# Nickel deficiency



## kekon (Aug 1, 2005)

Nickel has been recently added to the micronutrients list. I read some articles about it in the internet. A certain man from the USA had a tree nursery and some of trees showed stunted growth, curled leaves and so called "mouse ear" effect on leaves which now are assiociated with nickel deficiency (i don't know how exactly it looks like becasue i haven't found any detailed pictures showing that). For several years gardeners were changing micronutrients ratios in their fert but it didn't help. Finally, someone added some nickel (from nickel chloride) In about 2 weeks plants recovered from deficiency producing new healthy leaves. As i've been struggling with stunted growth and deformed leaves in my tanks for 6 months i'm going to buy some nickel chloride (NiCl2 * 6H2O - it's poisonous substance) and add it to my tank. I tried everything: changing Ca, Mg levels, different ratios, dosing different amounts of TMG but all that stuff doesn't help much. I use only RO water. I also know that Flourish Trace consits some nicklel but it is not sold in my country. Nickel is needed for converting urea into NH4 in plants tissues and for iron absorption.

Here is a link about nickel deficiency:

http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/getstory.cfm?storyid=1928


----------



## Elkmor (Mar 30, 2005)

Wow, great! I'll try it too.


----------



## defdac (May 10, 2004)

*Nickel!*

That would explain why my L. glandulosa did get better undeformed new growth when I used Flourish! Never tested it with A. reineckii though.

http://aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/science-of-fertilizing/142-flourish-vs-tmg.html

I thought it was due to the fact that Flourish contained a little bit of Calcium, but CaCl2 doesn't help if I dose it alone.


----------



## kekon (Aug 1, 2005)

I would buy Flourish if i could but it's unavailable in Poland  
Some people also overcame many issues with deformed leaves and stunting after switching to Flourish most probably due to additional micronutrients:
nickel, tin, vanadium, rubidium.


----------



## Elkmor (Mar 30, 2005)

kekon said:


> I would buy Flourish if i could but it's unavailable in Poland


Buy it from http://www.gregwatson.com

P.S. I've found some *NiSO4*.


----------



## defdac (May 10, 2004)

How about baking powder?


----------



## kekon (Aug 1, 2005)

baking powder ???  
Does it consist trace elements ?


----------



## defdac (May 10, 2004)

.. and cacao and pecan nuts.

Or try to make ash out of Ni hyperaccumulator plants like Alyssum murale, Thlaspi caerulescens and Leptoplax emarginata:
http://mailman.cloudnet.com/pipermail/compost/2004-July/012306.html
http://crops.confex.com/crops/wc2006/techprogram/P17244.HTM


----------



## kekon (Aug 1, 2005)

I've found company that sells many different chemicals via internet in Poland; NiCl2 is also available. You can even buy single elements such as Mg, K, Ca etc. If it's possible i will order some NiCl2 * 6H2O and maybe some tin sulphate.


----------



## ficelle (Jun 19, 2006)

Hi,

There are nickel traces in Bio Essential from General Hydroponics Europe.

From their site : "In both we include our Bio Essential formula as the micro base. It is the most complete of its kind, incorporating elements such as cobalt, hard to find in other nutrients, but also nickel, of prime value for organic growers as well as sub micros such as silicates."

As I've been experiencing same kind of symptoms in my tank (stunted growth and deformed leaves) I've bought some and will try it in the next months at 15ml per week for a 45 gallon tank. Ni concentration is not stated on the bottle but other traces are close to TMG concentrations.


----------



## kekon (Aug 1, 2005)

I've just purchased some NiCl2 and begun to dose. I dose 0.00074 ppm Ni daily. As far as i know in natural waters (freshwaters) nickel levels are in range 0.002..0.010 ppm. In rivers of Western Europe it is 0.075 ppm. As far as i know colbalt is needed only by one aquatic plant - Azolla. I also have some CoCl2 * 6H2O (as a source of cobalt) and KI (as a source of iodine). If adding nickel doesn't give any positive results i will try with iodine and cobalt.


----------



## ficelle (Jun 19, 2006)

Already posted, sorry.


----------

