Cant pinpoint the deficiency

[bsmith]

What deficiency would resemble lack of Ca? My TDS reads about 300 and I would find it hard to believe that all of that would be Mg but my plants are looking horrible. Twisted wrinkly leaves. I also have algae issues. String perhaps and gsa/gda. I thought maybe my dosing was the problem but I have been doing 1.5x's the amount for a 40g tank (its a 37g btw).

37g
pressurized co2
3/4 tsp k2so4
3/4 tsp kno3
3/16 tsp kh2po4
3/16 tsp csm+b
5ml flourish
5ml flourish fe
4x24w t5ho (2x24 for 6 hours the other 2x24 for 4) Currently just running 2x24 for 6 hours.
82 degrees.

I will take some pics tomorrow but any help would be appreciated.

Before...

Now...

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Potential CO2 problem. The warmer water is, the less readily it contains dissolved gasses like oxygen and CO2. Even if you've got a yellow drop checker...drop checkers are not precise measurements. If you haven't tried already I'd recommend slowly increasing the CO2. If you see any signs of distress from your fish, turn it back a notch as you'll know you've hit the limit. Also check to make sure you've got good water movement throughout the tank. Give it about two weeks and see if there is any improvement in the leaf development after that.

If you do have GDA, you'll most likely just need to leave it alone until it completes it's life cycle (roughly 3 weeks) as hard as that may be. Continuely trying to remove it won't do much as it will keep returning. Once it starts to die off on it's own you can clean it off the glass, and it hopefully won't reappear.

 

[tyler79durdan]

20~40gal
50% H20 change-weekly
1/4 Tsp-KN03 3x a week
1/16 Tsp-KH2P04 3x aweek
1/2 Tsp-GH booster once a week
5ml or 1/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week
Optional
1-2ml-Fe/Iron 3x a week


An example of dosing 3x a week on my 46g tank,
This is what I do.

Sunday-----Day1)Prune,Preen,Clean glass inside, 50% or more H20
change, vac/sub, 1/2Tsp-KN03, 1/8-ish/Tsp-KH2P04,1/8Tsp-K2S04,
clean glass on outside.
Monday-----Day2) 10ml Trace, 2ml-Fe
Tuesday----Day3) 1/2Tsp-KN03, 1/8ish/Tsp-KH2P04,1/8Tsp-K2S04.
Wednesday-Day4) See day2
Thursday---Day5) See day3
Friday------Day6) See day2
Saturday---Day7) Nothing or prune, or walk the dog etc.
Sunday-----Day8) See day1

READ THE ORIGINAL THREAD HERE...

 

[THE V]

The second picture is hard to see the plants. From the description it might not be to little of anything it might be too much. Deformed leaves and strange growth habit occur when you start to get to toxic levels.

A better picture might help.

 

[bsmith]

Potential CO2 problem. The warmer water is, the less readily it contains dissolved gasses like oxygen and CO2. Even if you've got a yellow drop checker...drop checkers are not precise measurements. If you haven't tried already I'd recommend slowly increasing the CO2. If you see any signs of distress from your fish, turn it back a notch as you'll know you've hit the limit. Also check to make sure you've got good water movement throughout the tank. Give it about two weeks and see if there is any improvement in the leaf development after that.

If you do have GDA, you'll most likely just need to leave it alone until it completes it's life cycle (roughly 3 weeks) as hard as that may be. Continuely trying to remove it won't do much as it will keep returning. Once it starts to die off on it's own you can clean it off the glass, and it hopefully won't reappear.

I have done the co2 untill my fish are sick test a couple of times in the past month just to make sure that was good. TI have been dealing with gda/gsa for quite some time in this tank, this has me thinking that there is a fert excess causing another fert deficiency. Im not too good when it comes to chemical properties but I think these guys are on to something over at APC.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...12-cant-figure-out-deficiency.html#post536269

Thanks for the input.

 

[jones57742]

but any help would be appreciated.

bs:

My "kneejerk" reaction is to double the K and CSM+B.

Also add Mg at twice the rate of K.

TR

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

I have done the co2 untill my fish are sick test a couple of times in the past month just to make sure that was good. TI have been dealing with gda/gsa for quite some time in this tank, this has me thinking that there is a fert excess causing another fert deficiency. Im not too good when it comes to chemical properties but I think these guys are on to something over at APC.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...12-cant-figure-out-deficiency.html#post536269

Thanks for the input.

Ah...well if you're looking for Mg and Ca : Epsom Salts = Mg and there are a few different sources for Ca: http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/4927-Calcium-Gluconate-vs.-Calcium-Chloride

Oh, and a GH booster recipe: http://www.hardcoreaquatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2475

 

[londonloco]

T5HO's throw out an enormous amount of light (wpg w/T5HO's don't follow the wpg theory). I have a 26g bow w/ T5HO 2x24W and I have the one back light on for 4 hours; it goes off and the front light comes on for 4 hours. This is the only tank I have that I can not suspend the light from the ceiling, so I have legs on it, which means the light is only 3" from waters edge. My other T5HO fixtures are all suspended from the ceiling and are 10" from waters edge. Can you raise the light? There is a way to make a hanger and attach it to your stand if you can't suspend it from ceiling. I think no matter how much CO2 or ferts you throw into the tank, your always going to have algae problems with that amount of light.

 

[JimL]

I have an 80 gallon (48X18x22) with a Nova Extreme 4 x 54 HO T5. Running 1/2 lights for 12 hours full light for 8 hours
I dose

60-80 Gallons
1/4 tsp KNO3 3x a week
3/16 tsp KH2PO4 3x a week
1/4 tsp K2SO4 3x a week
1/4 tsp MgSO4 3x a week
1/4 tsp Barr's GH Booster 3x a week
1/4 tsp CSM+B 3x a week
5ml Flourish Iron 3x a week


I was having one heck of a time with algae, mostly BBA, Stag horn, Green dust.Then I started the above dosing. Now my plants are kicking a$$. The stem plants seem to be growing 1/2 inch a day. ALL and I do mean ALL the algae is gone.
IMO your dosage is too high.

20-40 Gallons
1/4 tsp KNO3 3x a week
1/16 tsp KH2PO4 3x a week
1/16 tsp K2SO4 3x a week
1/16 tsp (5ml) traces 3x a week

this is from the sticky at the top of this forum.

I run my CO2 24 x 7 (I just couldn't things to level out when shutting it off at night.)
I try to keep a CO2 level of about 38 ppm (using the KH, pH formula) From what I've read, this formula is not accurate. But I use it as a gauge for keeping things balanced.
Read the forum sticky. It should answer a lot of your questions. I know it did mine

(side note, this pic was taken before all the algae was gone)

 

[jpappy789]

If it's GDA (different than GSA) than as AP said you'll have to let it run its course. It's a major PITA and it lasted much longer than 3 weeks IME (granted, that is not the norm) but the only method I have read about with continuing success is the 'wait and see' method. Don't touch it at all and eventually it will begin to peel itself off surfaces...then vac it up.