# Not qute science, but... spirogyra death



## rpmsongs (Aug 22, 2010)

I just did a test on the spirogyra. I put 5 samples in plastic bags with paper towels, then poured in some DI water, then added one of each fertilizer to each bag. 2.5 ml each. I then put the bags in a white basket under a 18 w mini cf 6700k bulb. 

So, one bag had Iron, one N, one P, one k, and one with excel, ect. Then I put one in a cabinet where it wouldn't get any light. So, the samples that did the best were in the N and P bags. The ones that did the worst were the K and excel. The Iron doesn't look dead, but it doesn't look like it's really doing well like the N and P are. The samples in the N and P bags are really doing well. The sample in the cabinet isn't doing well but it's not dying either. It is mushy but still green and would probably start growing if brought back into the light. 

It took around 10 days for the results to be obvious. This could be repeated with pictures and a nice journal. Maybe I will. Another test I would like to do is to give them all the N and P the samples need and limit the light spectrum they get. One red, one green, one blue. See which sample does well, which dies. I'm actually thinking of getting one of those microscopes with the camera in it. Maybe after i get the next tank setup if I've got some cash left over.


----------



## XSVaquascaper (Nov 21, 2010)

Thanks for the help. Good to know that someone has some time on their hands.


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

So, the 'did worse' samples... Was this due to deficiency of N or P? or toxicity of what they had? 

Next step is to repeat and combine 2 ferts at a time in all the permutations. 
Bag # 1 = N + P
Bag # 2 = N + K
Bag # 3 = K + P
Bag # 4 = N + Fe
Bag # 5 = P + Fe

and so on...


----------



## rpmsongs (Aug 22, 2010)

I will definitely be doing more tests, I will test n and k, p and excell and see what happens. But, if the bag with P had no N, and The N bag had no P, and the control with no light and no ferts did so well, I'm going to guess that means there's a possibility that K and excell both have a negative effect on its cell structure... I believe I read somewhere that excel has some K in it. 

The truth is that I'm pretty sure that my problem isn't K deficiency, but just being lazy about the water changes and removing old leaves. There's a lot of garbage in my tank. I need some shrimps. I will for sure be updating this though. If I really had time I'd do pictures and a daily journal But alas, I have wake up and go to work in 7 hours.


----------

