# continued Issues With Pinholes in Leaves



## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

K deficiency. Double the dose of K.


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## TheAnswerIs42 (Jul 10, 2014)

Looks like a K deficiency.

Here is a link that I refer to quite often for nutrients:
http://gwapa.org/wordpress/articles/fertilizing-the-planted-aquarium/

Here sa little except that may help you right now:
Nutrient Deficiencies
While using test kits is a great way to determine what the current level of nutrients in your tank is, plants can also provide visual cues that something is wrong. Here are some common nutrient deficiencies along with what to look for.

Nitrogen (low): Leaves turn yellow, red leaves, (high) red plants are green
Potassium (low): Pinholes in leaves, ragged leaf edges and tips
Phosphates (low): green spot algae, stunting
Iron (low): Leaves grow in pale or yellow
Calcium: Distorted leaf growth, cupped or twisted leaves


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Balance is not always correct. If you have plants that use higher amounts of a nutrient
and you add just that nutrient, it does no harm. It's only when it is lower than it needs to be that it causes harm.
Where the balance comes in is between the nutrients/light and carbon.
People say "your ferts are unbalanced" when algae happens but not enough of all the plants need in all of the nutrients is a better way of putting it.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

I thought the whole point of EI is to load in enough ferts that you don't have these sorts of problems?


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## hollo (Jun 14, 2014)

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'll double my K and see how it goes.


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

Yes, looks like a K deficiency. Hygros are very good indicators of that.

1/8 tsp will raise your K concentration by 3.16 ppm. So doubling that to 1/4 three times a week will be adding an additional 18 ppm of K to your tank per week which is a good amount. A high tech, densely planted tank will easily use 25-30 ppm of K per week. K is one of the most used plant nutrients.

The holes will not heal, but no more leaves will develop holes if it is K deficiency.


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## BrentB (Dec 4, 2014)

kman said:


> I thought the whole point of EI is to load in enough ferts that you don't have these sorts of problems?


I am still a newb for the most part but to be my understanding of EI, that is true for the most part but I have been learning by fire that if the tank is healthy and has good light and the plants are growing at what feels like astronomical rate that the plants will use high amounts of some of the nutrients even in EI at a high enough rate to cause deficiencies. I to have been using the EI method but have found in my tank I am still having to add additional K an Fe to keep up with the growth rate. Again this is my conclusion based on my experiences I am sure if I am wrong the more experienced members will correct me.  

Brent


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## flight50 (Apr 17, 2012)

EI is a given range for nutrients and a guideline. There are dosing regimes around this forum that list amounts to provide a (x)ppm worth of nutrients per tank size. If a plant or plants consume more than the provided range, the dosing can be altered. The method behind EI is to try to provide the least available nutrient based on Leibig's Law. 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=517945&highlight=


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

Of the usual base powders used to mix EI (Potassium Nitrate/KNO3, Mono Potassium Phosphate/KH2PO4, and Potassium Sulfate/K2SO4), which is the one you should add more of, in order to get more K? (since they all have K)


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

K2So4. I sometimes just add a teaspoon of it to get things caught up. It doesn't seem to cause any problems. FWIW


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

BruceF said:


> K2So4. I sometimes just add a teaspoon of it to get things caught up. It doesn't seem to cause any problems. FWIW


Thx! I'll add a little extra to my Macro solution, and my autodosers will take care of the rest.


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

Zapins said:


> Yes, looks like a K deficiency. Hygros are very good indicators of that.
> 
> 1/8 tsp will raise your K concentration by 3.16 ppm. So doubling that to 1/4 three times a week will be adding an additional 18 ppm of K to your tank per week which is a good amount. A high tech, densely planted tank will easily use 25-30 ppm of K per week. K is one of the most used plant nutrients.
> 
> The holes will not heal, but no more leaves will develop holes if it is K deficiency.


Add K2SO4.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

sometimes K is not the problem like with my hygros. I was dosing near 100ppm a week as a test and still have the same amount of pinholes.

I don't run co2. thats is and was the problem. I have since reduced the amount of hygros and raised my lights a bit. Problem solved.


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

> which is the one you should add more of, in order to get more K?
> 
> 
> > Add K2SO4.




When I ordered my ferts, I took the advice below and didn't order k2so4. Hypothetically speaking, If I wanted to raise my k, would my only option be to buy k2so4?



> Since KNO3 (potassium nitrate) provides significant potassium *K2SO4 is optional.* The K2SO4 doses listed below provide 2.2 ppm of potassium which raises potassium to the full EI level. *This is usually not necessary.*


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Yes, pretty much.

However, I strongly disagree with that quote based on my own experiments and observations.


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

KNO3 will also add K, but it adds nitrates too, so your fish may be negatively affected if you add 30+ ppm in order to get the K higher. Might as well order K2SO4.


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> However, I strongly disagree with that quote based on my own experiments and observations.


care to explain?


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Certain plants require more potassium than others, e.g. certain species of Hygrophila's. It may not uptake much nitrogen, but it certainly requires more K than can be provided with KNO3 alone.

I'm now exploring the relationship between K+ and Mg++ to see if extra Mg can offset K.


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## limz_777 (Jun 29, 2005)

philipraposo1982 said:


> sometimes K is not the problem like with my hygros. I was dosing near 100ppm a week as a test and still have the same amount of pinholes.
> 
> I don't run co2. thats is and was the problem. I have since reduced the amount of hygros and raised my lights a bit. Problem solved.


how does raising the light helps ?


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

limz_777 said:


> how does raising the light helps ?


Bringing the lights higher off the water reduces your light levels.


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