I hope I explain this correctly.

If the growth segment between each successive growth of new leafs is longer, what does that tell me?

vice versa, what if the segments are shorter?

Does it mean the plants are reaching for light? Do I need to increase my photoperiod (I'm running quad t5 48" on a 90g).

Thanks in advance!

*bump

Anyone?

You need to mention more data about your tank to see.

Regards,
Tom Barr

I take it there is no general rule?

What kind of information did you need? A photo of the plant(s) or system specs?

Thanks in advance,

Please provide:

Lighting

Tank Specs

Substrate

Dosing Schedule

CO2 or not

These will help you get specific answers.

Good Luck, Chris

Lighting - Quad 54Watt T5

Tank Specs

- 90Gal & Eheim Pro 3 Electronic
- Neptune Junior Computer
- Pressurized CO2

Substrate

- Florabase

Dosing Schedule

Day 1 Water Change 0.5 TSP KNO3 0.125 TSP KH2PO4 0.5 TSP K2SO4 1.5 TSP gH Booster Adjust KH
2 Trace (10ML)
3 0.5 TSP KNO3 0.125 TSP KH2PO4 0.5 TSP K2SO4
4 Trace (10ML)
5 0.5 TSP KNO3 0.125 TSP KH2PO4 0.5 TSP K2SO4
6 Trace (10ML)
7 Rest Day

My guess is that it is from a persistent overdose of Excel. I have just finished dialing in my CO2 and will back off Excel after my waterchange tomorrow.

It looks to me like you are underdosing all nutrients. I think you need about one tsp of KNO3, 1/4 tsp of KH2PO4 and the equivalent of 1/4 tsp of CSM+B. And, the computer doesn't seem to have a role to play. For CO2 you need a drop checker to be sure you have around 30 ppm of CO2 in the water. You could stop the K2SO4 if you wanted to.

So, I would say the plants are growing towards the light, as all plants do, but so lacking in nutrients that they can't grow the usual number of leaves. In a healthy, well fertilized tank, that much light should give you bushier and bigger than normal plants, all growing very fast.

according to the testing I am doing ... and referenced against standard solutions I have made .... I am not underdosing.

I do have a drop checker (with kh 4 fluid) and it indeed is indicating adequate CO2.

Any other ideas?

FYI they are growing the "usual number of leaves". They are simply growing a surprising amount of stem in between each ...

I feel the extra K2SO4 is needed ... as I have noticed holes in the leaves in the past.

Even if the tests you are performing are dead on, if the plants are still looking sketchy you could add more ferts as Vaughn suggests without any harm. It could be that you are testing immediately after dosing, get good results, then the plants soak up the nutrients, then they are a little starved until you dose again.

If the plants have the "usual number of leaves" but with a lot of stem in between them, for a given height wouldn't that be "fewer leaves?"

Keep us posted,
-Tim

I just checked my levels again ... after a day and a half of not dosing... and they are definitely fine (if not slightly high)....

Does anyone else think it could be a result of excel overdose... I have been dosing 20ml of excel (sorry I left that out) every day since the last water change. AND, I had dosed 20ml per day for the week before that as well.

and I do see what you are getting at about the leaves. I was looking at it as if the plants grew a set of leaves, stem, set of leaves, stem ... etc... but not that they would have more leaves in a smaller area.