About Doug Ludemann Expertise I can answer most questions about American and African cichlids, including sexing, husbandry, and "odd occurances". I have a fondness for underwater plants and planted "display" aquariums. I am very comforatble with the chemical & ecological aspects of aquariums; and can usually explain things simply and clearly.
Experience I had a cichlid breeding enterprise that I maintained for a year and a half. I've kept aquariums for over 15 years, and worked at aquarium stores for almost 10 years. I currently go to school and volunteer at the Shedd Aquarium. I've done aquarium maintenence (for doctors offices and private homes). Currently, I have a fondness for Geophagus (american cichlids), and am keeping them in a 155gal (paid for by my cichlid breeding venture).
Education/Credentials B.S. Ecology, Evolution, and Animal Behavior from University of Minnesota
Graduate Certificate in Zoo and Aquarium Studies from Western Illinois University(Shedd Aquarium)
Question A while ago you helped me with some plant troubles. My last question had something to do with the leaves of my radican swords. They arn't looking like they should. They are turning brown and eventually disigrating into nothing. From what I know it is a combination of problems. I could have too much or not enough iron, magnesium and potassium and other nutrients, or not enough light or to much CO2. I can't fugure it out.
I have 3.7 watts per gallon of light and a CO2 reactor. I fertilize once a week with the Flourish comprensive fertilizer. I turn my CO2 reactor off at night and I leave my light on for about 14 hours. Whats wronge?
I think that even with all of these nutrients there isn't enough iron. Flurish also makes a pure iron fertilizer but I don't know if I should get it. It says on the bottle "If used with Flourish iron supplement plants will look great." I thought that the Flourish I bought had enough iron in it.
Thanks,
Nicholas
Answer I believe the term that describes the leaves on your swords is "chlorotic". Its caused by an iron defeciancy.
You've got plenty of light, and the CO2 & light schedule sounds fine.
The fertilizer you're using does not supply iron, damn that's alot of typing.
Still, many plants will not be able to use iron from the water column, and must take it up through their roots. Depending on the number of varieties of plants you are keeping, I would iron supplement both the water and the gravel as well. You can buy liquid iron supplements and they should be used in conjunction with the other fertilizer, they will deliver iron to plants that derive it from the water column (ie. most bunch plants, anubias, java). You can also buy different types of supplements that will deliver iron, fertilizer, or both directly to plants rooted in the gravel (ie. swords, crypts, etc). These must be pushed into the gravel at regular increments or directly underneath rooted plants depending on tank size.
That's the short answer. I also pasted in a page that I got off the net, it should give you an insight into what you're doing with all these fertilizers and supplements. (the links should still work)
Good Luck!
Aquarium Plant Fertilization
Fertilization of aquarium plants has been a problem from the start because of the varied and specialized habitats that the plants come from. Aquatic plants have special adaptations for the uptake of water and nutrients. The watery environment also offers nutrients differently to normal plants.
Nutrient Absorption
To know what nutrients to give aquatic plants it will help to understand how they absorb nutrients. Generally aquatic plants can absorb nutrients through their leaves and their root systems unlike normal terrestrial plants that absorb most of their nutrients from their roots.
Generally aquatic plants have a very thin or no cuticle on their leaves and stems as they are in no danger of drying out. This helps with absorption of nutrients as well but also makes the plants more vulnerable to damage and disease.
What Nutrients
All plants require an uninterrupted supply of 14 nutrient elements to grow properly.
These are the Macro-nutrients:
• nitrates (N)
• phosphates (P)
• calcium (Ca)
• chloride (Cl)
• sodium (Na)
• magnesium (Mg)
• potassium (K)
• sulfates (S)
And the micro-nutrients:
• iron (Fe)
• boron (B)
• copper (Cu)
• zinc (Zn)
• molybdenum (Mo)
• manganese (Mn)
All these nutrients are needed by plants but the proportion they are given to the plants in is where aquarium plants and normal plants differ. I am not going to talk about each indivdual element but rather the macro and micro-nutrients as a group.
