Deficiency in Mineralized Soil Tank

[jcali10]

I have some damaged leaves and some peculiar leave growth. It's been over 3 months since I set up this tank, it's my first mineralized soil tank.
I'm running pressurized CO2 and about 2.5 wpg of T5 lights. This has happened very recently, since the last meeting.

The damage: I have an A. coffeeola that with 2 leaves that are yellowish and have holes. I have Hygrophilia polysperma that is curling, at the new growth on the top of the stems. I have holes in some of my Philippine Java Fern leaves, and some deformed growth at the top of a bacopa carolinia stem.

Could this be a potassium deficiency? Could the Muriate of Potash in my soil have run out? Best I can do with old 1.2 mega pixel camera.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2504/379 ... 12f278.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/379 ... aa9616.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/379 ... b4176f.jpg

Your thoughts and advise are welcome.

[SCMurphy]

Yeah, I would start adding some K to the water, not much. Maybe a little Fe for the anubius since they don't always get to root in the soil. How often are you doing water changes?

[jcali10]

I'm changing out about 30% every week, I skipped last week so I will probably do a 50% pwc this weekend.

I added 3ml of Flourish Potassium this morning. The directions call for 5ml, 2-3 times a week for 30 gallons. I have some Flourish Iron and Trace I can use and my standard PPS Pro CSM+B mix.

[jcali10]

I noticed that my Hygrophilia Polysperma Rosengrev and Bacopa Carolinia are more colorful than ever. I'm thinking this must be due to the Potassium (K2S04) I started dosing several weeks ago when I noticed holes in the leaves of my Java fern. This is not a high light tank, only 2.5 wpg. I'm not injecting CO2 right now, just dosing 3 ml of glutaraldehyde daily. So I'm assuming if you want to get your plants to color up, you should increase the amount of potassium you dose. Has anyone else ever noticed this?

[chris_todd]

I'm no expert on plant colors, but IIRC, everything I've seen (e.g., on the APC Plantfinder) about getting plants to color up involves tweaking the Nitrogen or Phosphate levels; I don't recall anyone ever saying tweaking Potassium would alter plant color. But I could be wrong. Then again, perhaps by solving the Potassium deficiency, you've allowed your plants to grow into their normal colors?

[jcali10]

I recently read that K is the main ingredient in Brighty K, which I believe is supposed to help get your plants to show more color. But honestly, I'm not that familiar with any ADA products.

[jcali10]

I've been supplementing my mineralized soil tank with K, traces, and iron. Maybe it's the combination of all 3 elements.

[SCMurphy]

A mineralized soil tank is a little deficient in water column N and P, adding the K lets the plants do their best with what's available. You naturally get the deficient N that perks the reds up. The iron and traces are mostly for the plants that can't or don't access the the soil.

[jcali10]

A mineralized soil tank is a little deficient in water column N and P, adding the K lets the plants do their best with what's available. You naturally get the deficient N that perks the reds up. The iron and traces are mostly for the plants that can't or don't access the the soil.

I was adding the traces and iron for the Java fern and Anubias and the k for everything in general.

I'm a little confused. Are you saying it's (A) the lack of N & P in the water column helps the red plants? or (B) because of the lack of N & P in the water column, the addition of the K enhances the reds? Or (C) the absense of N in the water column is what perks up the reds? Guess I'm a little thick headed, but I'm guessing B, the addition of K.