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Why are my reds going green?

jamesb

Member
Joined
12 Jun 2012
Messages
226
The plants in my tank are growing well even the moss has started to show new growth. The problem is the new growth on my red plants is green ...... I thought that reds going green was down to insufficient light but from the par charts I have looked at I should have high light or at least mid-high. I have a juwel rio 180 so 2x 45w hi-lite (guessing their version of ho bulbs) with reflectors and they sit like 2/3 inches off water. The tank is around 45cm deep. The tank is co2 injected has a soil base capped by silver sand and also dose EI. Any ideas?
 
could be a number of reasons... Low iron? Some would say it is a nitrate issue.
 
I am dosing estimative index and have a nutra soil base. So I am surprised it could be an iron deficiency. When you say nitrate issue do you mean high nitrates or again a deficiency?
 
I am fairly heavily planted and change 50% water weekly and had no nitrates in tap water last time I checked.
 
now i could be wrong but i think some people use low nitrate to bring reds out in the plants? Might be the opposite.... no. Well. The red is always there. Along with yellow from various chemical compounds. But it is the green that we see. So Maybe low nitrate is how some people do it. Have a look at the Aquagreen thread. Ian is using an iron supplement.
 
I have just upped the concentration of my micro ferts so maybe that will help. May knock a teaspoon or so out of the KNO3 too when I have to make more macro
 
When low nitrates are used to produce reds it is normally only used for short periods.. ie for final photos etc as it will cause stress to the plant over a period of time. It is fairly unknown what does and doesnt cause reds to appear, high iron and high light produce results for some.
 
Thanks guys. Hopefully the stronger trace mix will help then :)
 
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