Algae is the Enemy
Normal fertilizer mixes made for garden and pot plants are made with large quantities of the macro nutrients and small portions of the micro-nutrients.
These are unsuitable for the aquarium. The main reason being that these cause algae blooms.
Algae is one of the main problems in aquariums and is normally from incorrect fertilization. Algae needs large quantities of macro nutrients and if it gets these they will generally grow wild and cover the glass and plants ruining your chances of getting a good looking aquarium and also choking your plants.
Plant Fertilizer mixes
A good aquarium plant fertilizer mix differs from a normal fertilizer by having very few or no macro-nutrients. The main reason for this is algae as mentioned above.
The macro-nutrients in the aquarium should come from water changes (tap water normally has all these nutrients in small amounts) and small amounts from the fish. Water changes should be done at least every 2 weeks and about 15% should be drained and replaced. This should supply sufficient macros.
The micro-nutrients are different and are normally in short supply in tap water. The other problem with the micro-nutrients is that they are very unstable in their inorganic form and normally precipitate and become unusable.
The Chelate Breakthrough
The discovery of an organic molecule the chelate which binds to metal-ions tightly allowing them to be dissolved in a water solution with no precipitation so making the nutrient available to the plant. This very important for aquatic plants which normally have a very large appetite for iron and may need as much as 4ppm to allow healthy growth without chlorosis.
Chelate Types
There are six types of chelates important to hydroponic growth but only two that need to be mentioned for aquarium plants both for production and in the aquarium.
EDTA (Ethylene-Diamene-Tetra-Acetic-acid) is the first and most commonly known. This is not ideally suited for aquatic plants because it is unstable at a higher pH than 6.0 and generally aquarium conditions are between pH6.0 and pH8.0. This is also a cheaper chelate and so is unfortunately used to cut costs, so absorption is limited.
DTPA (Dethylene-Triamine-Penta-Acetic-acid) would be a better choice and should be more widely used because it is stable up to a pH of 7.5. This is within the aquariums conditions.
A Good Aquarium Plant Fertilizer
When looking for a fertilizer as a very general rule look for:
1. Preferably a liquid
2. Low or No macro-nutrients
3. High Iron (Fe) in the chelated form
4. All the other micro-nutrients also in a chelated form if possible
There is still a lot of experimentation needed in the aquarium but the plants are getting to be of a higher quality all the time and people are putting more time into the development of fertilizers.
It must also be noted that fertilizers for the production of aquarium plants are not suitable for the aquarium and will cause problems (mainly algae).
I found this post on the internet in one of the aquaria groups. Sounds
like a great idea for DIY CO2, although I haven't tried it.
====
I have been watching people describe their version of a yeast system on
the newsgroups for some time and have yet to see the system I have put
together described. So here it is for those of you out there that are
looking for a cheap easy to setup, no maintenance system that works
great and keeps on working.
Visit a local wine making supply store. (check yellow pages)
Purchase:
5 gallon Glass Carboy (10-13 dollars)
Rubber air lock stopper size 6.5
a few packet's of champagne yeast (very important to use this type) (1
dollar a packet)
A packet of yeast energizer (2-4 dollars)
Steps
1-Fill the carboy with warm water 1/2 full.
2- Add 10lbs of sugar
3- Add Yeast Energizer and mix well
4- Top up carboy with water to 3/4 full
5- Dissolve the yeast in a cup of warm water, let it sit for 1/2 hour
6- Pour yeast into carboy, DO NOT STIR.
7- Install rubber stopper
8- Insert a length of plastic airline into the hole in the rubber
stopper and silicone in place.
9- Drain the aquarium water a couple of inches below your powerheads.
10- With a red hot piece of metal melt a hole in one of your UG filter
lift tubes 2" below your powerhead the size of the OD of the plastic
airline.
11- Insert the end of the airline coming from the carboy into the hole
in the lift tube and glue in place if necessary.
