# Extreme nitrogen deficiency



## Themuleous (28 Mar 2009)

Could this be extreme nitrogen deficiency which I read can cause older leaves to die off very quickly in extreme cases?






Cheers

Sam


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## Themuleous (28 Mar 2009)

Never mind  I had thought I was still using the original NO3 I got years ago and that it might have been a bad batch but I've checked and Ive been using a second lot from Gardens direct for a while now, so it cant be that.

Sam


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## Graeme Edwards (28 Mar 2009)

Mate..why dont you try buying some bottled fertiliser, this EI seems to be giving you some serious grief.....is it worth the hassle? Im surprised you stuck at it for so long, but good on your for doing so.


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## Themuleous (28 Mar 2009)

Haha cheers, I think.

EI is easy, well the adding of certain ferts on certain days.  That I've got licked.  Its the rest that seems to stump me!

Sam


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## Graeme Edwards (29 Mar 2009)

Well why bother? If your struggling to grow plantys like HC etc and your constantly having problems, why not wipe the slate clean and go back to basics. Buy a bottle of TPN+ and see how you get on. Hang the EI pots up mate....
Some times trying to save a few quid here and there doesnt pay off..

Im not having a dig mate, I just want too see some happy post from you, rather than the "oh no, whats wrong " posts.....


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## John Starkey (29 Mar 2009)

Sam,

i agree with graeme on this one i found ei too time consuming so i went back to liquid ferts for ease of use,( i work all sorts of weird hours so i find liquid ferts suits me better).
Now i dose exactly what it says on the tin with the odd tweak here and there and my setup looks great,(dan is posting some pics in my journal for me on monday)

give liquids a go Sam,
regards john.
ps i use easy life profito and tpn +


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## Nick16 (29 Mar 2009)

john starkey said:
			
		

> i agree with graeme on this one i found ei too time consuming so i went back to liquid ferts for ease of use



join the club, i found it to be annoying at times esp when i go on holiday, its much easier to tell someone its 3ml of this and 2 of this rather than having about 6 diffreent bottles. 
i have to agree with graeme again.


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## aaronnorth (29 Mar 2009)

looks to be poor CO2 IMO.
I know i keep repeating myself but i am pretty sure it isnt anything ellse..


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## Mark Evans (29 Mar 2009)

Nick16 said:
			
		

> join the club, i found it to be annoying at times esp when i go on holiday, its much easier to tell someone its 3ml of this and 2 of this rather than having about 6 diffreent bottles.



my mums not what you would call Einstein, and she finds it easy to dose her/my tank with dry powders. it's not really that hard. half of this, a quarter of that......job done.


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## John Starkey (29 Mar 2009)

Hi mark,

i am not saying it isnt easy what i am saying is i find liquid ferts less hassle if i am away working  and someone else is dosing for me,

regards john.


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## Mark Evans (29 Mar 2009)

john starkey said:
			
		

> i am not saying it isnt easy what i am saying is i find liquid ferts less hassle if i am away working and someone else is dosing for me,



very true john,   when I'm away sometimes, Natalya, my wife still manages to do a great job. each to there own i guess.

i see your point though.


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## Themuleous (29 Mar 2009)

Humm thanks for all the advice  I really don't find EI that tricky at all, its very simple, just give the plants everything!  You cant really go to far wrong I don't think.  It's not just HC I struggle with, its everything and anything, I'm even in the process of killing Staurogyne!!!









All that said I have a bottle of TNP+ so I will give that a try if nothing else works.

I've removed all the fish and shrimp and am running the CO2 very high, well above a level that would kill fish (I missed two ottos, which weren't in a great shape when I spotted them).  I'm also adding 10ml of excel per day.  So there should be way more carbon than any of the plants need.

So far nothing has changed, but I'm gonna leave it a few more weeks and see.

I'm beginning to think its something in the water, but that seems unlikely.  A herbicide or something.

Sam


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## chris1004 (11 Apr 2009)

Sam what type of water are you using? Is it rainwater and if so how are you collecting it? I only ask as you mention having a rainwater system on another thread. Rainwater can cause problems if collected in a polluted enviouroment (from a lot of traffic) or from an unsuitable roof/guttering arrangement.  I can't see tapwater causing problems for plants, some fish yes, but the vast majority of plants no.  

On the second photo there is some glass hardware behind the picture of the plant looks like GSA on it which may be due to poor flow if as you suggest your co2 is high enough. Just a thought mate.

The only problem EI is causing me is that my plant growth is very fast and I am constantly trimming things down. Which I suppose is a nice sort of problem to have and I have found overall that the benifits are a great return for the time involved, IMO, so there is a lot to be said for sticking with it if you can eventually get it to work for you.


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## Themuleous (13 Apr 2009)

I was using rainwater, but I switched to RO and tap for 6 weeks and it made no difference so it would seem that the rainwater was fine.  Certainly I'm in a small village miles for large roads, industry etc. But cheers anyway 

I have actually just rescaped the tank so am going use 100% tap and just get hard water fish, probably cherry barbs.

Sam


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## Graeme Edwards (13 Apr 2009)

So how are things going mate?

Are you dosing liquid ferts yet mate?

Did you find any help from my PM's?

Boh!


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