A Couple Plant Questions

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

Hamsnacks

Fish Fanatic
Joined
Dec 26, 2017
Messages
181
Reaction score
16
I have at the moment a 60 Gallon Tank that currently has some Silica Sand and Driftwood in Place and now is ready for some Plants. Just had a couple questions, as I have only ever put plants into an established tank with fish in it. I want a heavy planted tank and the introduce some fish later on.

1) Still don't know the exact plants I will be putting in but I will be using Seachem Flourish Tabs, do you use 1 tab per plant? Would 1 tab a month work fine? I've been told Seachem Flourish/Potassium and Excel Bottles are also a great addition, would love to hear your advice/experience on these products and how you use them, even some pictures showing the results.

2) I understand plants use the food the fish don't eat, I have some Koi pellets, do I drop a few in every day or how many would you guys advise? Or is it not needed if I will be using the Seachem products?

Thanks in advance.
 
We will need to know your lighting before we can suggest suitable plants. Light drives photosynthesis, which is how plants grow, and each species requires a certain level minimum of light. So giving us the light data (be specific) will aid us here.

Moving on from that aspect...photosynthesis is driven by light intensity (spectrum is also part of this, as plants need red and blue, and green helps) but the nutrients plants require (there are 17) must be sufficient to balance the light. If any of this balance is out, whether too much or too little light, or too many or too few nutrients), plants may struggle and algae will take advantage.

When fish are present, they will provide much of the nutrients, along with water changes. This somewhat depends upon the plant species; low light plants are slower growing so less nutrients, and high light plants are faster so more nutrients required. Sometimes the fish alone will provide all that is needed; other times fertilizers may benefit. Light is again the governing factor, along with the plant species.

You don't want to be overdosing the nutrients; not only does this tend to encourage problem algae, it is also not beneficial to fish. Additives in the water get inside fish, and the fewer the healthier the fish will be. Which brings me to the Seachem "Flourish" line.

The Flourish Comprehensive Supplement is a complete liquid fertilizer; some macro nutrients are minimal, because it is assumed they will likely be present from other sources. This comprehensive supplement may be all you need. There is no benefit in dosing individual nutrients, like Potassium, Iron, Excel, etc. Some of these can be outright dangerous to some plants, and fish. Excess of some nutrients can cause plants to "shut down" assimilation of others, depending. This is where the Comprehensive with its proportional balance of nutrients is so helpful.

The Flourish Tabs are basically the same as the Comprehensive liquid, except they release the nutrients slowly as plants need them rather than getting into the water column for plants and algae (and fish). Larger plants like swords, aponogeton, lotus, tend to benefit more. One tab next to a large plant, replaced every 2-3 months. The GH (the prime source of the hard minerals calcium and magnesium) will determine how often you may need these; in moderately hard water you can go 3-4 months; in very soft water 2 months may be needed.

Do not go dumping in fish food like koi pellets (unless the fish are present to eat this). Plants can only use these as organics, which means the fish need to digest them and excrete the waste which settles into the substrate where bacteria breaks it down thus providing nutrients. This is the prime source of CO2, and with fish there will be more than you might realize.

I've been using the Seachem Flourish line for 8-9 years now. The tabs in tanks with the larger plants, the Comprehensive Supplement in most tanks, but usually less than the suggested amount. Once we know the lighting data, and then the intended plants, it will be easy to work out the fertilizers.

You asked for photos, so below are some of my tanks over the past several years. I have what I term low to moderate light and no added CO2 so these tanks are low-tech or natural method. Not all plants will manage with this, so having tried many, I stay with what grows. I also have floating plants in all my tanks, as I consider that mandatory for all forest fish, and my fish come first. The photos are not the best due to my old and inexpensive camera, but they will give the idea I think.
 

Attachments

  • 40g April 20-18 (1).JPG
    40g April 20-18 (1).JPG
    644.7 KB · Views: 170
  • 70g Mar 2-16.JPG
    70g Mar 2-16.JPG
    525.9 KB · Views: 184
  • 33g Aug 16-16.JPG
    33g Aug 16-16.JPG
    602.4 KB · Views: 209
  • 90g Oct 17-13.JPG
    90g Oct 17-13.JPG
    677.6 KB · Views: 172
  • 115g May 27-14.JPG
    115g May 27-14.JPG
    607.2 KB · Views: 166

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Back
Top