22/06/2024
If the growth of your aquarium plants is stunted, or they even show signs of dying tissue, usually it's from a lack of nutrients or imbalances. Not uncommonly, these phenomena appear in combination with the increased growth of algae.
Here is a list for planted tank keepers to know and have an overview of the importance of individual nutrients.
1. CO²- Most of the damage patterns, such as yellow leaves or crippled growth, can also be caused by a carbon deficiency. CO2 fertilization is essential for healthy plant growth.
2. 𝗡𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻 - Increasingly smaller new leaves or crippled growth can be an indication of a nitrogen deficit. An increased occurrence of green filamentous algae, fuzz algae or hair algae is quite common when the aquarium is lacking in nitrogen.
3. 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘂𝘀 - The symptoms of a phosphorus (P) deficiency can easily be seen on fast-growing stem plants. Very slow growth and shoot tips decreasing in size are typical. Some aquatic plants may turn darker or even a violet color.
4. 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 - Typical for a lack of potassium (K) are perforated leaves or dying leaf tissue (necroses). In the beginning, these are only recognizable as small black dots but then grow into visible holes, which are partially outlined in yellow or black.
5. 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 - A deficiency in (Mg) is often shown by a pale or yellow discoloration of older leaves, whereas the leaf veins usually remain green.
6. 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻 - When iron (Fe) is deficient, plants will produce less chlorophyll in their new shoots. An iron deficiency is therefore easily identified in the shoot tips of fast-growing stem plants. The rich leaf green fades, and the young plant parts assume a yellow-to-white color.
