# Black Edges on leaves



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Normally what is the reason/fert deficiency for black edges on leaves. As some of you probably know by other threads I'm having a problem with my stem plants not growing, most notably stargrass and rotala rotunda. Although my wisteria is growing great it is showing some black edges and I'm wondering what this means. Thanks!


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Post some pictures & it will be easier to understand what's going on.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Sounds like the beginnings of BBA... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/algaefinder.php?do=view&id=7

Posting pictures is a good idea and would help narrow it down.


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## Erirku (Oct 5, 2004)

Normally, stargrass, is a very, very fragile plant. When I got the plant, it was sitting at my job bagged up for a day, and when I took it out, the melting process was begining. As I went on putting it in the aquascape, I noticed that the edges and the leaves were turning black, as it was melting in my tank. But I wouldn't worry too much, because it always bounces back. Also, when I do WC, I notice that I get black edges after I'm done. Too me, it's too fragile, for WC also. Hopes this helps.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

*Stargrass Pics - Good and Bad/ugly*

Here's a couple of pics, During the first 45 days or so the plant was growing beautifully - elgonated leaves, no black. Here's a pic:



Afte about 60 days or so the plant looks like this (not a great pic), but the leaves are small, compact and all have black markings. It doesn' look like BBA at all.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Well, whatever it is, I have the same thing in my tank. I'm starting to suspect that it's cyano since it rubs off easily and has a kind of swampy smell. I had a very similar looking algae before I got my CO2 figured out that was impossible to rub off. I'm pretty sure that was BBA.


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## Pieter (Jul 3, 2005)

Hello,
I'm pretty sure the black edges are not algea.
I now it occurs when the plant does.t get enough light or when the nutrient levels in the water are to low. Especially nitrates I believe. You might have to check your Co2 levels too.
It is a deficiency, not an algea.

Pieter


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I agree that it's a deficiency I've seen cyano and bba hard to tell from pick but I have almost no algae in my tank. Co2 is consistently in the 30 to 35ppm range. 

I have retested my no3 with the PPS and it looks like I was running pretty lean, so I upped my kno3 dosing which makes sense especially with stargrass. My only question is will the plant restart. It's like it's frozen, not growing and not dying or do I have to buy new stems.


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## cattleman (Sep 4, 2005)

Houseofcards: I have had that EXACT experience with stargrass and I agree it is probably Trace or no3. Its not Algae. I am very intrested in solving this one. Please keep us updated when you figure it out! Tom, care to diagnose this one?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Well, do Cattleman.

I'm in my first week of doubling my no3 dosing. So hopefully it will revive. 
I guess it could be traces. I've dosed flourish and flourish trace, plus I have an eco complete substrate so my guess in my situation is the no3 but who knows.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Yes, it will bounce back if the proper conditions are provided. Almost any plant will. 

Besides nitrate and co2, you should definitely add more micr nutrients. I suspect that you are short in that area.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks Cavan.

I've been dosing about 5ml flourish and flourish trace 3/weekly. The tank is a 72G, plus I have the eco. Is that still low in your opinon.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Yes, very low. 

For one, you cannot count on substrates (except perhaps ADA stuff in the first months) to provide enough iron and other micros in a high light tank. I don't care what anyone says. You just can't. Eco and Flourite are good substrates and do provide iron, but can't keep pace in a tank like yours. There was a tank in a store some of us went to at the 2003 AGA convention that had a Flourite substrate and some very pale and whitish plants. The guy maintaining it was under the impression that it would provide all the iron the tank needed. 

You mean that you add a combined 5ml Flourish and Flourish Trace three times a week? Don't worry about the Trace. I'd start with maybe 5mls of the Flourish and an equal amount of Flouish Iron every day (or the every other day equivalent). See how that goes and back off a tad if you start to see thread algae. You'll probably see better color in your rotundifolia and definitely bigger leaves.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I've seen lots of people dosing Flourish at 1 ml/gallon/week. If you read the directions this seems a little scarry, but my plants seem to need it. For my 46 gal I'm trying 40 ml/week divided into every-other day dosing. Tom Barr has recommended ranges in the 1.0 - 2.0 range, about 20 times higher than most people used to recommend.

I suspect that someday, someone will figure out a cheap and consistent way to dose the most optimal form of iron. I think it's the poor availablilty of the correct chemical form that contributes to the problem. Who's to say we're not missing other minute forms of traces in various comerical mixes too?


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