# Rotala Stunting - Why?



## DJKronik57 (Apr 17, 2006)

Can someone help me out? My rotala rotundifolia keeps stunting and has tiny leaves in my 29g tank. I dose Flourish, Flourish Potassium, Flourish Nitrogen, and Fleet Phosphorous every other day and have DIY CO2. It grows fine for a week or so, then goes back to stunted, ugly growth. Which nutrient am I missing?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Stunted growth is usually an indication of a phosphorous deficiency. Have you tested the levels to see where they are at. It could be that they are bottoming out before your next dosing.


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## DJKronik57 (Apr 17, 2006)

I don't have a kit that can test phosphorous levels, but I recently realized that I think I have been overdosing on phosphorous. I've been adding about 30 drops of fleet every other day, which may be way more than I need according to the fertilator (16ml). How many ml are in an average drop? Either way, phosphorous is definitely not the limiting factor. In fact, could an excess cause stunting or excessive algae growth? I've noticed an increase in hair algae and little tufts of green fuzzy algae since it started to stunt recently.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

Check your magnesium levels. Magnesium levels higher than 10 ppm (43 ppm as CaCO3) can stunt some plants, including some Rotalla species:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=9519

You can check magnesium levels by testing for GH, then for calcium, then subtracting the calcium reading from the GH reading.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

How many bottles of DIY CO2 are you running on your tank? If more than one, do you alternate when you change them out or change them at the same time?

My only experience with R. rotundifolia stunting is when the plant is in a CO2 deficient environment. This has happened when I moved the plant from a CO2 rich environment to a non CO2 tank. CO2 deficiency may explain why it grows fine for one week then stunts and develops smaller leaves as your DIY CO2 supply decreases. 

When checking for a deficiency I always start with light, then CO2, then NO3, then PO4. If all of those are at the proper levels you can start looking into which trace element may be the cause.


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## IceH2O (Mar 8, 2006)

DJKronik57 said:


> I don't have a kit that can test phosphorous levels, but I recently realized that I think I have been overdosing on phosphorous. I've been adding about 30 drops of fleet every other day, which may be way more than I need according to the fertilator (16ml). How many ml are in an average drop? Either way, phosphorous is definitely not the limiting factor. In fact, could an excess cause stunting or excessive algae growth? I've noticed an increase in hair algae and little tufts of green fuzzy algae since it started to stunt recently.


I dose my fleet by using a syringe. No not the ones the Drs use. One that came with a printer ink refill kit. Its broken down into ml so its easier that way. If you live near a feed store you could probably find one they would use on animals to give medicine into the mouth.

Its just easier and more precise with the syringe.


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## titan97 (Feb 14, 2005)

Standard practices says that there are 20 drops in 1mL of normal water. However, changing the density/specific gravity of the solution will alter this, as will altering the surface tension of the liquid. In my line of work, some of our wetting agents actually have around 80 drops per mL.

-Dustin


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## fabry (May 13, 2005)

Hi DJKronik57,
Besides what has already been suggested (CO2 and other macros) consider a deficiency in Micros.

In particular small apical leaves (often chlorotic and sometimes deformed) and short internodes are a typical sign of Zinc deficiency.

In the literature these signs are indicated as: 'little leaf' and 'rosetting'.

This often occurs in some of the stems only, while others (close to the affected ones) are O.K.

This is due to inefficient retraslocation between the leaves/stems.

Zinc retraslocation (and maybe also uptake) is also severely impaired by phosphorus eccess.

With cultures (not in aquarium I mean) a good advice is to always provide some Zinc togheter with phosphorus fertilizers.

Of course I cannot say this is 100% the cause of your troubles with your Rotala (without other informations and without seeing some pictures) but I think this is a possibility to investigate.

My best regards.

Fabrizio.


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