Re: Plant Problems

["Steven Pituch" <spituch at ev1_net>]

Chris,

Actually the tank looks pretty good so far.  I could not get to your main
page for the tank parameters but I was in a similar situation a few months
ago.

You mentioned a 120 gal  tank and lots of light.  I am assumming that you
are using bottled co2.  If not, your tank is probably carbon limited.  You
would need to supplement with co2 to about 15 ppm.  I would start using the
384 Watts again.

The Anubias is probably yellow due to a nutrient deficiency.  The same thing
happened to me.  When I increased my dosages of fertilizer the new leaves
came in darker green.  The yellow leaves will stay that way which is OK.
The Flourite is great and may give the plants some iron and nutrients for
the
roots but certainly not enough to not fertilize the water column.  I am sure
Guru Tom Barr will comment on this but based on what he told me (as I
understood it) I am dosing the following.

1)   1.1 grams KNO3 per 20 gallons, twice per week.  (Greenlight stump
remover from the plant store.)  This is mostly for nitrate but also gives
some potassium.

2)   1.0 gram muriate of potash per 20 gallons, once per week.  (also bought
cheap at the plant store)  This is for potassium.  K2SO4 can also be used if
available.

3)   5 ml of Flourish per 20 gallons, twice per week.

4)   Do a 50% water change once per week to reset nutrient levels and
prevent overdosing.

Barr also mentioned adding phosphate, but I am adding a lot of fish food
lately so I have been forgoing the phosphate.  I don't even need to do any
testing any more, which makes it all very simple.

Steve Pituch