Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus Potassium Deficiency?

[David W]

Thank you in advance for any advice. 

This is a 10 gallon tank, with a betta and nine neon tetras. There are a number of small ramshorn snails. The substrate is Seachem flourite. It has been set up for 4 months, so more time needed for a good balance. 

30% water change weekly. 2 pumps of easy green after the water change. Lights are on 8.5 hours. Currently no signs of algae. 

Current water parameters

• Ammonia - 0 ppm (API Liquid Test)
• Nitrite - 0 ppm  (API Liquid Test)
• Nitrate - 30 ppm  (API Liquid Test)
• PH  - 7.8 (API Liquid Test)
• KH - 60 ppm ( API test strip) 
• GH - 80-100 ppm (API Test Strip) 

I have a liquid kh/gh test kit on the way. I'm not feeling the test strips.

I have three weeks ago added Pothos and let some stow away duckweed do it's thing. I had some staghorn algae which went away about a week later. 

Recently the  Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus started developing pin holes in some of the leaves. 

From the deficiency charts I'm inclined to think it is a Potassium deficiency. Does that seem correct? I surmise that the pothos and duckweed are sucking up too many nutrients. 

Right now I am trying to up the easy green to three pumps a week. I started on Saturday, and will keep an eye on over the next few weeks before making another change. 

Any thoughts on this diagnosis and approach? Would root tabs be more appropriate?

[Ken Dyer]

Sounds like a good approach to me, not sure the root tabs will help a ton (but certainly shouldn't hurt) as well lit/fertilized pogo-octopus grows like a weed and then is typically topped/replanted. To me sounds like you have a lot there that loves fertilizer (pothos, duckweed, stems) and may not have enough to feed everyone.

I'd make 1 change at a time and observe for a few weeks to learn which changes had the best returns for you. The great thing about pogo-octo is that it bounces back well from mistreatment so I would think you'd see the changes fairly soon (a few weeks after a change) 

[DaveSamsell]

On 11/17/2020 at 10:44 PM, David W said:

Thank you in advance for any advice. 

This is a 10 gallon tank, with a betta and nine neon tetras. There are a number of small ramshorn snails. The substrate is Seachem flourite. It has been set up for 4 months, so more time needed for a good balance. 

30% water change weekly. 2 pumps of easy green after the water change. Lights are on 8.5 hours. Currently no signs of algae. 

Current water parameters

• Ammonia - 0 ppm (API Liquid Test)
• Nitrite - 0 ppm  (API Liquid Test)
• Nitrate - 30 ppm  (API Liquid Test)
• PH  - 7.8 (API Liquid Test)
• KH - 60 ppm ( API test strip) 
• GH - 80-100 ppm (API Test Strip) 

I have a liquid kh/gh test kit on the way. I'm not feeling the test strips.

I have three weeks ago added Pothos and let some stow away duckweed do it's thing. I had some staghorn algae which went away about a week later. 

Recently the  Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus started developing pin holes in some of the leaves. 

From the deficiency charts I'm inclined to think it is a Potassium deficiency. Does that seem correct? I surmise that the pothos and duckweed are sucking up too many nutrients. 

Right now I am trying to up the easy green to three pumps a week. I started on Saturday, and will keep an eye on over the next few weeks before making another change. 

Any thoughts on this diagnosis and approach? Would root tabs be more appropriate?

 

I have a huge amount of this plant in multiple aquariums.  It seems like the tanks that have harder water (higher GH/KH), the plant appears to grow better for me.  It is a stem plant and good fertilizer such as Easy Green, should be fine.  That fertilizer has a good amount of potassium in it, to begin with.  Now, with the inclusion of the other plants you mentioned, the Pogo's may indeed be getting outcompeted for those nutrients.  

I have other potassium craving plants and do dose potassium separately, and never noticed any pinholes in my Pogo's, maybe that is why.  

BTW, this plant is primarily a water column feeder and doubt root tabs would provide a noticeable difference.  

 

[David W]

Thanks Ken and Dave.

I’ll keep going with the extra pump of easy green, see how it goes over the next few weeks.

I’m probably going have to start taking some duckweed out during water changes. I’m amazed at the exponential growth. 

 There is a lot going on in there, a long way until a balance is reached. I’m determined to be patient, and stick to a maintenance routine. Keeping impulsive human variables out of the mix should go a long way. 

[varanidguy]

From the looks of it yes, I'd say it looks like a potassium deficiency, possibly manganese in the picture but I'd put more of a bank on potassium.

 

Another option would be to at some potassium sulfate salt to your water column, providing all other parameters are at acceptable levels. If everything else could use a boost, then yeah the all in one solution would be best.