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fertilizer, and other additives

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  fish_4_all 
#1 ·
I have a heavily planted 60 gallon tank and had a few questions on how to make the plants thrive... I recently bought the liquid fertilizer stuff, and some Iron additive... Do I really need to get the really expensive CO2 Injector's? Or can I go with liquid CO2 drops? The local pet store said he can get the liquid form which is only like $10 for a bottle that lasts quite a long time. I feel that will be easier and cheeper. But will it even work? or is it neccisary to get the expensive injectors? I found this one that is an injector for only $30 but it seems like its a cheep one. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14711

Any suggestions?
 
#2 ·
shawnstve said:
I have a heavily planted 60 gallon tank and had a few questions on how to make the plants thrive... I recently bought the liquid fertilizer stuff, and some Iron additive... Do I really need to get the really expensive CO2 Injector's? Or can I go with liquid CO2 drops? The local pet store said he can get the liquid form which is only like $10 for a bottle that lasts quite a long time. I feel that will be easier and cheeper. But will it even work? or is it neccisary to get the expensive injectors? I found this one that is an injector for only $30 but it seems like its a cheep one. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14711

Any suggestions?
in my own opinion, i would choose the pressurized CO2 system, yes, it is expensive, but in the long run..it would be a wiser choice. since using liquid CO2 might be cheap, but adding your expenses for months would be high. compared to a pressurized tank that you could only refill for a couple of times. for a 5 liter CO2 tank running on more or less 2 bps, it would take more or less 6 months to used up everything on it.. what more on a 10L tank. do the math. :wink:
 
#3 ·
Okey dokey. You have picked a very controversial subject, that's for sure. I have both high tech and low tech tanks. The high tech tanks are larger, 90g and larger. The low tech tanks are normally 75g and below. My two favorites are a 180g high tech tank and a 29g low tech tank.

First let me define low tech vs. high tech. Low tech can have special gravel, something like EcoComplete or a gravel Laterite or Fluorite/gravel mix. Lighting may be upgraded. But, basically it is your everyday, common set up. Liquid ferts are normally used as are plant tabs.

High tech can be described as a tank that utilizes all, or some, of the technology available to the hobby. This would include CO2 injection, light timers, special substrate, intricate fertilizer dosing (usually dry ferts), dedicated monitoring of pH, KH, and GH. Adding buffers to maintain the levels of the afore mentioned. But in all actuality, a high tech tank is no harder to keep than keeping some fish. The difference is you are maintaining the tank for plants and not piscivores.

In my low tech tanks, I use Pfertz liquid fertilizers and Flourish excel. Lighting is on for about 14 hours a day. In the newer tanks I use EcoComplete for Planted tanks. In the older ones, I used Fluorite and gravel mix, since I used a red/black flint for a substrate, the r/b Fluorite blends right in. I just didn't want to recycle the tank(s) with new gravel. It worked out well.

I have set up a plant area in my fishroom. This is gonna be Mama's baby. I did use a high tech set up as I intend to propagate and sell some of the plants locally to lfs's in my area. I spent a bundle, at least more than I budgeted, to make it a friendly, low maintainance set up.

Plants, if you just want to go with the basics, require attention to three major areas. Lighting, fertilizing and water conditions. Give them those three things and you will be successful.

CO2 is a great thing. The initial cost of setting it up can be intimidating, at best. The valves, regulators, controls and tanks for just one of my tanks ran me almost $450 and that included buying a more advanced test kit. Is it worth it? Who's to say? The plants grow like weeds though. No algae problems what so ever. My biggest problem was getting the dosing right. That took some time and patience. Ph was all over the place for a while

I hope this helps. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
 
#4 ·
My one word of advice here. IMHO, do not go with those cheap pellets/cartridge/tablet driven CO2 contraptions. You will regret it. I have known many that have tried them including myself and will never do it again. It may work if you do everything perfectly and get a perfect one but I have heard more horror stories than happy endings.

Only one thing to remember with CO2, keep steady levels between 30-50ppm and you will be a happy camper. Fluctuate too much and it can cause worse algae than you were trying to get rid of.
 
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