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Madagascar Brown Lace
Hi,
Ever since I was a kid in the sixties
and read about the Madagascar Lace plant
in the "Innes" book, I've wanted try one
out. Well, having re-entered the hobby a
few years ago with plants as my primary
interest, and having had some success
with "easier" species, I thought it was
time.
So, I put this baby in a quart plus
rubbermaid pot with lauterite mix in the
lower third and some Tetra 1-0-25 tabs.
Then I gave it a central spot in an
established, well planted, CO2 injected,
VHO lit, substrate heated, PMDD fortified
90 gallon with a light fish load.
Well, for the first few weeks it grew fast.
It seemed to put out a new leaf every couple
days! I felt hope of graduating to the next
level of plant keeping. :) But . . .
First new leaf growth slowed. Then existing
leaves started developing patches of brown
followed by completed decay of browned
sections. A terrible thing to happen to such
a bueatiful plant.
What could it be? My algae is minimal (praise
be to the SAE). NO3 is around 5mG/ltr, Fe
around 0.1, PO4 less than .02, pH via CO2 about
6.8 (fluctuates), gH 8ish, carbonate hardness
4ish, CO2 10 mG/ltr ish (fluctuates), 78F. So,
I'm grasping at straws like:
1) My lauterite substrate isn't especially
rich, ought it be? Maybe the Tetra tabs
are depleted. I'm considering injecting
PMDD directly into the substrate via a hypo.
Would Steve Pushak's "worm casings" help?
2) Maybe I've depleted some nutrient: K
possibly? I've added 7mG/ltr of K via
K2SO4 just to see if there is a reaction.
3) Might it not like one of it's neighbors?
This tank has some Anubas nana, patches
of "pigmy chain" swords (quadricostatus
I think), an Amazonicus sword, Bocopa,
lots O' Zosterfolia, Spiralis val, dwarf Sag,
an Aponageton boivinianus bought at
the same time showing similar browning,
some Willisii crypts (with iron red leaves),
and a few other odd and ends.
4) Maybe it's doing one of those strange
Aponogeton things like going into a
dormate cycle. Should I put it in a
cool basment for awhile?
Please, any expert advice would be most
appreciated,
Puzzled in Pittsburgh - Tim Mullins