calcium deficiency???

WAX

Junior Poster
Feb 25, 2007
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indiana
my Ludwigia glandulosa and hygro are starting to have the cupped leaves
twisted and bent leaves. so i'm thinking i have a calcium deficiency. but i have hard water. my GH is at 11 degrees. could it still need more calcium??


it really hard to tell from this pic. sorry dont have one of the hygro

pic977.jpg
 

Tom Barr

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Jan 23, 2005
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Sounds more like CO2, and given the GH.......what do you think?
Have you been adding any Mg?
Add a little of that + bump the CO2 a little.
Add a bit more traces.

Harder water requires more traces in general.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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Jan 23, 2005
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Realize that some plants are better adapted and more aggressive about nutrient uptake. When things are slightly limiting, and this does not have to be all day long, it might only be for the 1st 1-2 hours or the last, or the 1st 1/2 oif the day etc, this will cause some distortions in new growth.

New development requires not just Ca++, it requires C, N, P, K etc.
Issues with that will express in the new growth as well.

Especially if you pulse enough in/then limit it later and have this back and forth issue.
Lowering the lighting generally reduces this and bumping up the traces/CO2, maybe KNO3 a little.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Peyton

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Jul 2, 2006
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I have the same exact problem as you, with the same plant and water hardness. I have had this deficiency for months now. My tank is a 20gal long with 110w CF (that was just added last week). Before it had 55w cf and 40w t12s. I started adding 1 tsp Mgso4 and 1/8 tsp Caso4 once a week about 4 months ago. I have been dosing 7ml CSM+b (250ml h2o + 2 tsp CSM+b mix) every other day along with 1/2 tsp K2SO4, 3ml KH2PO4. My NO3 is usually around 20-40ppm.

My CO2 levels stay near 32ppm with the lowest reading being 20ppm near lights off time. It is a DIY setup though. Should I try more trace? More Ca or Mg?
 

WAX

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Feb 25, 2007
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this is what i have and give

nitrates = 15ppm
phosphates = 1.5ppm
iron = ? (no test) but add everyday
potassium = ? (no test) add 2xweek
kh = 11 degrees (tap) dont trust the test
gh = 11 degrees (tap)
x1.5 excel everyday
trace 3x week
lights = 4.1wpg but useing a glass top
co2 = 30 with a drop checker useing 4dkh
flourish x2 week

no havent been adding any mg just whats in the flourish