralised water.  The Iron I use is chelated (FeEDDHA).  The thing is
that only Iron is added bounded to a chelate and all the other
micronutrients are not.  Furthermore my tapwater is very hard and therefore
it is impossible to lower my pH values below 7.  This means that only the
Iron will remain accessible for uptake by the plants.  Can this be the
reason of the distorted growth and can't it be the solution to the problems
some guys think are Ca deficiencies?
>
> Are commercial trace mixes like TMG also working well with higher ph
values than say 7.5?
>
> What is a normal concentration of K+ in tapwater when it is as hard as
mine?  What is is's contribution to high Kh and or Gh?
>
> What do you guys think about it?
>
> Thanks

Pieter, the firsts times I had distorted grow with high Ca (my GH is 15), I
tried to cure it with extra traces without (on my case) succes. My pH is
about 6.8,then no problems with chelate availability. It was enough to slove
reducing my K dosage ¿Why? I really would like to know
_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/aquatic-plants