# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Is this a nutrient deficiency?



## Rider (Mar 19, 2005)

I have a small natural aquarium with lots of clay / garden soil substrate. New leaves on some of the plants are yellowish, but with clearly defined dark green veins. The pH is up about 8.

Should I worry about the Ph, and if so, how to get it down? I'm new to aquatic gardening, but my outdoor gardening experience suggests that the problem might be iron deficiency caused by alkaline soil.

Any advice?

Cheers


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## Rider (Mar 19, 2005)

I have a small natural aquarium with lots of clay / garden soil substrate. New leaves on some of the plants are yellowish, but with clearly defined dark green veins. The pH is up about 8.

Should I worry about the Ph, and if so, how to get it down? I'm new to aquatic gardening, but my outdoor gardening experience suggests that the problem might be iron deficiency caused by alkaline soil.

Any advice?

Cheers


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## Sultanita (Feb 24, 2005)

Just an idea...

I had a similar problem with the one underwater plant I have, and what i did was to add a little bit of 'Miracle-Gro'... I crushed it and added what I thought was a decent amount for one plant in a 1-gallon tank. My plant seems a little happier. What do you normally do to your plants outdoor? Are you willing to experiment a little bit? I am by no means an expert, but I am trying to help.


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## Sultanita (Feb 24, 2005)

Another thing is that you might want to lower the pH by buying one of those "pH reducer formulas" from your LFS... 

Maybe plants thrive better in more neutral water?


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## superjohnny (Jul 31, 2004)

I would avoid ph uppers & reducers at all costs. Have you measured your nitrates? Is the tank getting any potassium, iron, or trace minerals? What is the hardness of your water?


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## Rider (Mar 19, 2005)

Thanks Superjohnny

I tried a "pH Down once", Two days later - green soup. Then I read the label. Phosphate. How do they get away with selling that stuff? Is there ever a time phosphate would be appropriate?

Actually, the plants with yellow leaves and green veins seem much better since I added a little chelated iron and MgSO4. In fact, some were producing visible oxygen bubbles.

Then I read your post and checked the nitrate: between 50 and 100 on my Hagen test kit. Whoa! What do I do now?


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## superjohnny (Jul 31, 2004)

pearling is great







Shoot for 10-15 with the nitrates. The only way I know to get it down is with water changes. I would think 50-100 should kill the fish pretty quickly... 50% water changes are your friend.

Phosphates can cause trouble if they get too high. Check out this thread for a good start into dosing nutrients: http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/8796060812/m/480105684

Cheers m8


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## Rider (Mar 19, 2005)

> quote:Originally posted by Sultanita:
> Just an idea...
> 
> I had a similar problem with the one underwater plant I have, and what i did was to add a little bit of 'Miracle-Gro'... I crushed it and added what I thought was a decent amount for one plant in a 1-gallon tank. My plant seems a little happier. What do you normally do to your plants outdoor? Are you willing to experiment a little bit? I am by no means an expert, but I am trying to help.


Thanks!

As you can see in another post, I added a bit of iron and magnesium, which helped. For outdoor plants, I would add lots of mulch and manure to get the pH down - and expect to keep doing it forever. That ain't gonna work in an aquarium


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## Rider (Mar 19, 2005)

> quote:... I would think 50-100 should kill the fish pretty quickly... 50% water changes are your friend...


The water is crystal clear, the plants are pearling and the fish seem to be active and happy, to my inexpert eye, but you are right: all is not well. I just noticed white spots a few hours ago - ich! So they must be stressed in some way. I've just done one 50% water change and more to come.


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## Sultanita (Feb 24, 2005)

> quote:Originally posted by Rider:
> Thanks!
> 
> As you can see in another post, I added a bit of iron and magnesium, which helped. For outdoor plants, I would add lots of mulch and manure to get the pH down - and expect to keep doing it forever. That ain't gonna work in an aquarium


Ummm... OK. I did not mean quite literally... I meant it as in how it would work for an aqua-plant as opposed to the outdoor plants. You know I would water my outdoor plants regular, but not really my underwater plants... :} You know, maybe some mulch and manure (to a very tiny little extent) might be helpful ANYWAY. They still somehow manage to get to natural lakes and rivers, right? and i am sure they help the plants... Just don't do it forever!







And don't add enough to where you'll choke your fish!

But in all seriousness, some nutrients are good. You have to remember that this water is really not moving that much (except for the 50%water changes, it is stalled water) so the environment is pretty stable for the most part.

As for the pH reducers from the fishie stores, I have learned my lesson to never recommend something I have not done myself.


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## mrmag (Jan 12, 2005)

pH drops, albeit unpredictably, if you use a substrate with peat. Might be too late already if you substrate is in, but mine is around 7.0 while it is 8.0 out of the tap. 

The masses will probably tell you this is a bad idea, but I'm not experiencing any unusual problems. The pH did drop considerably the first 2 weeks, but I had no fish. This could be solved through regular water changes at first, then cutting back as pH stabilises.


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