12- Put the carboy behind the tank or under your stand and leave it
alone.
13- Fill your tank
After about 6 hours the yeast will begin fermentation on the sugar and
carbon dioxide formation will begin. As the pressure in the carboy
builds bubbles will be released into the water stream before the
powerhead. The powerhead will bust these bubbles into millions of tiny
bubbles that will allow the water to absorb the co2 faster than a single
bubble line would have. Because you used champagne yeast the
fermentation process will continue longer after the sugar is consumed.
These yeast will stay active in high alcohol levels unlike other yeast's
that die off rapidly. This one batch will produce bubbles for 4-6
months. If the action slows dump a cup of sugar into the carboy at any
time and it is off and running again at full steam. I have been using
this set up for years, basically because i make homemade wine and have
the supply's laying around the house. My water sparkles from the oxygen
coming off the thriving plants. The only drawback is you cannot
restrict the flow of c02 unless you vent it to the air with a bleed
valve, and this may smell yeasty in a confined area. I let mine run
unrestricted and have no complaints. I did however lower my co2 power
head 3" from the gravel and let it spray a wall of tiny bubbles, looks
like a mist across the back of the tank. It looks like an air stone
across the back of the tank and keeps the c02 in contact with the water
longer.
Hope this helps those of you out there planning to build a bubbler.
Good Luck
Mike
..
PMDD PRIMER
WHAT IS THIS PMDD STUFF ANYWAY?
The concept of PMDD comes from the Sears/Conlin paper in which it was determined that in planted aquaria which have an excess of all plant nutrients BUT with limited phosphate, plants are able to outcompete algae. This results is healthy plants and little or no algae in the tank. The name PMDD is short for "Poor Man's Dupla Drops", a reference to an inexpensive homemade nutrient program. The beauty of PMDD is that it can be tailored to the needs of each specific aquarium. It can be mixed to contain any or all required nutrients.
WHAT IS IN PMDD?
2 Teaspoons (~14g) K2SO4 (potassium sulfate)
1 Teaspoon (~6g) KNO3 (potassium nitrate)
2.5 Tablespoons (~33g) MgSO4-7H2O (fully hydrated magnesium sulfate, aka epsom salts; omit if present in trace element mix)
1 Tablespoon (~9g) Chelated Trace Element Mix
(7% Fe, 1.3% B, 2% Mn, 0.06% Mo, 0.4% Zn, 0.1% Cu, EDTA, DTPA)
300 ml (1.5 cups) distilled H2O
WHERE DO I GET ALL THIS STUFF?
Potassium sulfate is sold as All Green in garden centers. It can also be ordered through pharmacies. An alternate source of potassium is Seachem's Potassium. Another choice is KCl, sold as muriate of potash in hardware stores.
Potassium nitrate is sold as stump remover in garden centers.
Magnesium sulfate can be found in grocery and drug stores as Epsom salts.
Chelated Trace Element Mix can be ordered from hydroponics shops or garden centers.
Other ideas for sources
WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL THESE COMPOUNDS WHEN I HAVE THEM?
There are several options here.
1) Mix them all together according to the recipe. Shake well. Keep in the refrigerator.
2) Mix everything except the chelated trace element mix. Instead of using CTEM, use a commercial preparation which contains iron and trace elements, such as Seachem's Flourish, Schoeler's Natural Gold, Tropica Mastergrow, or Kent Plant Supplement. Add this separately from the PMDD.
3) Make separate solutions of everything so that you can dose only what you need. Have one container with only K2SO4, one with KNO3, one with MgSO4 and trace elements. Or use any other combination which suits your needs.
OK, EVERYTHING'S MIXED, NOW WHAT AND HOW MUCH DO I ADD TO MY AQUARIUM?
This is where you have to observe your own tank and make decisions relevant to your own situation. If you've mixed the PMDD all together, start by dosing small amounts - say, a few drops per 10 gal, every few days or daily. Observe the plants, keep an eye on nitrate and iron levels, and watch for increased algae growth. You want to maintain about 0.1 ppm of iron and 5-10 ppm of nitrates in the water. If algae growth is increasing, cut back the dosage. If no algae is forthcoming, increase the dosage. By trial and error, you will discover what works in your tank.
