sparse leaf growth?? - Fertilizing

addicted2reefin · 11-19-2009, 05:42 PM

Hey, after a few troubles with my tank i got everything under control and now I have had a film algea outbreak, and some noticable plant deformations. Older leaves tend to become rotted/overrun with algea, while the new growth has sparse leaf density. I get good STEM growth, but the leaves do not fill in. tank is a 20L w 2x24 watt t5s hos with diy co2. drop checker is green most of time, yellow in the moring. I have been dosing flourish comprehensive about 3 ml everyday, along with 2ml kent iron and magnanese. which has 3% pottasium and 1% iron. fish load is VERY high(40+ fish) and nitrates are around 30ppm. the only thing i can think of is high phosphates. what could cause this wierd growth

Seattle_Aquarist · 11-19-2009, 08:32 PM

Hi addicted2reefin,

It sounds like a nitrogen deficiency. Flourish Comprehensive is good for micro nutrients, but doesn't contain much in the way of macro nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. That is why Seachem offers those three separately. When I first started I used Seachem with good success, but as my number of aquariums increased it got expensive and I went with dry ferts.

Philosophos · 11-19-2009, 10:54 PM

As Seattle_Aquarist says, the macro deficiency isn't going to help anything. Figure out how you want to accomplish good nutrients in your tank through dosing first. Once you've done this, what you'll be most commonly be left with is CO2 levels and distribution, along side the same in light. Even light spread, dynamic flow around the entire tank, and good CO2 diffusion methods solve a lot of the rest of the problems. What usually remains after are the smaller or more obscure problems that span through long troubleshooting threads more so than most.

I recommend getting the earlier concepts down rather than the later. Pages of speculation can be solved with a little essential action.

-Philosophos

addicted2reefin · 11-20-2009, 03:31 PM

nitrogen deficiency and my nitrates are over 20 ppm?

Philosophos · 11-20-2009, 05:47 PM

20ppm tested with a calibrated kit or 20ppm dosed? Either way, probably not very likely. High PO4 isn't something I'd suspect either unless you're dumping in ridiculous amounts. Original EI uses 11ppm a week, my column runs about 5-10ppm at any given time.

Your existing symptoms do match low CO2 and poor distribution to the lower part of the stem. Turn up the current and aim for distribution, work on CO2 at the same time.

How much potassium are you cumulatively dosing? At a glance it looks kind of low to me... 3% by weight and 2ml plus the tiny bit from flourish isn't much.

-Philosophos

Bryeman · 11-21-2009, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosophos

20ppm tested with a calibrated kit or 20ppm dosed? Either way, probably not very likely. High PO4 isn't something I'd suspect either unless you're dumping in ridiculous amounts. Original EI uses 11ppm a week, my column runs about 5-10ppm at any given time.

Your existing symptoms do match low CO2 and poor distribution to the lower part of the stem. Turn up the current and aim for distribution, work on CO2 at the same time.

How much potassium are you cumulatively dosing? At a glance it looks kind of low to me... 3% by weight and 2ml plus the tiny bit from flourish isn't much.

-Philosophos

From what I've seen with film, I would agree, especially with water flow/distribution. I had one area getting this in my 125g when I started it. Both TexGal and you pointed me in the direction of CO2/distribution and that was indeed correct.

addicted2reefin · 11-21-2009, 03:09 PM

ok, im sure my magnum 350 is getting clogged up, and i run my co2 through that, co2 bottle has been up for about 2 weeks so that could be it.