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Re: Nutrients



> After adjusting my nutrient levels (mainly K- two tsp K2SO4  for about 75
> gallons of water to bring K up to about 22 ppm, but also trace and a
little
> KNO3 to get NO3 above 5 ppm (target 7 ppm)- CO2 was already in line)- my
> plants started pearling for a couple of days, then - they have been
> languishing since then- my hygrophylla is sending out very thin and tall
> light green leaves rotalla and bacopa growth is slow but normal. New
leaves
> on my swords are also light green.  Does anyone know what may be going on.


Tom Wrote:
"You used up the NO3 and traces, add more and test to see the levels before
and after 2-3 day periods. It does seem like the tail-chasing-the-dog at
times. You run from one to other nutrient. But NO3 and PO4 are the big ones
to watch. Add the traces at least 2x a week, I do 3x weekly for traces,
KNO3, PO4. K2SO4 weekly, water changes weekly. That's it. Your tank does
sound like it gets NO3 limited fast. I'd add 1/2 teaspoon 3x a week of KNO3
and some source of PO4 2-3x a week also".

NO3 have never been below about 4 ppm (last few months)

I would suspect this also, but plant growth is distorted and NO3 is about 7
ppm (measured with a Aquarium Pharm. kit). PO4- is a little less than 1 ppm
(Hagen test kit) and I just added 10 mL of TMG on Thursday when I did a 20%
change as well as another 5 mL. on Sun.

> suspect that the plants may have been used to low K (2 ppm my tapwater),
and
> may be a bit shocked by the new much higher concentration.

Tom Wrote:
"No."

I should have also said growth was distorted- the edges of the hygrophylla
are long thin and the edges are cupped. Can low NO3, PO4 or Trace cause
distorted growth? I thought this is normally a symptom of low Ca++/Mg++.  I
have read in a couple of places that if K+ is too high then Ca and Mg uptake
can get out of line.-  I wish I had a digital camera. . . Are my test kits
measuring somthing that is not there- I tried my NO3 kit on tapwater with a
result of 0 ppm.  The other kits have to sit much longer than the recomended
developing times to get the results I use (typically 1/2 hour (cf. five
minutes) for the phosphate kit and 2-3 hour (cf. 1/2 hour for the iron kit)

Tom, any other thoughts- and thanks for your quick replies!

Cheers,

Cory Williamson



-------------------------------
Cory and Susanne  Williamson

7800 Thompson Drive
Prince George, BC  V2N 5N5
E-mail: cswilliamson at telus_net
Phone: 250-964-3973