Hygro Salicifola curled leaves

[FrankZ]

Any suggestions on what causes this curled leaf some is the tips and some are the edges curling in. This has been happening since I got the plant in March.

About the only thing I haven’t tried to flatten it out is low level macros. Everything else in the tank is growing fine with no deformities like this. I’ve tried high flow, low flow, shade, full light.

Macros are EI front loaded and micros are Burr Aqua at 0.51 Fe per week. I’ve tried half that much with no change. Calcium is 15 ppm and magnesium is 7.5. 3.5 weeks ago I converted to 100% RO/DI water with no alkalinity addition.

I’m assuming it is still a CO2 issue because I’ve ruled just about everything else out. This one has me confused because it’s not every leaf. Its randomly showing up on new leaves.

Could it just be the nature of the plant?

 

[Art]

Wow, that's a LOT of curling.

IMHO curling has always been a nutrient issue for me, usually hardness related. CO2 has never been an issue that caused this. What is your CO2 process?

If you are sure about your Ca/Mg levels, I would re-think using EI on the macros. What is your NPK?

 

[FrankZ]

Wow, that's a LOT of curling.

IMHO curling has always been a nutrient issue for me, usually hardness related. CO2 has never been an issue that caused this. What is your CO2 process?

If you are sure about your Ca/Mg levels, I would re-think using EI on the macros. What is your NPK?

Thanks @Art!

My CO2 is a constant injection rate right at 37 cc/min (it’s between 35 and 40) per my Dwyer flow meter. It bubbles into the suction of my FX4. Degassed pH is 6.6, tank pH prior to gas on is 6.4, pH at lights on is 5.15. It takes about 1 hour to achieve the drop. No bubbles escape the filter during the injection time. I have tried to increase above 40 cc/min but it stresses out my fish.

I “think” my CO2 is good but that line of thinking as bit me in the rear before. Flow has all the plants swaying a good amount. So I’m unsure how to improve this without major piping

NPK are 20-5-26

I can easily double my calcium during my next water change. In the past I did notice everything did better with +30 ppm addition of calcium when I was using straight tap water. I have always questioned why because adding that much seems excessive.

By switching to RO/DI I thought 15 ppm calcium would be enough because whatever dumbness that was in my tap water would be removed. I’ve seen 15 Ca/7.5 Mg mentioned here a number of times from people that reconstitute RO/DI which is where I got those amounts.

Everything I add, except micros, is front loaded based on 32 gallons of water since that’s how much I’m changing, so the tank parameters should be fairly stable after a water change. No giant peaks or valleys in nutrients.

I think I’m going to try doubling the calcium since it’s the easiest thing to do and won’t hurt anything as far as I know.

I’ve also noticed this morning my Lagenandra meeboldii 'Green' has some weird leaf shape. They are the first submerged leaves coming out after transitioning so it might mean nothing as those leaves are usually kind of ugly. They are cupped upwards rather than down and much more red than green. So maybe I was sent the “red” variety instead of green.

Edit- typo in my pH end point

 

[Burr740]

Almost certainly a nutrient issue. Ca is a good place to start, it's deficiency can do weird things like that to leaves.

Relatively speaking 15 ppm is pretty low to go along with EI PO4 and K, and then 7.5 Mg on top of that. All those nutrients have an antagonistic relationship with Ca (see Mulder's Chart). And so do a few of the secondary micros, although my recipe isnt particularly high in those. I think doubling the Ca is a good plan, see what happens

 

[FrankZ]

Almost certainly a nutrient issue. Ca is a good place to start, it's deficiency can do weird things like that to leaves.

Relatively speaking 15 ppm is pretty low to go along with EI PO4 and K, and then 7.5 Mg on top of that. All those nutrients have an antagonistic relationship with Ca (see Mulder's Chart). And so do a few of the secondary micros, although my recipe isnt particularly high in those. I think doubling the Ca is a good plan, see what happens

Thank you! @Burr740

I’m going to double the calcium starting tomorrow and give it at least a month to see what happens.