Anubias leaves getting little yellow holes in them

[obida0429]

I had a hair algae outbreak and I found out I was adding too much fert and not enough nitrates for the plants to use it. After the algae cleared up most of my anubias leaves started to rot a little bit. New leaves would be really light green but not quite transparent. They Haven't continued to rot just got to a certain point and stopped since I started adding Iron but some new leaves still don't look good. It is a 29 gallon that I add a half a cap of flourish iron a week, Kno3 everyday, and brightwell aquatics multi-nutrient fert. Any suggestions would be appreciated! thumbs2:

[Wild Turkey]

I would let your new routine stick for a little while, find out what the long term effects are before re-adjusting.

When I plant a new tank, I establish a routine, and then find out whats wrong with the routine/ adjust/ rinse/ repeat until I have a tank balanced enough for my liking.

Are you using plant substrate? If not I think the next thing I would do is dose more macros if you still have problems

[obida0429]

I'm not using plant substrate but they have attached nicely to driftwood and rocks. The anubias nana is doing alright. But the bigger one isn't doing as good. What do you mean by adding more macros?

[Wild Turkey]

I think i may have misread your first post actually.

Are you adding anything besides The flourish iron to the tank?

I would probably start out with just "flourish" and excel, for most people that works wonders.

[obida0429]

I add a multi-nutrient that is comparable to excel. It just doesnt have enough iron so I have begun to add some flourish iron. I've also been dosing nitrates heavy. I think I have a potassium and calcium deficiency because on my large anubias old leaves rot and new leaves look deformed. I also have anubias nana that isn't doing too bad. Older leaves still show signs of deficiency. I've been wondering if my hornwort and anacharis are hogging the nutrients from the anubias.

[Wild Turkey]

If you are dosing two comprehensives and extra iron and you dont have algae problems, I would say you are right in your assumption theres something thats being used up by your fast growers

[rich311k]

Sounds to me like you need potassium and nitrates. Excess nitrates did not cause your alage an imbalance some where caused them. Those trace fert mixes do not contain enough macros to make a difference. By the way ERxcel is a CO2 replacement, Comprehensive is the fert mix.

Anubias can not careless what substrate is used they do not take noutrients through the roots, they roots are just for anchoring the plant.

[smaug]

They can and do absorb nutrients through the roots as any aquatic plant may do.That is largely dependent on which way is more conveniant for the plant.If sufficient nutrients are available in the water column then it will get most of its needs that way.My anubias are in my tank with the roots free in the water and attached to wood.When I had these exact plants in a vivarium the leaves were growing in the air and the roots were planted in soil up to just the rhizome.It is because of this that I am positive of my facts.I kept them this way for a year.I also kept rubin swords this way.

[Wild Turkey]

They can and do absorb nutrients through the roots as any aquatic plant may do.That is largely dependent on which way is more conveniant for the plant.If sufficient nutrients are available in the water column then it will get most of its needs that way.My anubias are in my tank with the roots free in the water and attached to wood.When I had these exact plants in a vivarium the leaves were growing in the air and the roots were planted in soil up to just the rhizome.It is because of this that I am positive of my facts.I kept them this way for a year.I also kept rubin swords this way.

Very insightful. I dont bury any of my anubias anymore and i never have any problems either, never thought about it though

[rich311k]

I have alway read they do not and looking at theroots on mine they are just tendrils. I have buried them before and the root mass in impressive. I chalked that up to the plant not find something to wrap around so they just keep pumping out roots. Your argument sounds right to me Smaug.

However holes in leaves means a shortage of portable nutrients which says to me add potassium and then nitrates if needed.

[smaug]

I have alway read they do not and looking at theroots on mine they are just tendrils. I have buried them before and the root mass in impressive. I chalked that up to the plant not find something to wrap around so they just keep pumping out roots. Your argument sounds right to me Smaug.

However holes in leaves means a shortage of portable nutrients which says to me add potassium and then nitrates if needed.
No argument there.Just vollunteering info I was.

[rich311k]

No argument there.Just vollunteering info I was.

and great info it was. :)

[obida0429]

To rich311k: I started adding extra nitrates to curve algae breaks outs because my plants weren't growing fast enough to use up the nutrients I was putting in the tank. I've been keeping nitrates between 5-10 ppm for the past 2 weeks. All plants but the largest anubias seem to be responding well. I think I'm going to add some crush coral so I have a continuous supply of potassium and calcium.

To every1 else : All the anubias in the tank are anchored to rocks or drift wood so no problems with the ribosomes. I've also got a slow growing crypt that is having similar problems.