# K Deficiency?



## PhotoJon01 (Aug 27, 2007)

Attached are some pictures I took today of my plants which I believe have a K deficiency (deficiency circled in red). I am running a 47 gallon tall tank with 2 watts/gallon. I dosed my tank to 7.57 ppm (1/2tsp) K on 8/16 under that advice to keep it near 10ppm for a non-CO2 tank.

However, over the past day my Hygro Coryambosa has developed a significant amount of pinholes in old leaves and has withered new leaves. Is this a K deficiency? Should I be feeding more K?


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

Are you dosing any flourish or iron, looks like iron def, to me


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## PhotoJon01 (Aug 27, 2007)

I am dosing 3 ml Flourish once every five days. I did dose Iron about a week or maybe 1 1/2 weeks ago. I think I dosed 5 ml. I have it written down at home, but that guess is pretty close.


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## PhotoJon01 (Aug 27, 2007)

I thought pinholes were pretty much always a K deficiency?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You didn't mention what your fertilizing method is. Two watts per gallon on a 47 gallon tank is not low light intensity. So, you do need to provide all of the needed nutrients in adequate amounts. Unless you are doing that it isn't a good idea to try to guess which particular deficiency is the problem. Why not try the PPS pro method?


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## PhotoJon01 (Aug 27, 2007)

Right now I am testing on a regular basis and only fertilizing when I need to add NO3 of PO4. I do use Flourish (3 ml/5 days) and Flourish Excel (5 ml daily). I do not have pressurized CO2, yet. I will be going that route shortly. 

I am currently not using a system because I have found that the NO3 stays mostly around 10 ppm on its own and I only need to add NO3 every now and then. The PO4 also tends to stay pretty consistent around 0.5 though it fluctuates a little more.

I didn't think that any of the dosing regimes really met my needs. I don't want to dose something my fish are already doing for me. However, I would consider dosing some K or FE on a regular basis should someone suggest that, but right now I am having trouble finding someone to show me what the deficiency actually is.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I will let someone else tell you that you need to carefully calibrate your nitrate and phosphate test kits if you are going to depend on them to tell you when to fertilize.


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## PhotoJon01 (Aug 27, 2007)

I know that... If you could help with the question that would be better. Now I know why I didn't join the forum till today.


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## Error (Apr 16, 2004)

Hi Jon! and welcome to the APC forum 

Your deficiency sounds like 1 of 2 things to me. It looks like either potassium deficiency or the death of emersed leaves. Did you recently buy the affected plants? I see some sword plant leaves in your picture that look like emersed foliage. Aquatic plant nurseries often grow their stock emersed (out of water) and most plants will shed their emersed leaves soon after the plunge. 

I think we need a little more information for diagnostic purposes 

How long have you had this tank? What does your setup consist of? What kind of lighting? What kind of fish? How long have you had the affected plants? What is your dosing regimen? You know...an overview of sorts.

Anyway, if it is potassium deficiency, I would revisit your overall dosing routine and see if you've changed anything within the past months/weeks that could have reduced your potassium. I would also add some more to combat the symptoms! If you add more potassium and the symptoms get worse or remain unchanged, you know it isn't potassium deficiency.


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

PhotoJon01 said:


> I know that... If you could help with the question that would be better. Now I know why I didn't join the forum till today.


I answered above, but I guess you dont like my answer


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## PhotoJon01 (Aug 27, 2007)

Bigstick,

Why do you think it is an iron deficiency? I was simply stating that most others note that pinholes are almost always K. Do you disagree?


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Deficiency symptoms are extremely confusing. 
Supply your plants with a complete fertilizer, give it few weeks time and then judge again to improve your conditions.


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