KNO3 turns to blood?

[srozell]

Has anyone noticed KNO3 turning red on the leaves of plants or on algae?

I've been playing with some carpet algae, and I have noticed that where the KNO3 lands on leaves that they get an almost blood colour on them where the KNO3 hits them before dissolving. Within an hour the colour is gone and the plants look no worse for wear.

Why does this happen?

I've been dosing KNO3 for over a year and haven't seen this in any of my tanks before.

 

[Martin]

Re: KNO3 turns to blood?

Has anyone noticed KNO3 turning red on the leaves of plants or on algae?

I've been playing with some carpet algae, and I have noticed that where the KNO3 lands on leaves that they get an almost blood colour on them where the KNO3 hits them before dissolving. Within an hour the colour is gone and the plants look no worse for wear.

Why does this happen?

I've been dosing KNO3 for over a year and haven't seen this in any of my tanks before.

some plants turn really red at high NO3 concentrations, so perhaps the plants suddenly have a huge amount available, so they suck up massive amounts very fast, and it then fades as the kno3 dissolves, and the plants uptake return to normal??

 

[Craig Tarvin]

Re: KNO3 turns to blood?

Plants are usually more red when NO3 levels are lower.