Growing Pogostemon Helferi question

[Rivercats]

If anyone is or has grown Pogostemon Helferi I have a couple questions. First, on 7/12/12 I planted a large area (maybe 3'x5") of Pogostemon Helferi. My problem is I noticed when I planted them they had very tiny roots. I have 3 yo-yo loaches which root in the substrate like wild hogs and of course they have slightly pulled some of the plants up. Since I planted them all rather closely together replanting loose ones are almost impossible. I have just been gentlely sprinkling my eco-complete around those plants base as best as possible.

Question is: do these plants get decent root systems? If so how long does it take? Second question is I noticed recently some of the plants are coming in with white top growth, which after research points to low iron. I have been monitoring my iron almost daily and find I have to keep my water column concentration at .3 to .4 (I know .5 is the maximun) and the white growth does turn green. The plants are growning well and am noticing new plantlets growing at the base of some of the plants, so all is well on that front.

But, my tank literally eats iron. I have to dose almost daily and by the end of the day the iron readings are almost down to 0. I use Seachem Iron test kit, and I test for cleated iron which is what the readings listed are for. The test for ionic iron always tests .1 or 0. I know this plant does absorb iron from the water column but does it also draw iron from its root system? With the plantings still in the process of getting better rooted I am very leary of trying to put my iron pellet fertilizer around them for now. So any ideas how to keep iron in my water column? I will list my stats below. All my plants grow wonderfullly but this guy is the fussy one, and of course it is in the front of the tank. Any help or insight will be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Janis

Tank: 220 gallon 72"Lx24"Wx30"H
Lighting: Coralife 72" fixture 3x150 HID metal halide, 4x 39W T5, 6x1W LED lunar light, all on timer
Filtration: Fluval FX5, Fluval 406 with Aqua Ultraviolet Advantage 2000+ 15 Watt UV Sterilizer
Heating: 3x 300W Fluval E Series
Powerheads: 2x 240gph Hydor Koralia Nano pumps (for gentle added circulation due to tank size)
Substrate: 1-1/2" organic soil, capped with 1-1/2" eco-complete

Water parameters:
KH: 5
GH: 6
PH: 7.2
Iron: .3
Nitrates 10 ppm
Phosphates: .5 to 1 ppm
Flourish Excel -no CO2 (yet)
Ferts: dosing PPS Pro daily plus Flouris Iron as needed
Water testing 2x week
Water changes 10 gallons every day


Plants:
Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii)
Ambulia (Limnophila indica)
Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides'
Proserpinaca Palustris
Rotala Indica (Rotala roundifolia)
Rotala macrandra
Anubias barteri v. Nana
Anubias barteri v. Coffeefolia
Bolbitus heudelotii
Pogostemon helferi
Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides)
Java Fern, Lace (Microsorium pteropus v. Windelov)
Crinum Calimistratum
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Florida Sunset'
Tiger Lotus, Red (Nymphaea zenkeri)
Cryptocoryne Parva
Cryptocoryne lutea
Cryptocoryne Wendtii Bronze (Cryptocoryne wendtii v. Tropica)
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
Ozelot Sword (Echinodorus 'ozelot')
Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba')


Fish:
10 Veil and Super Veil Angelfish (3 juvenille, 1 pair, 1 male with his 4 female harem)
21 Rummy nose tetras
12 Diamond tetras
5 German Blue Rams
4 Electric Blue Rams
2 Gold Rams
3 YoYo loaches
4 Corydoras sterbai
4 Corydoras panda
Corydoras agassizi
8 Threadfin Rainbow Fish
18 Otocinclus Catfish
3 Whiptail Cats (Farlowella gracilis)

 

[aqua_chem]

If you think it's an iron issue, you might move on to a better iron source.

Tell me, how much do you know about iron chelators?

 

[Rivercats]

Growing Pogostemon Hellferi question

I don't know anything about them. I need any and all information since this is a problem I have never ran into and I know there is something I am missing. I wasn't having any issues with any of my 'red' plants, it's just this one plant, which I have never had before.

