Pinnatifida help

[Geoffrey Rea]

26.2mg/l estimated average from water report in the tap. Cut that to a quarter for mixing with three quarters RO, so 6.55mg/l NO3 in the water change water.

Dosing APF’s standard EI measures throughout the week should keep NO3 above 20ppm from the second day. First day I dose micros after water change to take advantage of the very low phosphate levels to aid iron uptake and good estimated calcium to iron ratio. Negates the need for more stable chelated iron sources. If it’s a serious trim seaweed extract for the hormones at water change as well.

TDS starts at the 200-250 at water change and 300-350 on the seventh day before next water change.

If water change is straight tap TDS is always above 400-450 at start of the week.

 

[Zeus.]

D Wong has a guide on H Pin here 😉

 

[Zeus.]

I wonder if High [NO3] could be causing this pinhole/melting issue

 

[Konrad Michalski]

I wonder if High [NO3] could be causing this pinhole/melting issue

Pinholes are usually caused by low potassium level.


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[Zeus.]

Pinholes are usually caused by low potassium level.


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Yes, but like D Wong says if your K levels are not low move on to something else

 

[tiger15]

Read Dennis Wong’s profile on the plant. Pin holes are not necessarily caused by K deficiency. Excessive iron can cause it too.

https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/plant-guide-hygrophila.html.

I am not sure why so many people failed with this plant. I suspect this plant needs higher light than the profile says. For those who are successful with this plant, what light do you have.

 

[Konrad Michalski]

Read Dennis Wong’s profile on the plant. Pin holes are not necessarily caused by K deficiency. Excessive iron can cause it too.

https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/plant-guide-hygrophila.html.

I am not sure why so many people failed with this plant. I suspect this plant needs higher light than the profile says. For those who are successful with this plant, what light do you have.

Never heard of high Iron causing pinholes, especially not in case of pinnatifida. Lighting shouldn’t be a problem as sometimes plants in my tank are so overgrown that it’s nearly completely dark at the bottom of the tank where pinnatifida still grows absolutely fine.


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[sparkyweasel]

Dennis Wong’s profile, that tiger15 linked to, says that excessive iron can cause curled or twisted leaves. And that "holes in older leaves can be tied to a number of issues, not just potassium" but doesn't say what those issues are. "Many factors contribute to the health of aquatic plants - availability of CO2, as well as all other nutrients" doesn't narrow it down much either.

 

[Guest]

I wonder if anybody can shed any light on the following.

I have pinnatifida in my tank from tissue culture attached to ricks and wood. It seems to do well for a while sending out side shoots and growing well then seems to deteriorate. The leave appear to get tiny holes in them and fall off and the stems seems to rot?

I assume the holes may represent some form of deficiency? Everything else in the tank seems to be growing well and not showing any deficiency.. I dose regularly using my own salts micro and macros

Anybody have any thoughts on this?
Thanks

This question has been asked a lot down the years. From what I've gathered, truth is no one really knows why 😵 I've read all sorts unsubstantiated explanations as to why H. pinnatifida doesn't grow properly, suffers tissue necrosis, develops pinholes etc. None of them are particularly helpful.

One popular theory is micronutrients toxicity. Micronutrients can be toxic in high concentrations but this is unlikely, and there is often no real evidence to suggest this is true and most explanations don't offer any reference to peer reviewed scientific literature to substantiate the claims. Another theory is micronutrient deficiency preventing the plant uptaking or metabolising K. Yet another is it doesn't like hard water...

I like @Geoffrey Rea explanation above. Either way I've found H. pinnatifida can sometimes be a bit temperamental, it likes high light, high CO2 conc., and it is relatively fertz hungry. Last lot I had developed pinholes. My solution was to up my entire fertz dose, problem solved. No more holes in new leaves.

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

I like @Geoffrey Rea explanation above.

It’s what has made sense from personal experience @Guest . Interested in other people’s experience too just like the OP.

Pinnatifida reminds me of strawberry plants with its runners and how it behaves. If either get cut they react and adapt rapidly:



It’s about survival, not what looks lush in your tank. How you cut Pinnatifida is as important as fertilisation is basically the argument I’m presenting. Stimulation and response.

The suggested target ratios suggested to the OP were just something to try if they were already using RO. Ideal for nutrient uptake for most species from what I’ve seen. But equally tap water with potassium sulphate dosed alongside micros on micro day works well in hard water areas. I just change water every four to six days instead. It gets used in the gardens anyway so double use effectively.