Hygrophila Angustifolia might be dominating my tank!

[Sarpijk]

Hi guys,

Ιs it possible that a sole plant is dominating a tank leeching the majority of nutrients? I have a large portion of said hygrophila which is very healthy and breaks the surface in no time. The paradox for me is the fact that this is one of the plants that readily manifests any deficiencies and works as a good ''nutrients canary''.

Could it be so,that while a plant used as an indicator for the total health of our tank can also cause deficiencies to other plants because it acts as a nutrients hog?

 

[sciencefiction]

I suppose yes. Some plants consume and need more of a certain nutrient. They are not all the same. Some could have adapted better to taking up something better than the rest. So some could be a nutrient hog but generally hydrophila is amongst the first to show a deficiency due to being a fast grower.

In my opinion, hydrophila is sensitive to potassium and iron deficiency the most. It seems it can't take those easily at a time when the other plants do well enough and don't visually show anything. So when hydrophila does well, it may mean it's got what it needs. If other plants aren't doing well, perhaps they need more of something else that isn't available, be it more light, more CO2, more phosphate(e.g anubias loves phosphate), etc..
Hydrophila also shades other plants very easily depending on your aquascape, which was why I had to keep it away from plants I wanted to survive.

However, having said all that, when one particular thing isn't available in a tank which is essential to the well being of plants, eventually all plants will show signs if the issue isn't solved long enough. So one can't judge what's happening in the tank by one plant only, even if that plant is the only one doing well. But if you wait long enough and risk, the picture becomes clearer.