Amazon Swords

[scottca]

ahh ok that makes sense, so are the Trace Ferts Micro nutrients? What Macro nutrients will I require? I probably wrongly assumed that the macro nutrients were just pottasium and Nitrate (the 2 nutrients that are in TPN+ and not TPN) I thought I would have enough of these as my higher than normal nitrate readings

 

[aaronnorth]

trace - micro
NPK - macro

TPN+ - NPK & trace
TPN - K & trace

maybe you do have enough, in which case more CO2 is needed to make them pearl/.

 

[scottca]

It could be my trace as I have ordered them from AE but not yet arrived so im actually not dosing ferts yet... So im missing the K (is that potassium) - Should I have ordered this from AE also as a dry fert and mixed it with my trace mix which I will dose daily? on the EI Sticky, it says you shouldnt mix the trace ferts in a stock solution with others, but some other posts I have found contradict this?

How is K formed in the aquarium, is the only way it gets produced is via the water you add at changes? am I right in thinking Nitrogen and Phoshorus are both produced as byproducts of fish waste breaking down (so I could have enough of this)

 

[aaronnorth]

potassium is bought in the form of pottasium sulphate (sulphate of potash) - KH2SO4. The K will be ok to mix in with trace. it is PO4 that doesnt go well. It reacts with the iron and becomes ferric (from Fe+2 (good) to Fe+3 (bad)). It forms a white precipitate.

K is found in tap water although usually in low amounts.

N&P are a by product of fish waste although there isnt normally enough produced unless heavily stocked like you.

 

[scottca]

Thanks Aaron, am know getting to grips with the chemical equasion behind the ferts which really helps me to understand what is going on in my tank.

I'll see how I go with the trace, will prob end up getting some Dry Potassium Sulphate from AE and adding that too. Hopefully I do have enough N&P - Time will tell though

 

[aaronnorth]

good luck

 

[scottca]

Have been dosing now for about a week, The plants have definately reacted well, the swords seem to be showing a new leaf every day! within a few days they are as big as the other established leaves!

There is still some old leaves on my plants so I need to have a good trim to cut all the bad bits off, hopefully that will help to promote new growth!

My Vallis is still having issues though, it just always seems pale and a bit weak, I have placed some API Root Tabs under the plant to see if that helps, however not sure what else to do? Its strange, they were not always like this, the first time I ever put them in the tank they flourished! but as soon as I rescaped and moved them... they went downhill, moved them again about 2 weeks ago, still havnt picked up.

How long does it take for a plant to establish itself in a new position?

Thanks,

Craig

 

[aaronnorth]

how is CO2 in that area? maybe it isnt getting distributed effectively where its new place is?