 

[Rivercats]

Also forgot I use powdered iron chelate, 1/4 teaspoon about twice a week along with my daily dosing of Plantex CSM+B.

 

[aqua_chem]

So you're dosing CSM+B, flourish iron, and an additional chelated iron?


What chelator is your dry iron chelated with?

 

[Rivercats]

I don't know. Got it along with macro and micro (Plantex CSM+B), all dry ferts. I have been reading and only have found this problem is common for alot of people and only ran across one article (which I didn't bookmark) where T. Barr talked about using iron with different cleating bases, then went on to say it really wasn't important anyway. So that was no help. And yes, I use 20ML of Plantex CSM+B daily, then I usually test for cleated iron which is a 45 minute test, if it is low (which it usually is) I will dose 2 capfuls (20ML) of flourish iron. Some days I will test again just to see what the cleated iron reading is (just because I have been trying to see if this is a constant condition). On days I test and the iron reading is 0 I use the powdered iron cleat (which I believe I read is 10%). Usually this is about 2x a week. I don't use all three on the same day. Only two. All my plants are growing great, look good, good color, fish are fine (no chemical overdose), only this plant, which I love is having this issue. I has to be iron as it greens up when I keep the iron constant (at least .3). I try to read as much info as I can but little is out there and I want to learn (and fix this issue). P Helferi is growing nicely in size and filling in. This iron issue with it is just driving me nuts. Monday I can email where I got the ferts from and ask what the cleating agent is and hope they email back. Thanks for trying to figure this out.

 

[aqua_chem]

Where did you buy them from?


Considering the massive amount of iron you're putting in, I highly doubt that it's an iron issue. That being said, it's a deficiency coming from somewhere.

What I would recommend is switching to EI from PPS to eliminate deficiencies. Also look at upgrading to CO2. With Excel in a tank that large, your CO2 system will pay for itself in a matter of months assuming you're buying Excel in bulk at the cheapest price available, less time if you're not.

 

[Rivercats]

The reason I don 't dose El is due to the 50% water changes weekly. On a 220 that is alot. I'm disabled with RA and would have to have one of my adult children do it. I have a countertop RO unit and I make up 10 gallons a day and can handle that size water change daily.

I get my ferts from Green Leaf Aquariums. And I use Metrex Metricide, Glutaraldehyde Cold Sterilization Solution, 14 day. It is 2.6 times stronger than excel so I have to dose down accordingly. Much more affordable than Excel, which I used to use. And I am seriously considering CO2 but to be honest in all the years I've done fresh and saltwater reefs, C02 use is kind of intimadating to me. I am not mechnically inclned!

As for another deficiency, everything else is growing like weeds. All big/tall plants are to the aquarium top. Water spite, rotalas, and ambula have to be trimmed/topped weekly. Corkscrew val, ambula, and Rotala Indica put out so many runners I have to weekly cut and remove them so they don't take over. Crypts are full and good color, crypt Lutea (3 of them) are huge, 8 inches tall and about 6 inches across. The Pogostemon H is growing and filling in, just having this white new growth when iron levels are low. I have also found that other people have posted places with this very same issue. And all I have been able to find out is low iron, which will and does correct new growth color. It makes no sense to me why this one plant. And having never grown it before I don't understand. There just is no sign of any other plant having any type of deficiency. I am just at a loss and was hoping maybe someone on this forum had dealt with this before hence the post.

 

[Rivercats]

Oh, I should explain the reason for RO is my tap water has a GH of 13, a KH of 11, and a PH of 9. Phosphates are also high. It took some time to get the levels down after using tap for inital fill before fish and many plants were added. I finally have it down to how much RO to tap to get my reading where I want them. The reason I don't go softer with a lower PH is for my nerites and MTS shell calcification. But at my levels fish, plants, and snails all seem to do well.