Plant deficiency?

[gogomarigo]

Thanks in advance for any help! Apologies for the length but hopefully this provides enough background.

What kind of deficiency is this?

Photos are of Brazilian pennywort and Phoenix moss in a 10 gallon tank with pothos, water sprite, green myrio, marimo, Java moss, Japanese dwarf pennywort, water spangles. I’ve tried rubbing off the brown stuff on the Brazilian Pennywort leaves but nothing comes off.

I have very light bioload in my tank (just three Amano, 10 blue velvet, 1 nerite). This tank has been running for a little over a month and the nitrates have been around 5 ppm. I had 0.25 ammonia in the beginning but reached 0 after day 7. I’ve never had any nitrites.

I have very soft water so I use NilocG Regen for GH and NilocG Rekharb for KH. I tried using crushed coral but for some reason, it would only affect my KH and some pH, not GH. I also tried Salty Shrimp GH/KH+ but it wouldn’t affect my KH and the amount of dGH it would raise would vary. I’ve found the liquid additives with the pump heads to be much more accurate and easier to dose.

My GH is around 9 and my KH is around 5.

I was planning on giving the Phoenix moss a haircut so that it can start fresh. The new growth on the Brazilian Pennywort looks nice and green. I was planning on cutting off and planting the tops but if it’s a nutrient deficiency, I want to get that in control.

I’ve been using two squirts of NilocG (the shrimp safe formula) three times a week. My light is on for 10 hours a day on a timer.

Should I increase the dosage...? I read that the shrimp safe version is meant so that the nitrates don’t build up as much as the regular formula so you don’t have to do any many water changes so it doesn’t stress the shrimp out as much.

I was wondering if I should add some extra food to the tank but I’m worried that’s just gonna make a dirty mess and might feed algae more than the pennywort and the Phoenix moss. The other plants aren’t having issues so maybe they’re hogging nutrients...?

[Ken Dyer]

I'm certainly no plant expert, so take what I say with a big old grain of salt 😉

To me that looks like algae on the leaves. Maybe turn down the intensity or duration of the light for a week or two and see if that makes a difference? Or add an otto to help keep the leaves clean?

Just my thoughts,
Ken

[Brandy]

I actually have the pennywort, and it is doing something similar. I vote boost light and nitrates to at least 10ppm. Your shrimp should be easily fine at that level. It looks to me like a fast grower that is just hungry. I have not yet tried root tabs, but I may try that also. Mine is putting on a lot of new growth, but the older leaves look a little yellowed and unhappy. If it is not getting enough light the spaces between the leaves will increase as you go toward the tip.

The moss may be converting from being grown emersed. I would wait, and again maybe increase light. Your shrimp will take care of the brown bits for you.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Brandy

[gogomarigo]

45 minutes ago, Brandy said:

I actually have the pennywort, and it is doing something similar. I vote boost light and nitrates to at least 10ppm. Your shrimp should be easily fine at that level. It looks to me like a fast grower that is just hungry. I have not yet tried root tabs, but I may try that also. Mine is putting on a lot of new growth, but the older leaves look a little yellowed and unhappy. If it is not getting enough light the spaces between the leaves will increase as you go toward the tip.

The moss may be converting from being grown emersed. I would wait, and again maybe increase light. Your shrimp will take care of the brown bits for you.

Thanks! Do I just keep increasing the fertilizer dosage until I reach 10 ppm? 

[Brandy]

I would. You want to hit somewhere between 10-20ppm for happiest plant growth. I have not found red cherry shrimp or amanos to be sensitive to that range.