Problem with holes in leaves and leaves falling off

[tcampbell]

Well I have been dosing EI for a couple of months now, started it just to see if it would make growth better and it is cheaper then buying all the bootles of liquids.

CO2 levels constant. Plants start bubbling with in an hour+ of lights coming on, and continue after CO2 is shut down for the last hour of lights.

Fish happy and plants are growing well. Not super, super fast but they are slow growers.

Problem is holes in leaves and leaves falling off.

C02 and Light schedule.

Co2 comes on one hour before lights
Lights on 150 watts for 8 hours
Co2 shuts off 1 hour before lights out

EI
M, W, F, S
3/4 TSP KNO3 (previously 1/2 tsp but thought maybe too little is the problem)
1/4 tsp Kh2Po4(previously 1/8 tsp but thought maybe too little is the problem)

T,Th, Sun 1/4tsp CSM Plantex
10 ml Fe dosed once a week

Tank is a 90cm / 45 cm / 45cm

pictures attached of plants and leaves.

Based on what I am doing things should be going well, but ever couple of day I have a net full of leaves to collect which are floating at the top of the tank, and the leaves have all these holes.

Tanks has been running well for a while, and no sudden changes It is actually a 3 year old tank that was slowly converted to a planted tank and then a higher tech planted tank.

Temp constants 26 degrees.

any help appreciated

[|squee|]

Weird, the only thing I can think of is you probably have a lack calcium/magnesium. Or the ever-present problem: CO2. Even though your plants are bubbling you could try raising it still higher to see if things improve.

What does CSM contain?

[CK Yeo]

AFAIK, holes in leave is a K (potassium) deficiency and will show in the older leaves, though Mg (magnesium) overdose might block K uptake as well. Mg deficiency will show yellow old leaves. Ca (calcium) will show crumbled new leaves.

The proportion of K in KNO3 and KH2PO4 should be sufficient for most aquatic plants. Are you seeing this in all the plants or only in Hygrophila? Up the K levels a bit through some K salts (e.g. K2SO4, potassium sulphate) to see if there is any improvement.

Upping CO2 will probably not help in this case.

ck

[tcampbell]

Problem is only in Hygrophila. Has been for months. Great new growth on it but just can't keep leaves. On the bottom of the plant now leaves are constantlybeing formed, but many are falling of. Most larger leaves have holes and look like the picture I state, smaller new leaves have great color and no problems, grow then develop problems.

C02 level I know is fine, and increasing it mor I can't see helping as the plants are growing, many of the other plant growing fast as expected in a well fert and high CO2 tank, just these leaf problems on Hygrophila (if that is what it is)

could it really be Ca or Mg lack. I though in most cases water changes and food plus trace elements would take care of this? Or should I be adding Mg and Ca? (more things to add)

Plantex CSM+ is a Micro Nutrient Trace Mix.

Regular CSM CSM+B Mix
Fe 7.0% 6.53%
Mn 2.0% 1.87%
Mg 1.5% 1.40%
Zn 0.4% 0.37%
Cu 0.1% 0.09%
Mo 0.05% 0.05%
B 0.0% 1.18%
Co 0.0% 0.00%

[|squee|]

Well there are a couple of things you can try. You gotta make sure all possible nutrients are covered, then your CO2. Light-wise you've got enough, temperature is great, so the only possibilities left are nutrients, CO2, and the very obscure probability of aquatic plant disease.

[tcampbell]

Disease is not an issue I am sure.
CO2 being a issue would be strange. C02 levels are constant and well, and all other plants as well as these are growing well and pearling, new leaves are forming just old (middle size and larger) have holes and falling off.

So that leavs Nutrients. If I am following Ei (which I am)

40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week ( I dose 3/4tsp)
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week (I dose 1/4tsp)
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week (I does 1/4tsp)
50% weekly water change (I do this)

I increased the doses to reflect the 50G tank, and to make sure I cover all the basics as I started EI when I notced these problems, and originally following the 1/2tsp KNO3 and 1/8tsp KH2PO4 but problems kept occuring so increased.

Then all nutrients should be covered. I will try buying and adding Seachem K and see if that is a sollution.

I might try and take one of these plants to my low tech tank and see how things go