Melting Nymphea Lotus surface leaves

[TimT]

Melting leaves? Basic answer to solve this is always more CO2, better circulation/distribution, EI dosing and/or lower lights.

But what if it is only the surface leaves? And the submersed leaves of the same plant are doing exceptionally well. A new leave will reach the surface in 2-3 days (~30 cm) from being visible near the substrate and the leaves that don't break the surface grow to being much bigger than a big hand in a week. The rest of the both surface- and submersed plants are doing great in the tank!

It is my understanding that surface plants have an, almost, endless supply of CO2 from the air?

Any ideas? Is it some pests? (i have some aphids but I have never seen them on Nymphea Lotus Leaves). I hope somebody can help as it wont set a flower until it has an adequate number of surface leaves.

P8230533 by sendposttiltimpics, on Flickr

Thanks!

 

[tam]

Could it be being splashed and those are burn marks from the lights?

 

[TimT]

I see what you mean. Like a lens. Hmm, I doubt it, as it seems more related to how long the leave has been emersed. And I haven't noticed any drops on the leaves. Once it gets affected it just gets more and more. But they stay spotless for several days before being melted.

But thanks for your input!

 

[Mick.Dk]

Hi Tim
Just to let you know, the Tigerlotus needs to grow quite a big area of surface-leaves, before it will flower - much larger area, than most tanks can provide. This mean shadowing away most other plants in the tank - just to let you know, what you are into, here......
- Tigerlotus is a night-flowering species, by the way. Usually bright white and fragrant.

 

[TimT]

Just to let you know, the Tigerlotus needs to grow quite a big area of surface-leaves, before it will flower - much larger area, than most tanks can provide.

Thanks Mick, appreciate it!

It's a big paludarium with a surface area of 120x60 cm. I guess I could spare roughly 40x40 cm of that for the lotus surface leaves. Do you think that would be enough?

I actually have floating plants in 2/3 of the water area already today so I can run the light bright enough to accommodate the land plants without getting algae in the water. I mostly run java ferns, anubias and some hardy crypts under the water that can live in the shade and ambient light that gets through the floating canopy. The more demanding plants live either partly emersed or near the filter outflows where the water stream keeps the surface free from floating plants.

 

[Mick.Dk]

Sounds like a nice set-up
I seriously doubt 40x40 cm will do, for generating flower(s).........we're talking more like a square m !!! This sp. actually grow huge, if allowed.
The texture of Tigerlotus-leaves is much denser, than of the floaters - so close to NO light will penetrate.
Personally, I would choose one of the tiny types of Nymphaea, that can sometimes be found for tropic ponds, instead. These are day-flowering too!!

 

[sciencefiction]

Looks like potassium deficiency to me. The leaves are using aerial CO2 so need more nutrients too.

 

[TimT]

Personally, I would choose one of the tiny types of Nymphaea, that can sometimes be found for tropic ponds, instead. These are day-flowering too!!

Thanks again Mick! This one was the only one availble at Tropica 😉 Maybe I'll pick one up if I find a smaller one at my LFS who also do pond plants.

Looks like potassium deficiency to me. The leaves are using aerial CO2 so need more nutrients too.

You think so? I have been running full EI dosing from day 1. Could be...

 

[Edvet]

Been looking for tropical South american lilies for a long time, like N. rudgeana, never seem to find one, i think my tank is large enough for one.

 

[Mick.Dk]

The Tiger-lotus is indeed a very nutrient-greedy plant. Will allways benefit from root-tabs and rich substrate( it's an old gardening-saying, that pond-lilies should be grown in a basket, containing a dead cat !!!😀)

 

[sciencefiction]

Thanks again Mick! This one was the only one availble at Tropica 😉 Maybe I'll pick one up if I find a smaller one at my LFS who also do pond plants.


You think so? I have been running full EI dosing from day 1. Could be...

There aren't many options besides being caused by potassium deficiency if it affects just old leaves, if not, then water droplets/condensation on leaves or some sort of insects.

 

[TimT]

There aren't many options besides being caused by potassium deficiency if it affects just old leaves, if not, then water droplets/condensation on leaves or some sort of insects.

Thanks! Then the next big question is how mush I should turn the EI up to then 😕 I'm already theoretically above the suggested dosing.

 

[sciencefiction]

Can you try dosing what you've been dosing but increase the potassium only maybe?

 

[Mick.Dk]

Tiger-lotus is very good at "root feeding"..........so the obvious thing is root-tabs. These will make extra ferts accessable right at the roots.

 

[sciencefiction]

Potassium is taken mainly via the leaves/water column