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Dosing of Fertilizer For Plant Growth/ Indicatorplants for Nutrient Deficiency.
Usually the maximum PLANT GROWTH is limited by the NUTRIENT or
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS which is the LEAST available in the aquarium.
So increasing the fertilizer amount (e.g. PMDD, Florish e.a.) will NOT
ALWAYS help the growthrate. I think it would be useful to look at the
nutrient deficiency SYMPTOMS of the plants to find out WHICH nutrients
is in short supply in the aquarium.
Nutrient that is not being used by the plants will ACCUMULATED in your
aquarium if you during the period that you apply fertilizer. So I think
is good to stop for some time once in a while.
I think it would be good to find the LIMITING NUTRIENT which is the
least available. This can differ in each aquarium.
Since test kits are rather expensive I would look at the symptoms of the
plants.
Good Indicator Plant for nutrient deficiency:
---------------------------------------------
1)Hygrophila spp. : Fe (Vein-netting), Phosphate (Stunting, premature
leaf fall)
2) Echinodorus spp.: Nitrogen (stays small,reddish colour)
3) Valisneria spp (Ca and Mg deficiency, lack of growth)
A good book with discription of nutrient deficiency is: Aquarium
Plants by Niels Jacobsen (1979) p.18-19.
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_________________________________________________
ir. Jos K.K. Liem Horticulture (Wageningen)
E-mail: liem at direct_ca Ph:+1-604-525-7229
New Westminster BC CANADA
Webpage:http://mypage.direct.ca/l/liem/index.html