Deficiency? Potassium Maybe?

[CT_]

On 2/10/2022 at 5:20 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Okay, at a 8.2pH, you are not getting enough Iron and you are under dosing in general as well. I would double your dosing, as a start, and you may need to use even more. I would also look for Fe in a form called Ferrous Gluconate. 

EG is EDTA chelated. This graph shows different availability at various pH.

wow this is new to me.  is easy iron the same DPTA chelated?

[Mmiller2001]

On 2/16/2022 at 12:17 AM, CT_ said:

wow this is new to me.  is easy iron the same DPTA chelated?

I think it's all 3, but I don't know in what percentage. You might want to verify it. The Iron in the Easy Green is EDTA.

[dmurray407]

On 2/12/2022 at 12:17 AM, Torrey said:

and I think I'm going to buy some small terra cotta pots for soil, cap with gravel, and allow my plants to create a lower pH around their root zone to improve iron (Fe+++) absorption and change to (Fe++).

This is interesting-I also have pH of around 8 in my water-I gave up trying to change it many years ago. What kind of soil are you planning to put in the pots?  Are you thinking of 2-3 inch (diameter) terra cotta for the pots? 

[Torrey]

On 2/16/2022 at 7:43 AM, dmurray407 said:

This is interesting-I also have pH of around 8 in my water-I gave up trying to change it many years ago. What kind of soil are you planning to put in the pots?  Are you thinking of 2-3 inch (diameter) terra cotta for the pots? 

The cool thing about soil, is by it's very nature (unless heavily saturated with lyme) is heavy in carbon and will be lower in pH all by itself. Get it wet (like in a fish tank) and as the humic acid increases with decomposition, you have a more acidic area around the root zone.

It's part of the appeal of Dr Diana Walstad's research into dirt substrate. I have 8.2 pH coming out of the tap. Most of my tanks are a stable 7.8 to 8.2 pH... my Walstad inspired tank got down to 7.2 pH because it has 3.5" of dirt at the bottom, and no longer has a sand cap because Malaysian trumpet snails like to create their own landscape.🙄

Apparently, they prefer flatter, more even ground🤪

[dmurray407]

On 2/16/2022 at 1:11 PM, Torrey said:

soil

Torrey, do you just use regular potting soil, garden soil, or???? I haven't delved into the Walstad stuff, but maybe I should-so much to learn 🙂 (I need that....)

[Torrey]

On 2/16/2022 at 12:27 PM, dmurray407 said:

Torrey, do you just use regular potting soil, garden soil, or???? I haven't delved into the Walstad stuff, but maybe I should-so much to learn 🙂 (I need that....)

I asked Diana what she finds easier to locate, and she said Miracle Gro Organic Potting soil. 

So, since I had 3 bags I bought at Costco, only to discover that the soil comes with whiteflies that killed my houseplants, I am taking great pleasure in using the soil in tanks.

I am happier overall with "container planting" especially in the larger tanks. I think it offers the best of all worlds.

I have too many unpredictable health issues that can flare up at any given time, so I really, **really** need tank setups where the occupants won't die if I can't do a water change for 6 months. Which means UGF or a deep substrate.

I'm playing around with deep substrate in containers on top of UGF, so I can have my illusion of a well scaped tank with a front "beach" that the snails don't destroy. Straight up Walstad didn't work as well as I hoped, so now I am in the "let's tweak it" stage of the journey. 

[dmurray407]

On 2/16/2022 at 1:52 PM, Torrey said:

Miracle Gro Organic Potting soil.

I"m really excited to try your method-I think I will try a group of plants in a pot (I'll have to hunt for the one I'm thinking of) and then add some new gravel around the pot. I don't have any Miracle Grow soil, but I have some Promix Organic potting soil which is pretty much the same thing.  

Stay healthy 🙂