NO3 Stress

Hola Guido,

Welcome aboard!

Could you provide a bit more detail on the # of bulbs and wattage you are using? 2 or 4 bulbs?

Could you also provide more detail on your c02 diffusion method and how you determine your approximate c02 level?

I can't honestly see the point in specifically limiting a plant nutrient to adjust color. Tom and many others use full EI fertilizing method which provides NON LIMITING amounts of all nutrients, and they have great color and growth.

I think your issue is more likely insufficient c02/nutrient levels for the light you are providing. You also need to ensure that you have good current and flow in the tank to ensure that all plant leaves get some movement. This will help ensure that nutrients are available to the plants and that waste products are washed away.

Light is what drives plant growth and thus c02 and nutrient demand.

If any of these are limited (and c02 usually is) the plants will not grow or color optimally.

You may want to read this thread about different fert routines. The EI method using dry ferts and mixing with water to dump in the tank and a 50% weekly water change to reset the nutrient levels in the tank is cheap and easy.

http://www.barrreport.com/co2-aquatic-plant-fertilization/3205-fertilizer-routines-one.html

for dry ferts:

Welcome to Planted Aquarium Fertilizer

Hope this helps,

 

This is an issue I've been looking at. You can drop out nitrates to push red in some plants; it works well temporarily, then the deficiencies catch up. I've tried doing it mildly without much success; the plants got a little bit of a copper color.

Personally I don't think NO3 limitation is the only way to get red. I've had red in high NO3 tanks but not others with the same species, but I don't know why. Lighting doesn't seem to answer the issue either; I've had red in low light, green in high.

This is a topic I've been playing with for a while, and haven't gotten very far. Here's a thread from a few months back that I made on the subject:
http://www.barrreport.com/general-plant-topics/5818-so-what-makes-red.html

-Philosophos

 

Here's an article that I believe is related to the topic:

http://www.jbc.org/cgi/reprint/267/12/8260.pdf

I'm not sure what they're talking about through most of it, but someone else might. All I can get is something about controlling the production of chlorophyll and carotenoids.

-Philosophos

 

Although many people say it doesn't work, I have found supplementing Iron increases reds in my plants. I have experienced this with Rotala wallichii. Maybe it was a deficiency that I was now meeting, or maybe it was an abundance...I'm not sure.