# Early Calcium deficiency



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Here is a picture of very early signs of calcium deficiency in Vallisneria. Note the little waves in the leaves marked with arrows. As the deficiency gets worse, the waviness of the leaves gets more pronounced until they look as though they got jammed into a small space as they tried to lengthen. White streaks appear and the leaves are much shorter and highly crinkled. Then the leaves get mostly white and very distorted, Then the growth region (meristem) dies. See the picture


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## BigFoot (Jan 3, 2005)

I have been here before except that i wasn't short on Ca. So what causes it when your not short on Ca?


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Adding calcium to the water column (by adding some lime) sped up the growth a lot and reduced the waviness in the new growth. The waviness was not totally eliminated, however. This particular variety of Vallisneria came from a river that has a lot of snails. Very likely, the river bed substrate the plants grow in is full of snail shells. It may be that the best way to get calcium to these plants would be to have it in the substrate. What I should try is to grow some in a soil substrate to which some ground up egg shells have been added. Maybe the plants really get calcium the best with their roots.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Here is a picture taken 14 days after the first picture. The calcium was added to the tank about 10 days ago. The Vallisneria has responded to the calcium and grown very rapidly and is now producing long leaves. In a few plants, there is still a little waviness, but most plants look fine. The Sagittaria has grown a lot, too. See the picture See earlier picture (two weeks ago)


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## BigFoot (Jan 3, 2005)

How high is your calcium now? I got 50 ppms and mine are showing signs like yours and also turning red.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I will do a calcium test tomorrow and get back to you. With these vals, it seems that they need a lot.


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## BigFoot (Jan 3, 2005)

What happen to the test?


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

My calcium level is 125 ppm expressed as CaCO3. I used the LaMotte hardness test kit, which is able to test for just calcium or for total hardness, which is calcium plus magnesium. This is after I added the lime. I should have done a calcium test before. The Vallisneria looks pretty good now, and it is growing very rapidly.


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## BigFoot (Jan 3, 2005)

My Vals shows signs at 50 ppm i am starting to add Ca slowly. I ll post when they stop showing.


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