Signs of Deficiencies in Plants
Mineral deficiencies are very similar as the minerals play many roles that make the symptoms quite similar.
Magnesium, nitrogen, phosphate, potassium for example are mobile nutrients and calcium, iron are immobile. Mobile nutrients can be moved within the plant (from old leaves to new) to avoid a shortage while a deficiency in immobile nutrients has an instant effect on the plant.
Symptoms & Cause
Old leaves turn yellowish / red & die off: Nitrogen deficiency
Old leaves turn yellowish / red / Leaf loss and small dead areas: Phosphate deficiency
Black / brown leaves, plants die: Excess phosphates
Yellow spots on old leaves and yellowish margins on younger leaves. Pinholes appear which slowly enlarge: Potassium deficiency
Yellowish edges on young leaves with deformations. Twisted & short roots: Calcium deficiency
Yellow spots on old leaves while veins stay green. Distorted leaf growth. (Similar to Iron deficiency): Magnesium deficiency
Young leaves turn yellow & die off: Sulphur deficiency
Yellowing of new leaves starting from the tip then become transparent. Leaves can become brittle: Iron deficiency
Yellow spots between the veins, margins and tips: Zinc deficiency
Plant stays small slow or now growth. Distorted leaf growth. Possible white deposits on leaves (calcium) : CO2 deficiency
Fish gasp for air on surface: Excess CO2
Sluggish fish no plant growth: Oxygen deficiency
Plants stop growing/ black roots: Substrate problem
New leaves have dead shoot tips & side shoots. Delicate stems. (Similar to Calcium deficiency): Boron deficiency
Dead leaf tips on new leaves: Copper
Dead yellowish tissue between new leaf veins: Manganese
Yellow spots between old leaf nerves, Brown edges. Inhibited flowering: Molybdenum
Stunted growth. Old leaves darken. Stunted root growth: Phosphorus
There are 17 essential nutrients a plant needs. These elements are:
90% of the bulk of the plant is made up form Carbon ©, Hydrogen (H) & Oxygen (O).
Primary macro-nutrients: NPK aka: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) & Potassium (K).
Secondary macro-nutrients: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) & Sodium (S).
Other elements: Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B), Nickel (Ni) Molybdenum (Mo) & Chlorine (Cl).
Additional considerations:
Carbon Dioxide (CO2): A possible source for a CO2 deficiency can be a well aerated tank. Airstones or high surface turbidity can diffuse the CO2. Excess CO2 can be a result of poor lighting (the better the lighting the easier, the CO2 uptake of the plants), or an over fertilization of CO2.
Substrate Problems: The substrate is either to loose or compacted. If agitated gas bubbles can be detected on the surface. This is also an indication that the substrate is old and in need of replacement.
Water Temperature: Plants will stop growing and die off if the water is too cold. Higher temperatures will result in smaller leaves and larger gaps between these leaves.
Lighting: Light is essential for photosynthesis. Not enough wattage or aging bulbs will stunt the plant growth. Plants look weak with small pale green leaves. Plants closer to the light will be less affected.
Hope this help,
Andy.
PS
Apologies for the 'Copy n Paste'
