Anubias deficiency

I have an anubias with an apparent deficiency of some kind, can anyone help me identify?

It seems to be old leaves. I've had it in my tank for several months, just recently (4weeks ago) started using flourish, 5ml 2x/week, and now added excel at 2ml for spot treating staghorn algae, been using 1week, daily. Lights on for 10hrs.

 

I have an anubias with an apparent deficiency of some kind, can anyone help me identify?

It seems to be old leaves. I've had it in my tank for several months, just recently (4weeks ago) started using flourish, 5ml 2x/week, and now added excel at 2ml for spot treating staghorn algae, been using 1week, daily. Lights on for 10hrs.

Hi Mhamilton0911

What your are seeing in your picture (which is pretty good btw) is interveinal chlorosis characterized by green leaf veins surrounded by lighter, usually yellowish (chlorosis), areas in between; in advanced stages it leads to necrosis (dead areas) and premature leaf loss. When this occurs in older leaves it usually indicated insufficient available magnesium (Mg). When the conditions occurs on new leaves it usually indicates insufficient available iron.

Since this is occurring on your older leaves it would be appropriate to assume insufficient available magnesium (Mg). The two more common reasons for insufficient available magnesium are: 1) not enough magnesium in the water or being dosed as a nutrient or 2) another nutrient (for magnesium usually calcium) blocking the uptake of magnesium by the plant. Since it is easier to add more magnesium than it would be to remove calcium that would be the first course of action to try.

1) Go to your local drugstore and on the shelf find some Epsom Salt (Magnesium sulfate / MgSO4*7H2O). Buy the cheapest stuff on the shelf with no additives or scents. Typically costs about $2 for a pound or less.

2) Do an initial dose to your tank of 3/8 teaspoon (tsp) of MgSO4 per 10 gallons of tank volume. This will add about 5 ppm of Mg to your tank and increase the hardness by about 1.2 dGH.

3) When you do your weekly water change for every 8 gallons of water removed and replaced add 3/8 tsp of MgSO4.

4) It will take a few months for you to see the full results. Any leaves that currently show the condtion or are currently on the plant may eventually develop the interveinal chlorosis and die off. However new leaves as they emerge may look greener, larger, more flat, and overall healthier. As the new leaves mature they should not develop the interveinal chlorosis.

Hope this helps! -Roy

C. Interveinal chlorosis. Interveinal chlorosis first appears on oldest leaves.

1. Older leaves chlorotic, usually necrotic in late stages. Chlorosis along leaf margins extending between veins produces a "Christmas tree" pattern. Veins normal green. Leaf margins may curl downward or upward with puckering effect. Necrosis may suddenly occur between veins. Potassium or calcium excess can inhibit uptake of magnesium...magnesium deficiency

When the external magnesium supply is deficient, interveinal chlorosis of the older leaves is the first symptom because as the magnesium of the chlorophyll is remobilized, the mesophyll cells next to the vascular bundles retain chlorophyll for longer periods than do the parenchyma cells between them. Leaves lose green color at tips and between veins followed by chlorosis or development of brilliant colors, starting with lower leaves and proceeding upwards. The chlorosis/brilliant colors (unmasking of other leaf pigments due to the lack of chlorophyll) may start at the leaf margins or tips and progress inward interveinally producing a "Christmas" tree pattern. Leaves are abnormally thin, stems are brittle and side branches have a tendency to curve upward. Stems are weak, subject to fungus infection, usually leaves drop prematurely.

 

1) not enough magnesium in the water or being dosed as a nutrient or 2) another nutrient (for magnesium usually calcium) blocking the uptake of magnesium by the plant. Since it is easier to add more magnesium than it would be to remove calcium that would be the first course of action to try.

Thank you for your thorough reply!

Since the ferts I'm using are notorious for lacking things, I'm not surprised to see a deficiency. HOWEVER, I do have cuttlebone added in my filter to provide calcium to the snails I have in there. Is this my problem?

Also, would magnesium in supplement form be easier to keep dosed accurately? I worry about getting too much salt in there over time. I do not have a lid on my tank, so I loose a bit to evap, and when I do my weekly water changes, it is about 2.5 gallons extra to account for the evaporation.

 

Adding seachem potassium helped with a lot of my plant problems. I think there’s a deficiency in that more than people think. If you can pick up a small cheap bottle I would try it out. A potassium deficiency can turn leaves yellow

 

Thank you for your thorough reply!

Since the ferts I'm using are notorious for lacking things, I'm not surprised to see a deficiency. HOWEVER, I do have cuttlebone added in my filter to provide calcium to the snails I have in there. Is this my problem?

Also, would magnesium in supplement form be easier to keep dosed accurately? I worry about getting too much salt in there over time. I do not have a lid on my tank, so I loose a bit to evap, and when I do my weekly water changes, it is about 2.5 gallons extra to account for the evaporation.

Hi Mhamilton0911

Epsom Salt is not a 'salt' like sodium chloride you don't have too worry about it effecting fish, plants, or invertebrates. Dose based on water removed, if you remove 8 gallons then add 3/8 teaspoons to the new water being added. If you remove 8 gallons but add 10 gallons still add just 3/8 teaspoon.

I am not a big fan of cuttlebone (calcium carbonate) or crushed coral because there is no way of knowing how much you are adding to the tank. If it were me I would do a 50% water change and remove the cuttlebone unless you see damage to the shells of the snails. -Roy

 

What is the water hardness GH in your aquarium?

What is the water hardness GH in your tap water?

Seachem Flourish Comprehensive contains very low levels most nutrients. That is fine for the trace elements needed by plants, but not for the nutrients required in larger quantities. Seachem is counting on your tap water to supply needed Magnesium.

When I do water changes, I have to use RO water as my tap water is unsuitable. I have to remineralize the water to provide the proper GH and KH. I use Seachem Equilibrium to raise GH. I am adding 1 Tablespoon per 10 gallons of RO water. The Equilibrium contains both calcium sulfate and magnesium sulfate in a suitable ratio. That keeps my hardness around 6-7 dGH. Thus, I am adding calcium and magnesium every time I do a water change.

If your tap water is low in GH, I suggest you use Seachem Equilibrium to add calcium and magnesium in controlled amounts. The amount you dose will be less than I use unless you are using RO water for water change.

If you have been using cuttlebone in your tank, you have been raising the calcium level without raising magnesium. That can create an imbalance. If you use aragonite sand (crushed coral) rather than cuttlebone, you will be adding both calcium and magnesium. However, the rate at which the aragonite dissolves will be dependent upon pH. Thus, adding known quantities of calcium and magnesium sulfate give you more control.

If your water has an excess of calcium and a deficiency of magnesium, then adding Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) will help. However, without testing for calcium and magnesium concentrations in your aquarium water, it is difficult to know how much you need to add. 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons (1 Tablespoon per 60 gallons) of water will raise magnesium levels by about 5 ppm. Concentrations of magnesium in the aquarium should be kept over 10 ppm, but without knowing your current level, it is hard to know how much to add.

If you contact your local water supplier, you might be able to find out the calcium and magnesium concentrations in your tap water. That will give you a place to start. You might even find these test results posted online.

Here is a good article I found on the importance of calcium and magnesium in the aquarium.

The calcium-magnesium ratio - Aquascaping Wiki