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Re: Folded echinodorus leaves
Roger S. Miller <rgrmill at rt66_com> wrote:
> I have an old echinodorus "fishstorensis" (parviflorus ?)
> gradual decline, slow growth
> New leaves seem to start out normal but they only grow to a length of
> about 4 inches. Several of the leaves after reaching full size have
> developed a sharp fold in the blade.
> The 55 gallon tank contains an RO/tap water mix with less than 2 degrees
> GH ... CO2
> The tank is lit with 4 40-watt
> flourescents - two Gro-Lux and two GE Daylight Ultra (6500 K)
Roger, why don't you try adding a couple of teaspoons of CaCO3 or CaCl
and see if it responds in a couple of weeks. At such a low level of GH,
good light and plenty of other nutrients you are almost certainly
running short on Calcium. The mild leaf distortion and slow growth
indicate the shortage is not acute. Paul Krombholz recently told me
about using Rotala macrandra as an indicator plant for low calcium; he
says its quite sensitive.
A while back I wasn't adding calcium and had a nice E amazonicus which
wasn't growing much. After bumping up the calcium, this thing grew like
a monster. I'm suspicious that my weekly doses of 1 tsp CaCO3 with a 25%
water change in a 50 gal tank with strong growth is not quite sufficient
to maintain adequate Ca especially if I forget to add it for one or two
weeks and the concentration starts to get behind. In my experience,
sword plants do well with higher calcium levels. My tap water is too
soft.
Steve Pushak
http://home.infinet.net/teban/ last updated 22 November