Iron or co2 deficinecy help to have healthy plants with inert substrate

[AquaRookie]

Aquarium Setup Summary (2 Weeks Old):

• Tank Size: 190 litres (dosing calculated for 150 litres, considering hardscape and substrate displacement)
• Lighting: Azur 100W LED
  • Duration: 6.5 hours/day (10:00 AM – 4:30 PM)
• CO₂ Injection: Pressurized CO₂ via ISTA diffuser
  • Rate: ~3 BPS
  • Timing: Starts 1 hour before lights on (9:00 AM)
• Substrate: Inert black gravel
• Filtration: Sunsun 303B canister filter
• Water Parameters:
  • TDS: 160–180 ppm
  • Magnesium: 6 ppm added post water change

---

Fertilization Routine:

• Macros (4x/week + extra on WC day):
  • NO₃: 4.5 ppm
  • PO₄: 2 ppm
  • K: 7 ppm
  • Double dose on water change day (Sunday), two additional doses spread during the week
• Micros (4x/week on alternate days):
  • CSM+B with Fe dosed at 0.07 ppm as reference
• Water Change:
  • 50% every Sunday

---

Current Issues:

• Poor plant growth
• Pale and small leaves
• Leaf curling observed

 

[AquaRookie]

attached multiple pictures for your reference @ceg4048 ,@dw1305

 

[Bradders]

Hello,

1. With the inert substrate, it would be a good idea to 'feed' it with some capsules. (There is no root food).
2. 2 weeks old is immature aquarium (and you see problems) but I would suspect that issues this early its nutrition problems.
3. I dont know if the tank is cycled, therefore high ammonia?
4. Greenstuff on the hardscape is good,, but more to do with water column feeding.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

attached multiple pictures for your reference @ceg4048 ,@dw1305

The white new growth new growth is very likely to be iron (Fe) deficiency.

Do you have hard, alkaline water? If you do? Most forms of iron addition will be unavailable to plants.

Cheers Darrel

 

[Fishfur]

Look at what you’re using that has iron in it & see what it says about chelation and/or the chelators in it.

Chelators are affected by pH. I think the most commonly used chelator is probably EDTA but the strongest one is EDDHA - which will keep Fe available up to ph 9 and as low as pH 3.

The abbreviations may seem awkward until you see what they’re short for.

The most commonly seen chelator is EDTA but it’s only good to about pH 7.

There’s also DPTA which is effective up to pH 7.5.

If possible you’re best off with EDDHA simply because it covers the widest pH range.

 

[AquaRookie]

Hello,

1. With the inert substrate, it would be a good idea to 'feed' it with some capsules. (There is no root food).
2. 2 weeks old is immature aquarium (and you see problems) but I would suspect that issues this early its nutrition problems.
3. I dont know if the tank is cycled, therefore high ammonia?
4. Greenstuff on the hardscape is good,, but more to do with water column feeding.

I did added root capsules in past but it did not helped

Tank looks cycled as fishes i added and they are doing well even water is also crystal clear

 

[AquaRookie]

Hi all,

The white new growth new growth is very likely to be iron (Fe) deficiency.

Do you have hard, alkaline water? If you do? Most forms of iron addition will be unavailable to plants.

Cheers Darrel

I am not sure if water is alkaline i do monitor tds which is approx 150 from tap water i add mg 6 ppm for safety
I thought its due to unavailability of iron due to edta fe switched to dtpa fe mix3 days back

 

[AquaRookie]

Look at what you’re using that has iron in it & see what it says about chelation and/or the chelators in it.

Chelators are affected by pH. I think the most commonly used chelator is probably EDTA but the strongest one is EDDHA - which will keep Fe available up to ph 9 and as low as pH 3.

The abbreviations may seem awkward until you see what they’re short for.

The most commonly seen chelator is EDTA but it’s only good to about pH 7.

There’s also DPTA which is effective up to pH 7.5.

If possible you’re best off with EDDHA simply because it covers the widest pH range.

I can add eddha iron but it changes color of water and with co2 my ph goes down than 7