pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

[Russ]

I have some C. ciliata among other Crypts in a heavily planted 75 gallon. It has developed pin holes in the leaves in the last 2 weeks. They've been in the tank for 8 weeks w/o problems. All other plants look good and have good growth. Any ideas? I'm wondering if I should stop the Excel or switch from TMG to another trace element product.

Tank parameters:
75 gallon tank/60g of water. Dosing: 3/4 tea. KNO3, 3/4 tea. K2SO4, 3/16 tea. KH2PO4 S,Tu,Th; 25ml Tropica Master Grow M,W,F; 12ml Seachem Excel daily; 50% H2O change on Sat. Pressurized CO2, level unknown, KH/PH chart indicates 300ppm, but fish are happy.

Thanks for any advice,

-Russ

 

[srozell]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

Pinholes are commonly caused by lack of Potassium. Increase KNO3 levels until the problem starts clearing up.

 

[colonel]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

Hey Russ... just curious is this the start of crypt rot? or are the simply pin holes forming from what looks like lack, or excess of a nutrient? I know it may be hard to tell if its just starting. Also just my personal observations.... adding Excel to a tank with press. CO2.... I dont really think there is a need for at, as the bottled CO2 should allow you to meet the plants carbon needs esily.... and you could save a lot of the Excel but thats your call. I personally do use Excel on a small 5 g. to supplement DIY CO2, and see improvements because of the limited amount of gas I can get out of the yeast reactors... but with a bottle I personally dont think it adds anything to the health of the tank.
Also as it has been recomended to me.... I'll pass it on, you really dont need all of that K2SO4, are plants are getting enough from the KNO3, and the little bit from the KH2PO4... but if it makes you feel comfortable as Tom always recomends you could add a little bit at water change to feel safe.... but really you dont need that much.
Let us know if you can tell any more about the syptoms... could possible be crypt rot starting, which could be from several things...

And hey at least its only the crypts and everything else looks good! haha, I also have a 75 gallon.... and I have just been struggling with the darn things for months now, it just doesnt want to grow healthy plants for me! Stick it out, and let us know whats going on... Im sure others here could be able to give you some more detailed advice
Matt

 

[Martin]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

Pinholes are commonly caused by lack of Potassium. Increase KNO3 levels until the problem starts clearing up.

Shouldn't that be: Increase K2SO4, if it's a lack of potassium... But from what he doses it shouldn't be potassium that's deficient. He doses more K2SO4, than i do in an 85G.

 

[Martin]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

I have some C. ciliata among other Crypts in a heavily planted 75 gallon. It has developed pin holes in the leaves in the last 2 weeks. They've been in the tank for 8 weeks w/o problems. All other plants look good and have good growth. Any ideas? I'm wondering if I should stop the Excel or switch from TMG to another trace element product.

Tank parameters:
75 gallon tank/60g of water. Dosing: 3/4 tea. KNO3, 3/4 tea. K2SO4, 3/16 tea. KH2PO4 S,Tu,Th; 25ml Tropica Master Grow M,W,F; 12ml Seachem Excel daily; 50% H2O change on Sat. Pressurized CO2, level unknown, KH/PH chart indicates 300ppm, but fish are happy.

Thanks for any advice,

-Russ

Can you please give pH/kH.... in my estimate you shuold have Ph6 & kH10 ?

what's your gH then?

 

[Russ]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

Hi folks,

I appreciate all the replies very much. I'll try to be brief, but answer your questions and comments:

srozell: That's why I'm dosing K2SO4 - for potassium. I've only been doing that for 3 weeks, which does roughly coincide with the pin holes. I started because my Alternanthera reineckii was falling apart and it is now thriving. Nothing else changed.

colonel: I don't think it's rot. The plants' leaves rotted when initially planted and then came back strong. All other crypts are doing well. I initially started using Excel to combat BBA, but noticed that my crypts were doing really well with it. I don't think my plants were getting enough potassium, I added K2SO4 and the Alternanthera reineckii started thriving again. If you look at the often quoted Sears Conlin PMDD formula it specifies twice the amount of K2SO4 as KNO3. I'm dosing an equivalent amount, but I am thinking about reducing it.

Symbiot: I've recently started dosing Seachem Alkaline Buffer or Baking Soda on water change day, but before that these are the readings: KH = 5, GH = 10, PH lowered w/CO2 = 6.0, out of the tap = PH8.2, rested 7.6.

Some background on water here: water plant geeks in the southern Ohio region have traditionally had a problem with the PH/KH chart giving any meaningful indication of CO2 levels and its got us all scratching our heads. See this thread if you're interested: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=11347

 

[colonel]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

Hye russ good to see someone else from Ohio into the hobby Im from up north farther around youngstown...
To be short I really dont know? hopefully someone else with more expierence that is a member here will be able to chime in. How ever in a quick fix you said everything else is thriving in the tank? Could try just adding some root tabs down new the affect cryps to see if that helps and it is indeed a lack of some nutrient. However I know you probably want to solve the problem and know WHY this is happening in doing so.... and that doesnt really help you there... I know.
Being in the same sort of situation my self I know how frustrating things can get when some plants really look alright, and your having a heck of a time withs others, with not the slightest clue as to why, or what to do to fix the problem.
Anyway good luck to you by the way also, do you know off hand how far away it is from youngstown to where your plant club meets down there? and is there any where I could get some information on it? I would love to learn more.... there is a local freshwater club here in youngstown, but for the most part not a whole much of intrest in plants which is to bad. Good luck to you, let us know if you figure anything out.
Matt

 

[Russ]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

by the way also, do you know off hand how far away it is from youngstown to where your plant club meets down there? and is there any where I could get some information on it? I would love to learn more.... there is a local freshwater club here in youngstown, but for the most part not a whole much of intrest in plants which is to bad. Good luck to you, let us know if you figure anything out.

I think Youngstown is about as far away from Cincinnati as you can be and still be in Ohio - 5 or 6 hours. We meet at member's homes in the Cincinnati/Dayton area, some people also come from Columbus. I'm sure you're welcome to come to any of our club meetings. To join, you simply say, "Hey, I'm a member of SWOAPE!" Anyway, I recommend you tune into our forum on APC: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/forumdisplay.php?f=96

Also, SWOAPE is less than a year old. Many of us are members of the Greater Cincinnati Aquarium Society, who weren't getting enough plant satisfaction and decided to make our own fun. Why not do that yourself and include the Pittsburgh area in on it?

 

[colonel]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

Haha, Yea that would be a better bet... I didnt realize you met in the Cincinnati area.... thats soooo far... a little bit to far! thanks!
Matt

 

[banderbe]

Re: pin holes in Crytocoryne ciliata

Why did you post this in the aquascapes forum??