# Pennywort: Pale Leaves, Dark Veins. 24/7 UVS?



## Crs2fr (Sep 22, 2004)

my pennywort looks the same.. pale leaves with green veins.. i thought it was a lack of iron.. 

i'll wait for someone to clear this up for us

chris


----------



## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

chris,

let's see if we are doing something similar.

whats your dosing routine like -- how much, what brand -- especially micros?

and, are you running an ultraviolet sterilizer? if so, how frequent

thanks
steve


----------



## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

Same thing is happening with my pennywort. The thing that gets me is that pennywort has always been an easy plant for me to grow, and now instead of being a nice green it is a pale yellow.

I just recently started increasing all my macros, and micros and added some epsom salts. I think nitrogen deficiency may be the biggest problem for my plants, I was only dosing about 3ppm every other day.


----------



## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

I did a search for "pennywort" on the aquabotanic.com forum and saw this reply in one of the threads:

"I have hydrocotyle (pennywort) in my tank. it grows great and fast. Ive been using it as an indicator for nutrient levels. although im not sure which nutrient inparticular but when the leaves start to lighten up and the veins are darker i will dose flourish and iron. A day or so of new growth shows much better color after the dosing. (im still working on a dosing regimin)"

Either due to my 24/7 UVS or increased lighting, I'm thinking I need to increase my micros and/or experiment with on 12hrs of nightime UVS. 

Urkevitz, what is your micro dosing like (how much, how frequent)? How big is your tank? Watts? Are you running a UVS, if so, how often?

steve


----------



## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

Motifone, my tank is 75 gallons, I run 200 watts for about 8 hours a day and 330 watts for 3-4 hours a day. 

I just started dosing macros and micros on alternating days. 
7ppm nitrate / .5ppm-1ppm fleet enema, and 24ml CSM+B (half strength mix) the next day. 

I was previously dosing about half the macros, and 30ml of flourish and 30ml flourish Iron a week. 

The pennywort is the only plant showing a deficiency, and until recently it was the only stem plant in my tank.

I don't run a UVS so that can't be the culprit in my case. 

I think I am seeing better growth but I am not sure. I only have one large stem at the moment. In a few days I will know if the plant is getting better.


----------



## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

Urkevitz

Interesting. Thanks for the information. I'm going to try increasing my micros as well. I think the addition of light has made the plants more hungry.

As an aside, what's funny is I really didn't notice the deficiency until my tank lights were out for the night. With just the ambient light showing into the tank, the leaves that are dead or weak really stand out... more so than when the lights are on.


----------



## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

I've read that to get the best results from Flourish that 1ml per gallon, per week is recommended. So about 50 Ml per week.


----------



## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

I run a UVS 24/7 and dose lots of micros and find I have no real problem with the Hydrocotyle verticilliata I have been growing.

Mike


----------



## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

if you folks happen to see any improvement in your pennywort in a few days, do repost along with your "fix". i'll do the same.

steve


----------



## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

I thought I was seeing improvement, but new growth is still coming in yellow, and what did come in green is now starting to yellow out.


----------



## ThatNewGuy (Sep 8, 2004)

Iron deficiency (sp) is definately described as leaves having a yellow flesh surrounded by darker veins.

Sounds like what I have been reading about lacking Iron. However, I have read that Manganese and Potassium help in Iron uptake while Calcium and Magnesium inhibit Iron uptake. Try dosing more potassium and Iron and see in that helps. Most micros seem to have manganese. You might also test GH to see if it is too high.

Just a newb myself but I read a lot. Hope this helps. Let us know what happens


----------



## Crs2fr (Sep 22, 2004)

i've started a dosing monday, wed, fri.. both flourish, and flourish iron.. well see how things turn around


chris


----------



## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

On my 50g, 2x96w tank:

I've increased my CO2 from 30 to 30-40ppm

I've increased my Flourish from 10ml 3x per week to 15ml 3x per week

I've increased my Flourish iron from 2ml 3x per week to 3-4ml 3x per week

I've increased my Flourish Potassium from 5ml 3x per week to 10ml 3x per week (supplemented with other K from KNO3 and KH2PO4)

Still running 24/7 UVS.

I'm running out of Flourish and will then be switching to some CSM+B that I have. I'll also eventually be switching from Flourish K to K2SO4.

Have just started this routine, so I'll post back in a week or two to report.


----------



## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

I pulled mine out of the tank and threw it in the trash. It stuck out like a sore thumb against all the nice green plants in my tank.


----------



## Laith (Jul 7, 2004)

Urkevitz said:


> I pulled mine out of the tank and threw it in the trash. It stuck out like a sore thumb against all the nice green plants in my tank.


That's one way to deal with it! :tongue:


----------



## shalu (Jan 16, 2003)

I only saw it pale when I dosed antibiotics and got a severe case of trace deficiency in the whole tank.


----------



## gentledental4u (Feb 28, 2008)

Hi motifone, 

Any updates???? Did you find the solution?






motifone said:


> On my 50g, 2x96w tank:
> 
> I've increased my CO2 from 30 to 30-40ppm
> 
> ...


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

3 year old thread? (for once, I looked at the date LOL)


----------



## gentledental4u (Feb 28, 2008)

o man..i didn't look at the year..haha i thought it was march of this year... well, the man lied because he said he would give updates!!! humph!


----------

