Tropical Fish Keeping banner

Plant fertilizer?

10K views 29 replies 6 participants last post by  redchigh 
#1 ·
I was reading our profile on Aponogeton (or at least one species of aponogeton), and it said that fertilizers may be needed. I don't mind spending an extra $15 or so if I can get some increased plant growth in my tank.

This is my 10g Amazon QT tank has Amazon Sword, Aponogeton, and Anacharis. I am currently using Flourish Comprehensive and it has really helped.

I am wondering if anyone has any recomendations for Fertilizers.

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
Do you find the potassium having a noticeable impact on the plant color or growth rates? I'm using Excel and Flourish comprehensive, along with some root tabs. Still haven't got it dialed in quite right yet (1st planted tank, working with medium/med high light).
 
#4 ·
I am using comprehensive right now. Is that a fertilizer? I have heard afew bad reviews about Exel, but I can't remember why or the source.
 
#5 ·
I am using comprehensive right now. Is that a fertilizer? I have heard afew bad reviews about Excel, but I can't remember why or the source.
Flourish comprehensive is a fertilizer that supplies micronutrients. Plants also require macronutrients, but I'm not expert enough to go into all that detail! Others on the forum can and have posted tons of info - Byron is an outstanding source of expertise in his posts. I'm still new to planted tanks and rapidly learning from my many mistakes! Some folks here prefer a less chemical approach, going as natural as possible. The natural approach certainly has some advantages.

For those of us who don't want to use pressurized CO2 injection to max out plant growth, but want more plant growth than the normal CO2 level provides, Excel is a chemical carbon source (to supplement natural CO2) that, combined with the right balance of lighting and additional fertilizers, is useful to increase plant growth rates. I use it daily. However, it does cost $$, it will increase maintenance due to an increased use of ferts and plant growth, and some plants don't really care for the chemical in the Excel. The chemical, if memory serves, is one of the chemicals produced by plants in an intermediate photosynthetic stage. However, the chemical can be nasty at certain concentrations so always avoid skin contact and breathing the Excel vapors (respiratory irritant). At any rate, using excel will take more work in the tank, but I do notice increased plant growth rates when using it and actually like the additional time I spend plundering in my tank to maintain it. It does makes dialing in my fertilization and light levels more difficult, but that's part of the appeal for me - playing with the variables.
 
#6 ·
excel is well known for causing fish deaths if misused, and sometime stressing fish even used properly. Algae and certain plant species hate the stuff. I've used it to cheat and get a handle on algae problems before. I would never use it long term though.

The cost of all the store bought ferts is insane IMO. Good thing for the EI method otherwise I wouldn't be keeping plants.
 
#7 ·
I mixed up my own "Flourish equivilent" liquid fertiliser.. I typically have high nitrates (40) and I suspect high phosphates, but was having a potassium deficiency. I mixed potassium and CSM+B (a micronutrient mixture) and dose it twice a week.

Anyways, yes, flourish comprehensive is a fertiliser. Root tabs may be nice though for aponogetons that you want to winter over... Never heard of wintering over actually working.

Aponogetons have a bulb, and they for the most part use the starches in the bulb to grow...
 
#8 ·
I agree with Mikaila on the Excel. Enough said on that.

To your initial question small fry: All plants need nutrients in the presence of light in order to photosynthesize (grow). The level of growth (fast, slow, etc) largely depends upon the amount of light and nutrients. Whether growing slow or fast, plants will still be healthy. But the balance between light and nutrients, and between the nutrients themselves, is crucial to this.

In natural or low-tech setups it is best to go minimal. I use Flourish Comprehensive Supplement and have done for over 2 years now, and I am very pleased with the results. It is as far as I know the only preparation containing all nutrients (aside from oxygen, hydrogen and carbon which naturally occur in the aquarium). Once a week or at most twice a week is all you need. The frequency (once or twice) depends upon the aquarium--light, fish load, type of plants.

You mentioned Aponogeton; I have had reasonably good results from aponogeton with Flourish. Long-term I would recommend substrate nutrition for this genus of plants. But they do manage with just Flourish.

Byron.
 
#10 ·
In natural or low-tech setups it is best to go minimal. I use Flourish Comprehensive Supplement and have done for over 2 years now, and I am very pleased with the results. It is as far as I know the only preparation containing all nutrients (aside from oxygen, hydrogen and carbon which naturally occur in the aquarium). Once a week or at most twice a week is all you need. The frequency (once or twice) depends upon the aquarium--light, fish load, type of plants.
My 10g QT is heavily planted. I have been using Flourish for about 2 months now and have been amazed at the results. My Aponogeton grew at an incredible rate, it is probably doubled since I started using Flourish twice weekly. I have a low-tech QT (although after a certain thread I started, I may just make it a basic, non-planted QT), and I want to start a low-tech 55g amazon tank (without the non-amazonian species like Aponogeton and Anacharis).

