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Re: Aquarium Plant Nutrient Deficiency Project



 http://www.soils.wisc.edu/~barak/soilscience326/macronut.htm

Look around for other such sites and take a gander. Then ask yourself "don't
these all look pretty similar?"
 
> Same goes for the algea problem. It would really be great to have a similar
> database for all the algea questions we repeatedly read.

Same thing goes for this as far as plants, good general health for the
plants= no algae and good plant health. Minor issues will come about but
these are quite minor and solvable.

> But that's just a
> thought and I'm not getting into such a project as well.
> But it would be a well visited FAQ place I'm sure.

Worry about the plants needs/uptake rates rather than trouble shooting every
last possible deficiency or algae type. If you've been on this list for any
length of time and had been reading, I've made this one VERY CLEAR. This is
far more useful and easily achieved by a newbie than trying to deduce hair
splitting nutrient pic's off the web that look very similar and may or may
not be a real deficiency.

> But please try to
> remember who will read your info's. Most havn't got a clue of what kno3 is and
> how to test it.

Wait a cotton picking minute.

So let me get this correct here, you want to analyze and post pic's of NO3
or K deficient plants but the folks that will view these pic's don't have a
clue what NO3 or K are ???????? Uh huh.

Well as far as not knowing what this or that is:
Neither did I at one point. I thought it(KNO3) was K2SO4. Figured out fast
though. I have an article and there is the Krib........
Folks with questions on many of the basics should start there. I'll answer
some of it but learning about what is going on is up to you. Many folks wade
around and lurk till they get a feel for things. I do respond to folks who
need the basic stuff. Many folks here are very advanced and I post for them
as well. 
 The last thing some of us want to read is another TB post trying to solve
an algae problem. It simply gets boring. It's also how I remember where I
was and came from. It just takes me a minute to post it so it's no biggy to
me. Check out the older post sometime. Some pretty sharp folks trying to
solve some tough problems and questions at that time. Many problems have
been conquered since as a result of the APD.

> This is why the project has been started. Even though it probably
> is of no use to you two it will be for me and others, I'm sure.

Don't bet on it. It's good to learn from experience... as long as it's not
your own. I've been down this road.

> 
> Maybe you have one or two pictures you can share along with a simple
> explanation of what it is and what to do to cure it?

My "cure" is amazingly similar to almost all problems with plant health and
algae. No magical additives, snakes oils, cure alls. Sometimes a few good
words is worth a thousand pictures:-) (I like that line!)

> His and mine incentive is that we know so little and want to learn more and
> help others at the same time.
> Your incentive would be, not to have to answer the same questions over and
> over again?

My hindsight is pretty darn good. Learn a little about nutrients and
maintenance, you'll never have "what's wrong with this plant" questions and
you'll have a happier algae free tank. And then you'll "know" and be able to
help others get to a higher level in this hobby. You'll be able to help
others also more effectively.
It's not like your a nerd if you know what KNO3 is or is not.
I use 4 nutrient ingredients. CO2 and light. Do water changes and other
basic maintenance. 

You don't seem to realize it but I've given you the answer to your question
and issue here: a simpler approach to solve about any deficiency problem for
both beginner and expert alike. If you go that nutrient road of deficiencies
you have to address the nutrients and talk about them. There's no way around
that. Why not address all the nutrients in the first place and do a simple
water change(say 50% weekly) with additions added back each time? 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