Nutritional and trace element imbalances.

Errors made with supplying plants with the nutrients and trace elements can
lead to plant damage and damage to the aquariums ecosystem. You should try
to avoid these mistakes if at all possible.

1 Carbon Dioxide Deficiency. (CO2)

2
Symptoms:
The plants stay much smaller and grow more slowly than plants
fertilized with CO2. Rough Calcium deposits on the leaves.
Breakdown of the pH system causing a rise in pH.
Causes:
A lack of CO2 can arise even with optimal care. All plants use CO2 in
their respiration process and it is difficult to maintain an
equilibrium. Vigorously Aerated or agitated water increases CO2
loss, as the gas escapes into the air.
Remedy:
Regularly fertilize with CO2 and try to limit the amount of aeration and
water agitation in your tank

1 Excess Carbon Dioxide CO2.

2
Symptoms:

The fish gasp at the water surface for air, as if they are suffocating.

Cause:

Oxygen deficiency resulting from over fertilization with co2, dirty filter
material, poor lighting, too large of a fish load and bad tank
maintenance.

Remedy:

Check all your maintenance procedures and filters, look for dead
animals and plants. If you use an automatic CO2 fertilization
system, adjust the amount released and make sure it does not run
at night when the lights are off.
1 Oxygen Deficiency.
2
Symptoms:

The fish go through many bouts of disease and have a loss of vigor.
With a long term deficiency the plants become stunted and the tank
has excess algae growth.

Causes:

Insufficient nutrients or light, as a result the plants are not able to

produce Oxygen from the assimilation of Carbon Dioxide. The
Nitrogen cycle of the tank slows due to the aerobic bacteria not
working or slowly working. The results are water overloaded with
waste products and an excess of CO2.

Remedy:

Check the filters, lighting, fish population, all other tank maintenance
procedures and especially your feeding habits. Make any needed
alterations or corrections.

1 Potassium Deficiency.
2
Symptoms:

Yellowing of the marginal sections of the young leaves. Trace element

deficiency, usually Iron Chlorosis.

Cause:

Your local water supplier or your Reverse Osmosis/DI filter removes the
Potassium from the water. So a deficiency may arise.

Remedy:

Regular fertilization.

1 Excess Phosphate.
2
Symptoms:

Production of the Iron Phosphate causes the leaves to turn Black or
Brown and to die. In addition if there is an excess of Nitrates your
tank will experience an Algae bloom.

Cause:

Not performing your water changes on schedule or not changing enough

water.

Remedy:

Change a large portion of your water right away. Then modify your tank
maintenance routine to include larger water changes or more
frequent ones.

1 Cryptocoryne Disease
2 Cryptocoryne Rot.
3
Symptoms:

In the early stages small holes develop in the leaves or along the leaf
margins. Advanced stages will affect the entire plant or group and
cause the breakdown of all the leaves.

Cause:

Not known for sure, but excess Nitrate is a factor. Unclean water,
improper nutrients and insufficient light also contribute to the onset
of this disease. The odd thing about this disease that by trying to
correct the above stated causes, often triggers this disease. Not
regular maintenance, but for example doing a water change after a
long period or changing the lights well after they were used up can
bring about the onset.

Remedy:

Immediate improvement to the aquarium set up. Large water change,

cleaning of the substrate, removal of all dead and decaying plant
material. Don't baby the plants, just leave them alone and they
should recover in a few weeks.

Prevention:

Get on a regular maintenance schedule, do the water changes, keep up

with the fertilization and change your lights when the recommended
time arrives.
1 Iron Deficiency
2 Iron Chlorosis
3
Symptoms:

Yellow leaves that become brittle and glassy and finally fall off or rot
away.

Cause:

Potassium deficiency, too little fertilizer and over-fertilization with

Phosphate. In well fertilized aquariums it can be caused by an
overly high amount of total Carbonate hardness in conjunction with
a pH over 7.

Remedy:

Regular use of an Iron rich fertilizer compound or a substrate which

contains Iron additives. If needed lower the Carbonate hardness of
the water.

1 Manganese deficiency.
2
Symptoms:

Leaves turn Yellow but the Veins stay Green.

Cause:

Unbalanced Iron fertilization.

Remedy:

Use a fertilizer that contains all compounds needed by plants not just an
Iron rich fertilizer.

Incorrect care and its end result.

Plants can often suffer from deficiency problems caused by the wrong choice in
the aquarium substrate lighting and other accessories.

1 Problems in the substrate.

2
Symptoms:

Gas bubbles rising to the surface any time the substrate is disturbed,
stunted plant growth, poorly rooted plants and rotting roots that
are Black in color.

Causes:

The bottom material is too fine and/or has compacted. The Nutrients in
the substrate have been used up.

Remedy:

loosen the bottom material and add some heavier grade material as well
as a substrate fertilizer like Laterite. If this does not improve the
conditions a replacement of the entire bottom material may be
needed.

1 Wrong water temperature.

2
Symptoms:

If the water temperature is too cold the plants will cease to grow and
eventually die. Too high of a water temperature the stem plants will
have small leaves and long spaces between them and the Rosette
plants will show little growth.

Cause:

Malfunctioning or broken aquarium heater. Using a heater with too little

wattage to properly heat the water.

Remedy:

Purchase a new aquarium heater designed to handle your size tank.

Keep a close eye on your temperature and watch for swings that
could tell of a heater problem. For detailed information on heaters
 please go to the Basics section of the site.

1 Insufficient light.
2
3 Plant not receiving enough
4 or the proper light.
5
Symptoms:

The plants are weak and spindly, the leaves are pale Green to Yellow
and the stems are frail and thin. On the Rosette plants the stalks
are weak and the leaves are small. Stem plants have only a few
leaves and long spaces between them. Growth closest to the light is
strong and compact, lower sections could be bare of leaves. A fine
layer of Diatoms begins to grow.

Causes:

Not using enough wattage for your tank or not enough bulbs. The
Fluorescent bulbs have lost there lumen output. The photoperiod is
not long enough. Wrong spectrum lights heavy on the Red side, will
cause tall and leggy plants. Blue spectrum bulbs will cause low
squat growth and those in the Yellow/Green range will cause
stunted growth.

Remedy:

Add more lighting, replace your tubes or increase the time your lights
stay on. Purchase the right full spectrum bulbs, the so called plant
bulbs are a poor choice. For more information on tank lighting go to
the Basics lighting section.