The amount of light a plant gets determines how fast it consumes nutrients. The amount of nutrients in the water in many tanks is generally constant. So if the lights are variable, too much light can cause the plants to consume all the nutrients, leading to a nutrient deficiency that makes it difficult or impossible for plants to grow.infold wrote: ↑Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:28 am I've got a Java Fern setup in unlit tanks, just relying on natural light from a big north-facing window. Last year, around May or June, the morning sun would hit one of the tanks for about an hour before moving on. The Java Fern in that tank ended up dying off in the same way as yours. I've heard that changes in lighting can really affect plants, and now I'm a believer.
starlord said:
Java ferns need potassium. You will see the end of that die off,or the "white tips" they can get. Like with using iron? Results are fast. All you really need are those two..other nutrients come in as food or manufactured as poop.
Focusing on one nutrient doesn't work. Adding more of one nutrient often leads to a deficiency in other nutrients. Generally, better results are obtained by looking at all nutrients, which can be challenging. But in planted tanks, I've learned that if you're not adding a nutrient, it's likely deficient. So if you're not dosing a fertilizer and you have plant problems, you probably should use a fertilizer. If you are dosing a fertilizer but have plant growth issues, look at the label. If it doesn't have one or more nutrients, those nutrients are likely deficient and only those nutrients should be added.
