# (Early) signs of deficiency



## Majsa (14 Sep 2019)

What do you think, which deficiency could this be?

These pictures are from my 40L low-tech shrimp tank. Since it is now temporarily housing 35+ tiny 2,5 month old juvenile fish I have been doing more water changes than usual. I have been adding one pump of Tropica fertilisers (either Specialised or Premium) after each 50% WC (about 3 times a week). 

I was thinking of iron, but the affected leaves aren't necessarily new. The anubias is showing yellowing with green veins. The crypt leaves that turn yellow are mostly lower ones. I could just add more Tropica ferts but it would be nice to be a little more specific if possible. I have an old bottle of EasyLife Ferro and all the EI salts too.


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## Edvet (14 Sep 2019)

Iron would be newer leaves greening, just add some extra macro's and micro's. Make a bottle of micro and macro with your EI salts.


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## Majsa (15 Sep 2019)

Thanks Edvet. I already have two high-tech EI tanks on daily fertilisation, so wanted to keep this one as easy as possible (just one weekly dose after WC). It did work until now, but with the fry things changed, and I probably overestimated their bioload.

I found this old thread: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/dark-veins-is-it-magnesium-deficiency.31856/

My macro mix contains quite some magnesium too so will try that first.


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## dw1305 (15 Sep 2019)

Hi all,





Majsa said:


> The crypt leaves that turn yellow are mostly lower ones





Majsa said:


> The anubias is showing yellowing with green veins.





Majsa said:


> I found this old thread: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/dark-veins-is-it-magnesium-deficiency.31856/
> 
> My macro mix contains quite some magnesium too so will try that first.


 That is likely to be deficiency in any/all of nitrogen (N), potassium (K) or magnesium (Mg). 





Edvet said:


> just add some extra macro's and micro's. Make a bottle of micro and macro with your EI salts.


That would be the easiest option. 





Majsa said:


> but it would be nice to be a little more specific if possible.


Try adding a bit more potassium nitrate (KNO3), if that doesn't have any effect after a couple of days, add some ("Epsom Salts"). MgSO4.7H2O.

I'd be surprised if it is anything else.

cheers Darrel


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## Majsa (15 Sep 2019)

dw1305 said:


> Try adding a bit more potassium nitrate (KNO3), if that doesn't have any effect after a couple of days, add some ("Epsom Salts"). MgSO4.7H2O.



I already poured in some of my macro solution (KNO3, KH2PO4 + MgSO4), let’s see what it does!


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## dw1305 (22 Jan 2020)

Hi all,





Majsa said:


> I already poured in some of my macro solution (KNO3, KH2PO4 + MgSO4), let’s see what it does!


@Majsa what did it do?

cheers Darrel


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## Zeus. (22 Jan 2020)

Hears a pic of my Fe deficiency 




Just make it out in the veining in the anubias and quite stunning in the Pogostemon helferi with the before during and after the Fe issue


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## Majsa (23 Jan 2020)

dw1305 said:


> @Majsa what did it do?



Thanks for asking, this is how things look now. Not much difference. You can't really see it but the crypts are doing better. There was some kind of black algae on the leaf edges but that has disappeared. The few affected leaves on the anubias haven't changed, but the overal colour is good and the deficiencies have not spread to other leaves. The limnobium is not thriving, but I blame the increased humidity under the lid (I am holding new fish in there now and upped the temp to 23,5).

I used the EI mixes for a couple of weeks (didn't see much change really) and went then back to 2 pumps of Tropica specialised (2 pumps and not 1 and specialised instead of premium). The juveniles moved to the bigger tank so also went back to 1 WC a week (although have done 2x/week this month due to the new fish). I feel the tank is stable enough like this. 



Zeus. said:


> Just make it out in the veining in the anubias and quite stunning in the Pogostemon helferi with the before during and after the Fe issue



That Pogostemon helferi looks quite cool!


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## dw1305 (23 Jan 2020)

Hi all, 





Majsa said:


> You can't really see it but the crypts are doing better.


They are looking really good and healthy. 





Majsa said:


> That Pogostemon helferi looks quite cool!


Have a look at <"Pogostemon...."> for a non-stripy version. 

Personally I think @Zeus. may have stumbled upon the future of aquascaping. People are always searching for something new so why not stripy plant leaves or <"tonsured green filamentous algae">.

cheers Darrel


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## Majsa (23 Jan 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Personally I think @Zeus. may have stumbled upon the future of aquascaping. People are always searching for something new so why not stripy plant leaves or <"tonsured green filamentous algae">.



Like an aquatic counterpart of this one.


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## dw1305 (24 Jan 2020)

Hi all, 





Majsa said:


> Like an aquatic counterpart of this one.


That is a <"very expensive plant to buy">. I don't actually mind the look of that _Monstera_ as <"virally induced variegation">, but a lot of the <"variegated Aroids"> just look like horrible sickly things to me.

The aquascaping comment was a bit tongue in cheek, but it was nutrient deficiency striping that I had in mind. Horizontal stripes in @Zeus.'s  _Pogostemon, _but I think <"vertical striping could be achievable as well."> _ 



 
_
cheers Darrel


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## Oldguy (2 Oct 2020)

Majsa said:


> Like an aquatic counterpart of this one.





dw1305 said:


> I don't actually mind the look of that _Monstera_


I always check is it Monstera adansonii or obliqua, always the former.  Basically gave up expecting water plants to be correctly named. Used to keep a list of equivalent names, now just buy if it looks 'nice'


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## Zeus. (2 Oct 2020)

Zeus. said:


> Hears a pic of my Fe deficiency
> View attachment 130894
> 
> Just make it out in the veining in the anubias and quite stunning in the Pogostemon helferi with the before during and after the Fe issue



Just an update on this, we did have a user in another thread (sorry forgot who ) but they did point out that 'Pogostemon helferi' can have a tendency to grow these white leaves sometimes even when Fe is freely available to the plant.


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