zenkatydid
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Ok. I have been neglecting my tank a bit of late as my CO2 diffusor (powerhead for mist) broke and I have simply not had the time to make another one. I also slacked off on ferts. I think I am incredibly lucky that the only algae I have developed is a little bit of BBA on the underside (?!) of my driftwood. My DIY CO2 is back up and running, and I plan on doing some testing and resuming ferts (not EI, just as needed, as I am not high light).
Since everything has stopped, my plants have effectively stopped growing, with the tips of the H. polysperma and stricta curling, and in the polysperma, getting pin-holes in all the older leaves. They also tend to fall off a lot. The swords (amazon and osiris, in different tanks but same situation) also have their older leaves going yellow/brown/transparent in areas, rotting away, leaving the veins and then disintegrating.
Now, I am led to believe this is a K deficiency. But my question is: if I have stopped adding C, and growth has all but stopped, why do I have a K deficiency? Surely they are using significantly less K now that they are C-limited?
I have actually continued dosing K (in the form of Yates "Sulfate of Potassium", a gardening fertilizer that other aquarists I know use) every few days to try and keep on top of this, but nothing has changed at all, and I'm wondering if it's not K related at all. Could these symptoms be C-related instead? Oh how I wish there was a decent hobby test for K!
Thoughts?
Since everything has stopped, my plants have effectively stopped growing, with the tips of the H. polysperma and stricta curling, and in the polysperma, getting pin-holes in all the older leaves. They also tend to fall off a lot. The swords (amazon and osiris, in different tanks but same situation) also have their older leaves going yellow/brown/transparent in areas, rotting away, leaving the veins and then disintegrating.
Now, I am led to believe this is a K deficiency. But my question is: if I have stopped adding C, and growth has all but stopped, why do I have a K deficiency? Surely they are using significantly less K now that they are C-limited?
I have actually continued dosing K (in the form of Yates "Sulfate of Potassium", a gardening fertilizer that other aquarists I know use) every few days to try and keep on top of this, but nothing has changed at all, and I'm wondering if it's not K related at all. Could these symptoms be C-related instead? Oh how I wish there was a decent hobby test for K!
Thoughts?
