Red plants - nitrate deficient?

My azolla and water lettuce are starting to show reddish coloration and
the water lettuce is losing a few leaves. Nitrates are nearly zero
since I only have 7 small, lightly fed fish (if that many) in about 70
gallons of water. In a planted fishtank I'd add nitrate to the water.
Should I do the same in my 3 barrel pond?

I understand planted fishtanks well. Do I handle pond plant nutrients
the same way for oxygenators and floaters? I usually add trace
elements, potash(K) and iron to the water routinely, and nitrate (or
even phosphate) if necessary. However, I don't know if there are
"gotchas" to ponds since they seem somewhat different from aquaria.

Assuming that I do need to fertilize, can anyone suggest a good water
garden fertilizer that will work with a very light fish load and lots of
plants?

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

"Elaine T" wrote in message
m...
My azolla and water lettuce are starting to show reddish coloration and
the water lettuce is losing a few leaves. Nitrates are nearly zero
since I only have 7 small, lightly fed fish (if that many) in about 70
gallons of water. In a planted fishtank I'd add nitrate to the water.
Should I do the same in my 3 barrel pond?
========================
I handle the plants in my ponds, pools and barrels the same as the plants in
my aquariums. They need the same nutrients. I find 1 Tbs. of Potassium
(Potash) per 1000 gallons does wonders for my outdoor water plants.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

A fish pond is just an outdoor aquarium. It has the same problems as an
indoor aquarium, but it has the added problems of not being in a controlled
environment, so trash blows in, temperatures swing, but still an aquarium.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

"Elaine T" wrote in message
m...
My azolla and water lettuce are starting to show reddish coloration and
the water lettuce is losing a few leaves. Nitrates are nearly zero since
I only have 7 small, lightly fed fish (if that many) in about 70 gallons
of water. In a planted fishtank I'd add nitrate to the water. Should I do
the same in my 3 barrel pond?

I understand planted fishtanks well. Do I handle pond plant nutrients the
same way for oxygenators and floaters? I usually add trace elements,
potash(K) and iron to the water routinely, and nitrate (or even phosphate)
if necessary. However, I don't know if there are "gotchas" to ponds since
they seem somewhat different from aquaria.

Assuming that I do need to fertilize, can anyone suggest a good water
garden fertilizer that will work with a very light fish load and lots of
plants?

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

RichToyBox wrote:
A fish pond is just an outdoor aquarium. It has the same problems as an
indoor aquarium, but it has the added problems of not being in a controlled
environment, so trash blows in, temperatures swing, but still an aquarium.

Oh, good! I can handle a planted aquarium. :-) Nitrate it is, along
with everything else. I was thinking of ordering from
www.gregwatson.com. Now I definately will, since I can use the
fertilizers in both pond and fishtanks.

Jan ~ I'll check temps with a thermometer but I was at 60 during the day
a few weeks ago and the water felt much warmer than 55 this afternoon.
Whiskey barrels with black pond liner seem to really soak up the sun.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

Some of us rather feeding the fish more, than to supplement
plants with Nitrate.

Elaine T wrote:

Oh, good! I can handle a planted aquarium. :-) Nitrate it is, along
with everything else. I was thinking of ordering from
www.gregwatson.com. Now I definately will, since I can use the
fertilizers in both pond and fishtanks.

Sean Dinh wrote:
Some of us rather feeding the fish more, than to supplement
plants with Nitrate.

Elaine T wrote:

Oh, good! I can handle a planted aquarium. :-) Nitrate it is, along
with everything else. I was thinking of ordering from
www.gregwatson.com. Now I definately will, since I can use the
fertilizers in both pond and fishtanks.

My fish aren't even coming to the surface to eat what I offer. They're
all doing fine when I glimpse them so I think they must prefer azolla,
water lettuce roots, and whatever else they're finding out there.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 00:10:42 GMT, Elaine T wrote:

My azolla and water lettuce are starting to show reddish coloration and
the water lettuce is losing a few leaves. Nitrates are nearly zero
since I only have 7 small, lightly fed fish (if that many) in about 70
gallons of water. In a planted fishtank I'd add nitrate to the water.
Should I do the same in my 3 barrel pond?

Elaine, I suspect that since your azolla is red your water temperatures and
down? Most water plants can't take up nutrients till the water is a certain
temp, that's why new growth on some water iris will actually be white in
the spring. Once the water warms up, they green up. 55*F and up. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~