potassium k safe to add in discus tank

[wickerman]

Hi
This is my first post.
I have kept tropical fish for many years, some with and some without co2 hight light etc.
Last week i bought my first 4 discus,all seems well etc.
Now my question is....i have a low light planted discus tank with plants ..(java fern,java moss,anibus).
I keep my nitrates NO3 low as poss,but theres enough for plant growth,likewise phosphates 0.5.
Im not sure if i neeed to add potassium and if its safe too?
also im usein RO water,which i then add ro right to (would the kent ro right supply enough traces that the plants would need>?)

GH 1
KH 2
TEMP 85
NO3 10
PO4 0.5
PH 7

THANKS FOR ANY HELP

[duck]

You should be fine adding K,I really don't think you need to add any as you have low light and i don't think your K will bottom out.

[Siklidkid]

It is critical that you add K (potassium) as it is a macronutrient (really important to plants) and is not naturally occuring in the tank.
Fish waste only produces N (nitrogen) and P (phosphorus) and there really isnt much in the water.

K deficiency is commonly seen in anubias (any other plant) as yellowing of older leaves or pinholes (also especially in older leaves) which increase in size, leaf is eventually destroyed. Growth rate will also be drastically slower. I have frist had experience with this as well with anubias, the oldest leaves always turned yellow and died. When i started to add K at 15ppm, no more holes or yellowing and much faster growth (without CO2, low tech)

You should aim for about 20ppm of K.
Levels of over 50ppm have been shown to have no negative impact on aquatic plants or fish and will NOT contribute to algae growth which is a good thing (just in case you overdose).

Just wondering what you are using to dose K? (potassuium sulfate K2SO4, potassium nitrate KNO3...)
How much are you dosing?
What is the size of your tank?

[lesley]

My experience would agree with Siklidkid. It was said to me by a very experienced aquarium keeper that the extra levels of K actually increase the fertility of the fish. So looks like a win/win?