If you mix up separate solutions, determine what your tank needs. Are nitrate levels where you want them, but plant growth is slow? Try adding just potassium. Is new growth looking mushy and transparent? Might want to add iron and trace elements. Are new leaves yellowish except for green veins? Magnesium may help. Are plants growing only slowly, and nitrates are at zero? Add that KNO3 and watch the bubbling begin as plants kick into high gear.
THIS STUFF ISN'T SO GREAT - MY PLANTS STILL AREN'T GROWING
Are you sure you've supplied everything? Is lighting sufficiently intense for your plant choices, of good spectrum for plants, and for a long enough photoperiod? Are you giving root plants such as swords and crypts and aponogetons some root fertilization? If your light levels are at 2 wpg or greater, are you supplying CO2?
HEY, MY TANK LOOKS LIKE A BUBBLING CHAMPAGNE GLASS!
Cool! You did it. You gave your plants everything they need to make their growth lush and green. Now you will require just one more item: pruning scissors!
Written by Cathy Hartland - Her website
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 12:45:22 -0500 (EST)
From: Tim Mullins <tmullins at telerama_lm.com>
X-Sender: tmullins at defender_lm.com
To: Aquatic Plants <Aquatic-Plants at ActWin_com>
Subject: PMDD: Sources & Doses
Message-ID: <Pine.BSD.3.91.970106122030.25703A-100000 at defender_lm.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
I've noticed numerous posts inquiring as
to where to buy PMDD (poor man's dosing
drops) and how to use them. Hope this helps
<<< I'd be sure to keep these chemicals clear >>>
<<< of the kiddies ! Some are quite nasty. >>>
Tim - Pittsburgh
-------------------------------------
A) Sources for a chelated trace mix:
1) Plantex's "CSM" 1-905-793-7000 $26 US for 2 Kilos
314 Orenda Ave, Brampton, Ontario
L6T1G1 Canada
For breakdown, see part E
(Thanks to Kevin Conlin)
2) Miller Chemical & Fertilizer's "Microplex"
Hanover, PA
Distributor: NitroPhos 1-713-530-5558
I've never tried Microplex, but it has;
Mg-5.4% Bo-0.5%
Co-0.05% Cu-1.5%
Fe-4.0% Mn-4.0%
Mb-0.1% Zn-1.5%
(Thanks to Doug Skokna)
3) Home Grown Hydroponics
www.hydroponics.com
I've not checked them out
(Thanks to Suwat Phruksawan)
-------------------------------
B) Sources for MgSO4 and H3BO3
1) MgSO4 is available from just about any drug
store as Epsom Salts. $2 buys a lot. Note it's
hydrated (the form PMDD calls for) so it's
formula is MgSO4 + 7H2O.
(Thanks to Karen Randall)
2) H3BO3 is Boric Acid, a source of Boron. Also
available from drug stores, a couple buck buys
around 250mG, a lot.
(Thanks to Paul Sears)
-------------------------------
C) Sources for KNO3 and K2SO4
2) PCI Scientific Supply
1-800-432-4136
KNO3 $16.75/500mG Lab grade
K2SO4 $15.50/500mG Lab grade
I've never tried this outfit.
(Thanks to Tom Polk)
---------------------------------------------------
D) Source for complete pre-mixed PMDD per original
Conlin-Sears formulation (This is an attractive
option because if you gather your own ingredients,
you'll find you'll have enough to make barrels of PMDD).
1) Neil Schneider, Poway CA, PacNeil at aol_com
$30 for dry ingredients to make 5 litres of PMDD
plus labels and instructions.
(Thanks to Neil for making it easy)
----------------------------------------------
E) How to roll your own PMDD with Plantex CSM:
1) As noted by Tom Polk, Plantex's CSM now has no B (boron)
and therefore needs to have some added.
