# Dwarf Baby Tears Nutrient Deficiency



## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

Hello Everyone, 

I need some help on identifying the kind of nutrient deficiency i am experiencing regarding the dwarf baby tears. 

*My tank spec: *

10 gal tank
ada soil 
ada aquasky light fixture( 8 hours)
co2 (3 bps)

*Fertilizer dosage:*
I am running on EI dosing:

1/8 tsp KN03 (N) 3x a week 
1/32 tsp KH2P04 (P) 3x a week
3ml ada step 1 
1ml seachem iron

*Water change:*
R/O water with 1/2 seachem equilibrium

*Water perimeters:*

No3 - 20-30ppm
GH 3 degree
KH- 3 degree

Would it be the high light level causes the nutrient deficiency? 
Tank has been run for 3.5 months, the first 1.5 month, dwarf baby tears looks awesome. then, starting from month 2 to3.5 , dwarf baby tears start to turn pale, transparent and stunt growth 

Any help will be highly appreciated!


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

Very nice tank! How often do you trim it? The HC looks a little long to me but I understand why you wouldn't want to trim it. It must be a nightmare to take out all the clipping. Oh, is that a platinum guppy swimming around?


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Unfortunately leaving for work ATM but will look at it in A.M. but a close up of what you are calling a lack of would be helpful as those will grow sideways at will and I can't see other deffects due to too far away picture.
But I am much more famiiar/w regular baby tears though.


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## GoldenMbuna (Feb 24, 2014)

Wow awesome scape.:thumbsup:


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

HC is difficult to use to diagnose a problem because it is tiny and the leaves are hard to see and photograph. If it is please post photos of the other plants.

Is this problem happening in the other plants? 

What nutrients are in the step 1 you are adding - does it say on the back?

Can you post more photos of the trouble areas? A really big, really close up, high detail photo would be most helpful.


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

*Additional Pictures*

Hi guys,

Thank you very much for the input.

Here are some additional close up pictures. I hope it helps...


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

Hi Zapin,

Ada step 1 contain mainly trace element and a little iron. The thing is pretty dilute...

Do you think i should get the Plantex CSM+B?


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

This is definitely iron deficiency. The Rotala plants confirm it. Read this: http://deficiencyfinder.com/?page_id=382

Yes, either get CSM+B or get DPTA chelated iron (this is better).

What likely happened here is you were adding enough iron initially because the plants had not grown big yet. After a few months they got to a point where the iron you were adding wasn't enough for the amount of plant material in the tank.

Thank you for the nice close up photos. I would like to add your pictures to the database I linked to above if that is ok with you once you confirm that it is iron deficiency? If you don't mind me using the photos what name would you like me to attach to the photos for credit?


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

Thank you very much for helping Zapins. I will order some DPTA chelated iron online and give it a try. I will post more picture once the plants start recovering.

You can use my photo for your database. I hope it could help the others to identify their problem too. Please credit the photos by using "Jeff Lum". Thanks alot


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

By the way, how much DPTA chelated iron dosage would you recommend for a 10 gal tank?


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

I'd say 0.1 - 0.5 ppm a few times a week (2-4x a week). I'd keep total weekly dose under 1-2 ppm. If you do 2-4 doses of this stuff a week you could make a weekly solution and dose portions of it. Usually iron solutions don't last too long once mixed so its best to keep making fresh batches fairly regularly. EI recommends 0.5 ppm 2-4 times a week, which you might need. You'll have to add some iron and see how the plants respond. 

You can figure out how much (grams/teaspoons/etc) to use if you go to this site and plug in your tank details:http://calc.petalphile.com/

While you are on the site you might as well buy some CSM+B as well. Its much cheaper than the step 1 stuff you are using and should last you years.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

Wow, how did you get those stems to grow so ball-like?


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

I trim them often to ball shape, then they gradually start to line up itself.


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

Thanks Zapin, I have ordered both CSM+B and DPTA chelated iron 10% online. I will let your know result.


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

Sounds good thanks!

The plants will respond quickly, probably 2-3 days but definitely within a week. White parts of the rotala will probably stay white, but the newest growth above that will be green and healthy.


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

*Fertilizer*

I received my CSM+B and iron fertilizer today
Will do 1/32 teaspoon of CSM and 1/16 teaspoon of iron later on

I hope everything goes well!:thumbsup:


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

Best to add just the iron first to 100% ensure the problem is iron deficiency. If you've already added the CSM+B and the iron then that's probably alright as well other deficiencies don't show up as white new leaves so it wouldn't really be one of those. It is just nice to know for sure that it is iron.

Let us know how things turn out!


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

Zapin,

It has been a week after i dose the 1/16 teaspoon of iron, I noticed the water turn into yellowish /brown after the dosage. is that normal?


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

1/16th teaspoon gives you 0.71 ppm iron in your 10g tank - which should be enough for the entire week. Rather than dose it all in one go I'd break it up into 3-4 doses on different days instead of dosing all at once. 

And yes to answer your question DTPA iron sometimes changes the color of the water when it is dosed in large amounts. If you reduce the dose to about 0.15 ppm each time you add iron to the tank then add 0.15 ppm 3-4 times a week you shouldn't see discolored water.

So add 1/16th tsp to some water, then add 1/4th of that water to your 10g tank each time you dose. Then just do that every week.


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## jefflum1 (Feb 11, 2013)

oh no... I did 1/16 teaspoon 3 times a week. I thought the tank will need 1-2 ppm per week. That is why the water turn yellowish.


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

Oh no, that is not good. Iron becomes toxic around that concentration. Better keep the total dose under 1 ppm a week unless you have a huge tank and a huge # of plants.

The water shouldn't be tinted brown unless you are adding large doses as mentioned above.

0.15 ppm x3 a week is plenty especially if you are adding CSM+B.

How are your plants looking after adding a lot of iron?


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## Raizinhell (May 26, 2017)

Any updates. These dwarf baby tears are difficult


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Raizinhell said:


> Any updates. These dwarf baby tears are difficult


Just so you know this thread is over 3 years old. The original poster hasnt logged in for 2 years.

Feel free to start a new thread if you're having issues. Folks around here are glad to help


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