Failing plant. Need help.

[travis74]

This sword was moved three weeks ago from the center of the tank where it was failing to thrive. Moved it to the back right where it had more room and less competition but it has only gotten worse. Was dosing csm+b, MgSO4, KNO3 daily in one solution. Last week made new batch of csm+b and decided to dose the dry ferts twice a week. The plant has root tabs also.
Tank specs
40g
182 w cf (96) usable
DIY Co2 x 2 1gal into HOB
ph 6.8
kh 6
No3 20ppm
No2 0ppm
APPRECIATE THE HELP. TIA

 

[malkore]

Well, CO2 is at the lower end of 'good levels'...but that's not it.

are you doing weekly 50% water changes?
do you have any idea what phosphate is at?
I bet its a combination of low potassium, not enough phosphate, and probably iron since plantex is a little light on the iron.

Here's a page on nutrient deficiency symptoms
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htm

 

[travis74]

I don't know what the phosphate is at. I'm not dosing it seperately tho. Should I get that from greg watson as potassium phosphate? Also what is a good source for the iron? I am dosing kno3 using chucks calc, two back to back doses to give me 16.36ppm. 50% weekly water changes. Another sword of the same variety which has been thriving, and never moved, is now that I look further, showing the same signs of deficiency. Thanks for the link btw. If you could expand the resonse that would be great.

 

[Purrbox]

If you want to order from GregWatston you'll want the following:
KH2PO4 - Mono Potassium Phosphate to dose Phosphates
K2SO4 - Potassium Sulfate to dose Potassium
Iron Chelate - If you want to dose extra Iron.

 

[travis74]

Does that mean then that the kno3 is not being taken up as potassium but rather the nitrate?

 

[rich311k]

It gets taken up as both but you need more potassium than you get from just the kno3. You need to add more k to supplement it.

 

[TwoHobbies]

K2S04 is what I add for potassium. Did the roots look good and healthy, lots of runners, very thick, when you moved the plant. Have you been adding root tabs longer that a week or two.

I'd cut those brown leaves off, so the plant doesn't use the nutrients it has trying to heal those. It will grow new leaves to replace them.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Another thing, are you dosing macros and micros at the same time? Or do you have them mixed? Can't remember off the top of my head, but I think if you do them at the same time, some of the ferts drop out of the solution, causing problems. Macros should be dosed on one day, and the micros the next. Maybe someone in here can give a little better details on it.

 

[travis74]

I am dosing micros and macros seperately on alternating days. The roots are well established and healthy looking and has always had plant tabs. I don't remember when this plant last had new growth, rather the existing leaves are getting bigger and bigger. At the same time, same variety of plant bought at the same time continues to produce new growth. Pending an order from greg is there anything that can be done in the short term? Perhaps a supplement to tide me over til the money comes in to make an order? My big question is Why this variety of plant only is exhibiting the deficiency?

 

[czcz]

How about Fleet Enema? Flourish Phosphorous from the LFS? Phosphates are your missing ingredient, and as malkore alluded to if the poor leaves are old growth it points to P deficiency (since you dose N), and it is possible the other sword is putting out new growth because it is taking P from the older leaves. That is a healthy amount of light. Also agree with TwoHobbies and the great advice in this thread, fwiw.

 

[travis74]

To summarise:
Phosphates being the missing ingredient are impeding, actually halting the growth of the pictured sword, with no growth in recent weeks. The increaed growth of the existing leaves is due to the plant using up it's stores of phosphate? And this variety of sword specifically perhaps because it is metabolising this nutrient faster? Course of action then is to prune the dacying leaves and dose flourish phosphorous? Thanks all for the direction

BTW- what is Fleet Enema? exactly what I think it is? available at the drug store? Just never heard of it

 

[rich311k]

Yes, Fleet Enema is what you think it is you will find it at your drug store. A bottle will last you a long time.

Here is thread about using it.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=80770

 

[TwoHobbies]

Also, I have 7 different plants and the swords show problems first, when all other plants seem fine. Sounds like you have a simular situation. I don't completely understand why, but all tanks are not created equally.

I do know ( It looks like everyone agrees ) that dosing potassium won't hurt.

You said your roots looked good and strong, so the tabs are working. Sounds like your on the right track.

PS....Cut the stems at the substrate line or below, don't just cut off the leaves.