For a ratio of 7Fe to 1.26B (5.5 to 1)
- mix 14 parts CSM to 1 part H3BO3 (Boric Acid) by wieght
(about 10.5 tspns of CSM to 1 tspn H3BO3).
Here's the breakdown of CSM before and after adding Boron.
Regular CSM CSM+B
Fe 7.0% 6.53%
Mn 2.0% 1.87%
Mg 1.5% 1.40%
Zn 0.4% 0.37%
Cu 0.1% 0.09%
Mo 0.05% 0.05%
B 0% 1.18%
Co 0% 0%
2) Using Sears and Conlin's latest PMDD formula, mix with water
to make a 500mg solution:
1 tspn trace mix "CSM+B"
1 tspn MgSO4+7H2O (9 times Mg in trace so I added it)
1 tspn KNO3 (I need the nitrate)
2 tspn K2SO4 (remove that gummy black stuff when mixing)
-------------------------
F) How to dose with PMDD
1) I'D GO SLOWLY AND MEASURE !!!
Track Fe and NO3 with test kits. It takes
awhile (weeks) to build and stabilize
concentrations in the aquarium. With PMDD,
more is not necessarily better and, although
somewhat fault tolerant, too much can
be distressing or even deadly to both plant
and fish.
Everyone seems to recommend dosing PMDD for
reaching 0.1mG/ltr (0.1 ppm) of Fe (Iron) in the
aquarium and letting the other element
concentrations fall where they may. Consensus
is it is best to stay under 0.2mG/ltr of Fe.
Again, it will take awhile to reach 0.1 mG/ltr
target, go slow.
The target for NO3 (nitrates) said to be about
5mG/ltr (5 ppm). If your aquarium NO3 exceeds
about 5mG/ltr, you ought to reduce or eliminate
the KNO3 from the PMDD formulation accordingly
Based on my experience, for each ten gallons of a heavily
planted tank with 25% of water changed each week, use
around 1/4 ml of PMDD a day. So, for a 29 galllon tank,
use 3/4 ml PMDD a day. If you don't change as much
water as I do, I'd use less as indicated by part 3 below.
Oh, I'd try to be sure to stir the PMDD in slowly so fish
don't get hit with a "chemical cloud".
2) More of my experience. . .
So, did I follow my own advice and go slow ... no. <g>
I initially overdosed with 5ml PMDD a day in my
45 gallon tank (40 gallon water column) not knowing
better. I changed 25% of my tank's water each week.
Assuming no Fe depletion (a poor assumption since
the whole idea is to have plants use it, but still
useful for establishing a worst case upper bound) my
Fe concentration might have eventually leveled
off at 0.4mG/ltr. _Too high_ ! So, once I reached
0.1 mG/ltr (took about 2 weeks at the 5ml dose), I
reduced my PMDD dose to a little over 1 ml a day.
My plant growth has improved considerably. :-)
3) Now, some nerd stuff on dosing that most
can live without (If you spot an error, please
let me know):
a) CSM+B based PMDD's breakdown by element:
appox G/Ltr % of total Ratio to Fe
N 1.41 6.41% 3.06
K 13.80 62.53% 29.84
S 5.19 23.50% 11.21
Mg 0.95 4.32% 2.06
Fe 0.46 2.10% 1.00
Mn 0.13 0.60% 0.29
Zn 0.03 0.12% 0.06
Cu 0.01 0.03% 0.01
Mo 0.00 0.01% 0.01
B 0.08 0.38% 0.18
Co 0.00 0.00% 0.00
And two important quanities
NO3 6.26 -- 13.54
SO4 15.56 -- 33.63
b) Figuring the aquarium concentration of Fe
(or any element) after a single PMDD dose:
(PMDD concentration of Fe)*(Dose)/(water column)
in mG/ltr or PPM in ltr in ltr
my case: 5ml PMDD, 40 gallon (160 litre) water column
