A good plant supplement?

[Tropical Tony]

Hi guys.

At the moment I’m currently using tetra plantain to supplement the plants in my tank. I like that it’s just one treatment per month. However I was wondering if there is anything better on the market?

Thanks.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive, Thrive, Aquarium Co-op's Easy Green, Select Aquatics Rapid Grow Plant Fertilizer.
I've had good results with Flourish and Easy Green. I'm currently trying the Select Aquatics Rapid Grow as it's a powder that you mix with water making it very cost effective (why pay for water?)

 

[Essjay]

Seachem Flourish comprehensive is available in the UK; another good one is TNC lite. For roots tabs, Seachem Flourish tabs.

 

[Byron]

I tried to track down just which "nutrients" are in Tetra PlantMin but they don't tell you, on the label or the website. That in itself makes me leery of a product.

Aquarium Co-op's Easy Green contains nitrogen and phosphate, neither of which ever need to be added if you have fish. There are some micro-nutrients missing, though arguably they might be present from fish food too.

Select Aquatics Rapid Grow Plant Fertilizer also does not give nutrient ingredients on the website I found, but it does say 10-5-14 which I assume refers to Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, as this lettering/numbering system is used on garden fertilizers. If this assumption is correct, you certainly do not want to be adding this to any aquarium with fish. The high nitrate is not necessary and is detrimental to fish, and the phosphate could cause algae problems.

Essjay mentioned three top of the line products. Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium, and Flourish Tabs, and TNC Lite. [I've not used the TNC, but from the ingredients--and no nitrate or phosphate in the Lite version--I wish it was available in Canada.] The Flourish Comprehensive does have minimal ammonium/nitrate but no phosphate. Another very similar near-identical product is Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti.

If you have one or two aquaria the amount of these products that you use is minimal so the expense for a product that willnot cause unnecessary issues for fish, plants or algae is worth it. Terrestrial plants require somewhat different nutrients or proportions of nutrients (they are always high in nitrate and phosphate) which is why they should never be used in an aquarium.

 

[Essjay]

@Tropical Tony I have tried to find Brightwell's product in the UK - one Ebay seller has 2 bottles; no-one on Amazon sells it, and google finds only US shops.

But we can get the Seachem products and TNC lite.

 

[Tropical Tony]

Thanks so much for the replies guys! I think I might try the seacham products. Yeh I couldn’t find any ingredients for the plantain. My plants are growing fine like but does seem a little strange they don’t list them

 

[AbbeysDad]

Select Aquatics Rapid Grow Plant Fertilizer also does not give nutrient ingredients on the website I found, but it does say 10-5-14 which I assume refers to Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, as this lettering/numbering system is used on garden fertilizers. If this assumption is correct, you certainly do not want to be adding this to any aquarium with fish. The high nitrate is not necessary and is detrimental to fish, and the phosphate could cause algae problems.

Just so the record is clear, Greg Sage of Select Aquatics of Erie, Co. is a professional breeder with 120 tank fishroom. Like many, he uses plants to aid in water purification in his tanks that required modest ferts. What he didn't like was the high price of liquid ferts that are mostly water. After noticing all of the available dry ferts for hyroponics, he wondered if they'd work for aquatic plants and be safe for fish. After three years of experimentation and working with manufacturers, he developed this "Rapid Grow" fertilizer that he's been using in his fishroom since 2011. It seems to be working well for him, but he also does routine automated partial water changes...as does anyone serious about growing out fry to maximum health and size.

 

[seangee]

Essjay mentioned three top of the line products. Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium, and Flourish Tabs, and TNC Lite. [I've not used the TNC, but from the ingredients--and no nitrate or phosphate in the Lite version--I wish it was available in Canada.] The Flourish Comprehensive does have minimal ammonium/nitrate but no phosphate. Another very similar near-identical product is Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti.

I have just ordered a bottle of TNC lite as my Flourish is getting near the bottom (and no doubt well past its sell by). The selling point that swung it for me was the distribution / dosing chamber. My small tanks only get 1/2 ml per week which means a syringe. Not massively painful in a regular bottle but being able to squeeze it up into the dosage chamber and then stick a syringe in is just that little bit easier.

Idle curiosity but how long does it take plants to show detrimental effects from a lack of NPK? I planted a new tank last week. The substrate plants are doing really well using the generic eBay tabs recommended by @Russjw. I bought them in the basis that they work well for him and are dirt cheap. No idea what's in them but based on the plant growth I suspect they do include macros. No detectable N compounds in the water column so I'm OK with that to get things started. I have also given 3 full doses of comprehensive (1 initial and then one after each of 2 partial water changes). Floating water sprite looks healthy and is growing - but I'm curious as to how long it will keep doing so with no fish.

Hopefully its a redundant question as I plan to sneak out to LFS on Wednesday to pick up a group of ember tetra, and will then place an order for the Apistos to arrive 2 weeks later.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Idle curiosity but how long does it take plants to show detrimental effects from a lack of NPK?

I believe it can take nearly two weeks before plants begin to show signs of nutrient deficiency, and likely thet fast growing floating plants will show signs much sooner than the slow growers. But then this is relative. For example, if we agree that there are natural nutrients in the water from fish food and fish waste, then this is a factor. If we have somewhat aggressive water changing (volume/frequency), then these natural nutrients are flushed away, making the planted tank that much more dependent on fertilizer additives.
Clear as mud....I know.

 

[seangee]

I believe it can take nearly two weeks before plants begin to show signs of nutrient deficiency, and likely thet fast growing floating plants will show signs much sooner than the slow growers. But then this is relative. For example, if we agree that there are natural nutrients in the water from fish food and fish waste, then this is a factor. If we have somewhat aggressive water changing (volume/frequency), then these natural nutrients are flushed away, making the planted tank that much more dependent on fertilizer additives.
Clear as mud....I know.

Better get some fish soon then

 

[Byron]

The reduced level of ammonia/ammonium with no fish present is the prime issue regarding nutrients for plants. I maintain a planted tank permanently to use to quarantine new fish, and it can sit without fish for months. I have always noticed the plants do weaken when fish are not present. Not enough to kill them, and I do still add Flourish Comprehensive weekly, but it is noticeable. There is of course always going to be organic decomposition even without fish...the amount of mulm I can siphon out even after several weeks of no fish always surprises me; and this is a source of some ammonia.