Plant Health...

[blazinloud]

Hi all, I was wondering if you can tell me why my wisteria and aluminum plants are getting holes in the leaves??

I have fertalizer, and I did it about 3 days ago, added under what the bottle said to be safe....This is in a 10 gallon non Co2'd. Have 24 watts of florecent light on about 8 hours a day. sometimes more.....substrate is gravel........I also have a plant which i dont know the name for.....lfs recommended wisteria and the unknown one(i forgot) and said the aluminum will be iffy.....i just loved the big leaves.

So the question again is why are they getting holes..... and will they eventually recover?

 

[JamesC]

Are the holes like lots of pinholes. This is a potassium deficiency if they are.

James

 

[blazinloud]

No, its like theres a hole that starts in the middle of the leaf, then its like dying from the middle out, brown around the hole........but they are growing quite fast.

 

[blazinloud]

bump, anyone have an idea?

 

[Underwurlde]

I would go with JamesC on that one or a possible Phosphate deficiency.

Regardless, your plant are telling you they lack essential elements, start a dosing regime old bean!

(Either that or something is eating them - got pest snails in there perhaps - these are known plant hitchhikers).

GL,

Andy

 

[n3ont3tra]

I think it's a nutrient deficiency if there's brown around the holes. It could be lack of CO2, because you have more than 2wpg.

 

[Underwurlde]

I think that if there was a CO2 deficiency, this would manefest itself in a lack of, or distorted growth (with possible white calcium deposits on the leaves). So I don't think that is the cause, based on the above description.

Andy

 

[blazinloud]

I think that if there was a CO2 deficiency, this would manefest itself in a lack of, or distorted growth (with possible white calcium deposits on the leaves). So I don't think that is the cause, based on the above description.

Andy

well I have a 15 watt in the hood and a 9 watt desk lamp, too much light? or not enough....I could go buy another 15 watt for the hood......or shut the deck lamp off......and how do I get that phosphate in the water?

 

[JamesC]

......and how do I get that phosphate in the water?

I think your problem is more than just phosphate, you need to add several nutrients. Lack of CO2 is also a possibility as your lighting is borderline between needing it and not. Flourish Excel will help if you don't want to inject CO2. If plants don't get the nutrients they require they will die, just like house and garden plants. There's a product by Tropica called Plant Nutrition Plus which contains everything you need. Read the sticky about Estimative Index which should answer some of your questions.

You may get Nitrate and Phosphate from your tap water (do you know your levels) depending on where you live and also from fish food and poop.

James

 

[blazinloud]

well I have been using a product called plant gro, which is iron enriched......and i do regular water changes.....

 

[JamesC]

Most of these off the shelf fertilisers only contain the trace elements (micros). Plants also require Nitrogen, Phosporus and Potassium, NPK, which these products do not contain. There are exceptions to the rule and Tropica Plant Nutrition Plus is one of them. It contains the whole range of nutrients required.

James

 

[blazinloud]

So what would you reccomend I do? more light...or less, I could add 15 watts or take off 9....

The aluminum plant seems to be doing better than the wisteria, which is opposite of what the lfs said....?