Question with K in Dennerle

[wongteeliang]

Hi,

I am a newbie and been introduced to planted tank. Am using the Dennerle fertilisation kit (E15 and Gold-7). However i realise that one of my crypt is showing signs of K deficiency. Plants lis ake japonica and some stem plants are doing well. No pearling though

Pinholes appear in older leaves, and slowly enlarge
Yellow area
Withering of leaf edges and tips
one of the new leaves is coming out yellow

I am not sure if i should buy potassium supplement to combat the deficiency. However how much should i put since Dennerle did not specify the concentration of the different nutrients.

Details of tank

size: 4 x 1.5 x 1.5
lighting: 160W PL (from 1300 to 2100) second week. will increase to ten hours in two weeks time

kH 4
pH 6.8
Fe 0.5ppm

there is no base fert use. I am using some sort of aqua clay from Germany.

I will appreciate your guidance. Thanks in advance

[adrodema]

Hey bro,

are you using anything else for the water column fertilization?
the typical dennerle fertilization combination is E15, gold 7 as well as something called V30.

(I dont have my ferts on hand with me now, so cant remember which is for what, though I recall one is more for macros, the other for micros)

Perhaps some other forummer familiar with the dennerle system could comment.

[geoffrey]

E15 has K. And I don't think your crypts are suffering from K deficiency. Check if you have enough CO2 using the pH and KH ratio. Does it happen to only 1 out of many crypts? It could be crypts rot too.

Dennerle does specify the dosage. Look closely among all the foreign languages, there should be a section in English, you may have missed it. Alternatively, their website has instructions for all their products too. I have long stopped using V30 and E15 but I know you alternate between those 2 every 15 days.

[Goondoo]

E15 has K. And I don't think your crypts are suffering from K deficiency. Check if you have enough CO2 using the pH and K ratio. Does it happen to only 1 out of many crypts? It could be crypts rot too.

Dennerle does specify the dosage. Look closely among all the foreign languages, there should be a section in English, you may have missed it. Alternatively, their website has instructions for all their products too. I have long stopped using V30 and E15 but I know you alternate between those 2 every 15 days.

And its also very common for crypts to melt while starting up.... speaking of which, my crypts have been melting quite alot recently.... stupid weather, bounce up and down like yoyo...

[wongteeliang]

Thank you all and sorry for the late reply.

adrodema:
No i don't have V30. but i recently started using Leaf Zone nutrient supplement.

geoffrey:
Yes i think i should have enough CO2, around 20-25ppm. The hole and yellowing don't only happen on one type, but all 2 types of crypts (pardon me for not providing info on which 2 types, cos i dunno the names).


Goondoo:
My crypts are not melting, just hole in leaf and some new and old leaves turn yellow around the tip. Some new shoots are also 1/4 translucent (from 3/4 to leaf tip) My water temp is pretty constant at 27-28 degrees.

[wongteeliang]

Maybe this will give you guys a better idea of what i'm saying. 3 weeks old, plenty of new leaves. but..... you guys see. could it be snails? i do notice that snails are multiplying fast. Btw i added 20 yamatos on the 2nd week. most of them already dead. what is wrong with them?

[geoffrey]

They don't look all that bad to me. Other than crypts, are your other plants doing fine. Could just be the start of crypt rot. What about fertilising?

[adrodema]

as for the yamato, the Ph values of your tank could be an issue; that is if the aquaclay has the same problems with aquasoil in the initial startup phase of a tank (i.e. ph swings). For this, a handy solution might be the adition of some coral chips to raise the hardness. But wait for some of the other pros for more advice lah, i could be wrong.

alternatively, could be excess co2 in your water during your lights out period, and may even be affected by your planting density.

[wongteeliang]

geoffrey,
Yeah my other plants are doing fine. How long will they take to rot? They seem to stay the way they are. Just hole and not rotting for the past 2 weeks. As for fertilising, i'm only using those mentioned. I only have PH, KH and Fe test kit.

PH around 6.8 during photo period

Fe was a little low at around 0.3ppm after adding Leaf Zone Fe increased to around 0.5ppm or slightly more, as per instruction on the sera test kit, ideal for plants is 0.5-1.0ppm.

As for KH, initially when i set up the tank about 4 weeks back (24th Mar) was 2 degrees. so in about 3 days i brought it up to 6 degrees with some powder KH+. As per sera test kit instruction also, ideal for plants and less PH fluctuation KH shoud be between 5-10 degrees. But weekly water change of 30% reduces the KH around 1 degree. I've not tried to increase the KH with KH + since the first week, so KH is now 3 degrees.

Please advise:
1) Should i change water fortnightly?
2) reduce the % of water change?
3) keep it the way, ie. 30% weekly?


adrodema,
Should i increase the KH with the powder KH+ thingy that i'm using? Or should i just leave it to stablelise itself? How long does it take to stabilise? My yamatos are dying every few days, i guess there are probably 0-3 in the tank now.

Update:
I bought 25 cardinal tetras and 2 corys on 16th April (3 days back). 3 cardinals and 1 cory has died (expensive stuff $4/cory). I fed the tetras Huey Hung Aquarium's Golden Angel - Food For Small Fishes and SOME of them don't seem to like it. They'll eat and spit out. So i bought SERA's VIPAN (Flakes) today, worse... most of them don't like it. The way it goes i'm expecting more fatality. Sianz.......... Painful to see them die... not because of $$$, but because of my failure.

[wongteeliang]

Just an update:

All fishes seem to be doing fine now. no more fatality. but plants still the same.

[geoffrey]

Patience my friend. Do a search on 'cryptocoryne rot' to see if it fit your problem.

[cyder_15]

Hi,

Apart from adding coral chips, you can choose to add sodium bicarbonate as well. My yamatos died initially as well when i first started out my tank and it has to be due to the PH swing as my PH dropped drastically low. The addition of sodium bicarbonate would be able to bring up your PH and at the same time stablise your tank.

Try to clear your snails as much as possible. The holes might be caused by the snails.

My two cents.

Cheers

[wongteeliang]

Patience my friend. Do a search on 'cryptocoryne rot' to see if it fit your problem.

OK, will do that, thanks

[wongteeliang]

Hi,

Apart from adding coral chips, you can choose to add sodium bicarbonate as well. My yamatos died initially as well when i first started out my tank and it has to be due to the PH swing as my PH dropped drastically low. The addition of sodium bicarbonate would be able to bring up your PH and at the same time stablise your tank.

Try to clear your snails as much as possible. The holes might be caused by the snails.

My two cents.

Cheers

ok thanks. btw i've cleared my snails with a little puffer fish. i'll cut away the leaves with hole this weekend and monitor.