Old Leaves or Fish Damage

[Coys]

Quite a few of the leaves of my Amazon Swords gradually become more ragged and full of holes over a period of several weeks. I cut them off when they get too bad, but I'm wondering if this is due to age (it's usually the outer leaves), mineral deficiency, which I doubt (I dose daily with Seachem Iron, weekly with Seachem Flourish and twice weekly with Seachem Trace), or fish damage, in which case the only possible culprit would be my large (4" or so) bristlenose who eats slices of cucumber like there's no tomorrow.

In the attached series of pictures the first three show typical damage and the last two show a leaf in the process of "turning" and an unaffected (recently trimmed) plant respectively.

Any ideas?

Steve.

 

[EdwinK]

Looks like a potassium or magnesium or both deficiency to me. Just checked Seachem's analytical composition and I'm almost sure.

 

[Coys]

Hmm. Maybe it's time to move to EI instead of commercial products.

Edit: Why Wait? Just ordered an EI starter kit from apf...

 

[EdwinK]

You can just add K2SO4 and MgSO4x7H2O and check if I'm not wrong.

 

[Coys]

You can just add K2SO4 and MgSO4x7H2O and check if I'm not wrong.

I started dosing EI macros today. I still have some Seachem Excel (a new 500ml bottle) and Seachem Trace left over. Is it acceptable to use them both instead of EI micros until they are gone?

 

[EdwinK]

Excel is a glutaraldehyde, source of carbon and has nothing to do with micro ferts so you can keep dosing it as long as you like. You can finish Trace and then start with EI micros. What kind of salts are you using for macros?

 

[Coys]

Excel is a glutaraldehyde, source of carbon and has nothing to do with micro ferts so you can keep dosing it as long as you like. You can finish Trace and then start with EI micros. What kind of salts are you using for macros?

Sorry, I meant Seachem Flourish (not Flourish Excel); my mistake. My macro dry salts are: KNO3, KH2PO4 and MgSO4. I'm also dosing with Seachem Iron until the bottle is empty and will then use chelated iron instead.

 

[EdwinK]

Can use it as well. You should get K2SO4 for potassium fertilization.

 

[Coys]

Can use it as well. You should get K2SO4 for potassium fertilization.

Aren't KNO3 and KH2PO4 potassium ferts?

 

[EdwinK]

No, they are nitrate and phosphate ferts. You'll get some potassium from KNO3 though. Just try and see. If that doesn't work you can get K2SO4 later.

 

[Coys]

OK, got it; I looked at the chemical composition and saw potassium in both and assumed that was sufficient. Fish and plant keeping has certainly got more technical since I had my last setup some 45 years ago.

Thanks again for your help; I really appreciate it.

 

[EdwinK]

No problem. You are welcome. Here is a good page that does calculations for you - http://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php

 

[Coys]

Cheers! I'll give it a go, but I need a Friday pint first or I'll go mad.

 

[Coys]

Back to this one again. Now injecting CO2, new LED lights (Zetlight) and dosing EI with added K2SO4 as suggested. Plant growth generally excellent (especially Crypts and Vallis), but holes appearing again in Amazon Sword leaves, although this time they seem to be concentrated towards the center of the leaves, which is also where my full grown bristlenose tend to linger.

Could the bristlenose be to blame for these holes or is it likely another deficiency?

Edit: Having problems attaching files...
Edit: Firefox problem. OK with Chrome .

 

[Coys]

 

[EdwinK]

Looks like mechanical damage.

 

[Coys]

Looks like mechanical damage.

What could cause mechanical damage to plants?

 

[EdwinK]

What could cause mechanical damage to plants?

I mean that could be fish, snail bites.

 

[Coys]

I mean that could be fish, snail bites.

Ah, OK. I'm 100% sure that there are no snails, so this charming fella is probably to blame.

 

[AndreiD]

Pictures in post #15 are pleco/ancistrus damage