Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Whats going on?? The leaves have a weird white mottling. Its almost like they have lost their green pigment. Like a bleaches shirt or something.

Could be a deficiency or overdose/imbalance of some nutrient.

Have you added anything to the system?
What is your system pH and what do your water tests results say?

My normal first guess (provided your pH is between 6 and if you have not added any supplements or salt is going to be potassium deficiency.

However if you have already added supplements to the system or if the pH is way out of whack, an overdose of certain things or pH lockout can cause just as many problems as deficiency.

I have a similar thing happening on my broccoli and to a lesser extent on my silverbeet. It was really bad when pH was < 6 - but it seems oK now.

Must be the pH. We're having a hard time keeping it above 6. Been doing daily doses of calcium hydroxide and potassium bicarb.

Maybe I gotta step it up.

also happened with my silverbeet, and also when my Ph was all wrong

Do you have shell grit on hand for the system to help keep the pH up once you get it a bit higher? Shells are a pretty good long term buffer once the pH is in a desirable range.

As for bringing the pH up. You can also use small amounts of garden lime (Calcium Carbonate) It is pretty cheap to get and usually available. Actually most any type of lime will work but as always with anything that can move pH quickly, dose a small amount, wait for mixing then test. You don't want to bring up pH more than say 0.2 in a day.

Another easy to find item that can adjust pH quickly (though you don't want to use it regularly because of the sodium) is baking soda.