You mentioned Aponogeton; I have had reasonably good results from aponogeton with Flourish. Long-term I would recommend substrate nutrition for this genus of plants. But they do manage with just Flourish.
I have aponogeton, and I also have amazon sword temporarily growing in my QT. I can hardly tell the difference without digging at the roots a little bit to see if it has a bulb or not. I was wondering if I should use root tabs for my amazon sword as well (as I think I have seen suggested), and what brand root tab you could recomend. I guess it is Ok to ask that without changing the topic "plant fertilizer?".:)

Thanks all for your imput!
 
#13 ·
Shop around on-line for substrate and wait for a "free shipping" sale. I have ecocomplete in my 55 and it was less than $100 delivered to my door (100 lbs). I have a 2-4" layer (sloped) in my 55 gallon. I am very pleased with the ecocomplete, but still have to use the substrate fertilizers Byron mentioned.
 
#14 ·
Shop around on-line for substrate and wait for a "free shipping" sale. I have ecocomplete in my 55 and it was less than $100 delivered to my door (100 lbs). I have a 2-4" layer (sloped) in my 55 gallon. I am very pleased with the ecocomplete, but still have to use the substrate fertilizers Byron mentioned.
You shouldn't need additional substrate ferts with Eco-complete...unless I am mis-understanding you. I would however use Flourish liquid, esp if there are stem plants, non-substrate rooted (Java Fern & Moss, Anubias) or floating.

I set up my 70g two weeks ago with Flourite Black, first time I've used one of these; will be interesting to see the difference (if any:lol:).

Byron.
 
#20 ·
I concur regarding the depth, there is such a thing as too deep! I have 4 different swords and once their roots get going, they are really well-anchored! I'm hoping MTS (Malaysian trumpet snails) will help aerate my ecocomplete substrate. I have a few of them, but no obvious reproduction yet...
 
#21 ·
Can't wait to see the results! Are you adding the Flourite to an Amazonian tank, or an Asian tank?
This is the flooded Amazon forest setup, previously in the 90g but now in the 70g with the Flourite. I'll attach a photo taken a couple days after I set it up. I severely trimmed the plants, but they will grow in again. The old 90g was something of a mess I'm afraid; it had a huge explosion of brush algae last summer and for various reasons including health i let it go too long. I decided to put this setup back in the 70g because it is 4 inches shallower and easier to create a flooded forest look. Also, this tank has a bit more light reaching the substrate due to the shallower depth.

All my tanks except for the largest 115g Amazon riverscape have been torn down and rebuilt during the past couple of weeks. But the 70g is the only one with Flourite substrate. The others have small gravel or sand.

Actually (unfortunately), it is not. I need about 4-6" for deep-rooted Amazon Sword. That can get pretty expensive.
I agree with the others that 4 inches will suffice. I have 5-6 in the 115g, but those are really big Echinodorus and the root systems extend so far throughout the substrate that anaerobic is less of a concern; if you go under the tank and look into the bottom (the metal stand is not solid) the bottom is covered with white roots everywhere. In the 70g I have about 2-3 inches of Flourite, deeper at the back than the front. It took 6 bags (7 kg or 15 lb bags). I ordered online, and it was almost 1/2 what they charge in some stores here. Big Al's Canada, they paid the shipping too.

Byron.
 

Attachments

#26 ·
According to my calculations and the US price for products, Flourite would run over $80 for the desired amount (x4 7g or approx 15.5lbs $21ea for 62lbs). This black gravel would run about $27 for 50lbs. for 2 bags of 25lbs at $12.99. The only problem is I can't tell what the grain size is. One person commented,

"I wanted large black rocks - instead I got very small rubble. Not at all like pictured and totally useless for my purposes."

Maybe it is small grained. I'll look into it further.
 
#27 ·
I would not go with that. The grain size is large, and it is glossy. Looking through the linked site, here's something like what you're probably looking for.
Instant Aquarium Substrate Tahitian Moon

Now, having suggested this, I have read somewhwere that this moon sand is "sharp." I've not seen it myself. This is one of those cases where you would like to find a nearby store that has this, so you could see it first hand. If you like it, then buy it online.

I came across some very nice black river gravel a couple weeks ago. It is called GEOsystem Substrate, made by Hagen. I only needed a bit, so I bought it from the store, but it was more expensive. You might find it online.
 
#28 ·
My favorite substrate is by far Estes 'ultra reef' sand.

It's a bit small, but way larger than what you would imagine as sand. It's a bit hard to find..


There's also a 3m Colorquartz that's used for flooring and lining swimming pools. I know, I know. Sounds crazy.. It's totally inert and non-toxic, and is only silica-coated quartz sand, the same as regular gravel. Also available in 16 colors.

Many friends of mine have used it, and the only problem is rinsing the dust off. Takes longer than anything else... Warm water helps..

Of course, at $20 for a 50 pound bag, it's worth some extra washing, and looks beautiful. T-grade is larger, and closer to the size of regular gravel. (about 2mm across)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top