# Hygrophila polysperma leaves rolling up like Rizla



## majstor76 (Feb 11, 2010)

Whats the story behind rolled leaves?










Too much light? Theres 4x 54 T5HO with reflectors


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi majstor76,

Do you have soft water, or do you use RO? Looks like a calcium deficiency.

"Distorted leaf growth twisted, bent, maybe cupped leaves. White streaks or white edges in new growth.In extreme cases leaves can grow completely white."


----------



## majstor76 (Feb 11, 2010)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi majstor76,
> 
> Do you have soft water, or do you use RO? Looks like a calcium deficiency.
> 
> "Distorted leaf growth twisted, bent, maybe cupped leaves. White streaks or white edges in new growth.In extreme cases leaves can grow completely white."


No, no RO/DI water, just tap . I know about that symptoms for calcium deficiency but i dont think its that because water here is hard.

Tap water Ph is about 8.1 and calcium carbonate is 273 CaCO3 mg/L (two years old data from water supplyer).


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi majstor76,

By "hard" water do you mean dGH hardness and not dKH? It could still be calcium a calcium deficiency if your hardness comes from a lot of Mg in you water and you Ca/Mg ratio is off. It might also be Boron; HeyPK here at APC is pretty good at spotting Boron problems. Here is where I go to start diagnosing problems.

If you haven't had the problem in the past, put it showed up now, what is different. Water change interval change? More plant mass in you tank requiring more nutrients?


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

How many hours are the lights on, and is it completely dark when they are off?


----------



## majstor76 (Feb 11, 2010)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi majstor76,
> 
> By "hard" water do you mean dGH hardness and not dKH? It could still be calcium a calcium deficiency if your hardness comes from a lot of Mg in you water and you Ca/Mg ratio is off. It might also be Boron; HeyPK here at APC is pretty good at spotting Boron problems. Here is where I go to start diagnosing problems.
> 
> If you haven't had the problem in the past, put it showed up now, what is different. Water change interval change? More plant mass in you tank requiring more nutrients?


I didnt mesure kh and gh recently (read: few years)but my tap water was about 15 dKH and 15 dGH. Not a chemist but i think thats high.
Aquarium was started a month ago and as soon as aquarium stabilised, leaves started to twist so there wasnt really any change.
Im dosing pressurised co2, default EI dosing...

Moslty upper leaves (closer to light) are curling nad browning (not rotting, just getting yellow-brown). Lower leaves dont curl and are more green.

I mean, generaly i dont really care for polysperma sice its in aquarium just till in this first phase. But, i want to Know if its some bigger problem


----------



## majstor76 (Feb 11, 2010)

HeyPK said:


> How many hours are the lights on, and is it completely dark when they are off?


Light are from 8 pm to 5 am.During the day its not pitch black but i have shades on windows because of summer heat so i would say its dark in aquarium during the day


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I asked about the lights because _Hygrophila_ produces distorted, crippled leaves when given continuous light. I don't know of other flowering plants being affected, but so far, I have only seen this effect in several species of _Hygrophila_. I also don't know how bright the light has to be over the 24 hours. I have often seen this effect on _Hygrophila_ in tropical fish stores where the lights on the tanks are left on overnight.


----------

