Do I Need To Be Adding Fertilizer?

[Aqua Tom]

Hello plant type guys & girls.

I have built myself a co2 system that i have been running for about a month now & I was wondering if I need to be adding liquid fertilizer as well.

Here are my details.

180 litre aquarium.

Sand Substrate

Knocking on the door of fully stocked with fish

Lighting 2 x 30w t8 tubes with reflectors (will upgrade to t5's as soon as finances allow).

Plants are Mossballs, lots of small crypt. Some larger crypt. anubis & some big background plants that I am not sure what they are but are growing realy well.

Water test results taken 3 days after my weekend 30-40% water change

ph 7.6
High pH 8
kH 12 drops per 5ml of water - 214.8ppm
gH 21 drops per 5 ml water - 376.9 ppm
NitrAte 40ppm (it is 40ppm straight out of the tap)
Ammonia 0ppm
NitrIte 0ppm

Drop checker containing 4dKH Bromo Blue solution - showing Green

Am I right in thinking there should be lots of elements already in the tank because of my very hard water? If so would adding fertilizer do more harm than good?

Tom

 

[Aqua Tom]

Anyone?

 

[ian]

sorry Tom, i would have answered this earlier, but was at work.

In short 'yes', you need to start dosing ferts. So, the system has been running for a month??, i thought you only got it going yesterday??

So, after a month have you seen any deficiencies in the plants?

The best thing regarding ferts is to dose Tropica Plant Nutrition +, this contains nitrogen and phosphates. Adding excess fertiliser isn't going to harm your tank, it is better to OD than under-dose. I wouldn't rely on those off the shelf test kits either when you start dosing ferts, as some contain ammonium, which is the bound version of ammonia and a lot less harmful, but registers on test kits. Nitrate test kits are also very inaccurate, this is one of the reasons the planted tank keepers don't use them.

Tropica +

 

[Aqua Tom]

sorry Tom, i would have answered this earlier, but was at work.

In short 'yes', you need to start dosing ferts. So, the system has been running for a month??, i thought you only got it going yesterday??

So, after a month have you seen any deficiencies in the plants?

The best thing regarding ferts is to dose Tropica Plant Nutrition +, this contains nitrogen and phosphates. Adding excess fertiliser isn't going to harm your tank, it is better to OD than under-dose. I wouldn't rely on those off the shelf test kits either when you start dosing ferts, as some contain ammonium, which is the bound version of ammonia and a lot less harmful, but registers on test kits. Nitrate test kits are also very inaccurate, this is one of the reasons the planted tank keepers don't use them.

Tropica +

I see where the misunderstanding came from. the system has been running for a month but my new addition was the glass ceramic diffuser in place of my jbl spiral jobbie.

As to the plant deficiancies, the only thing that dosnt seem to be doing so well are the smaller crypts.


Tom

 

[SuperColey1]

You've got a lot of algae growing on your substrate there. lol

As per above. If you are adding CO2 in any form then fert addition is a given.

AC

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Both swords and crypts are heavy root feeders and will need supplements in a sand substrate especially. Using a long tweezer, solid ferts should be pushed at an angle from outside the edge of the plant so that they end up on the bottom glass under the plant. As these plants get larger the root mass will also grow and you will have to switch to dosing smaller pieces but several of them from different sides of the plant to insure that all the roots can suck up good stuff.

 

[ian]

again root tabs are OK when you miss dosing the water column, however the term 'root feeder' is a bit dated now in the planted community. Plants in an aquarium with rather take from the water column, it will use less energy by doing so.

 

[SuperColey1]

again root tabs are OK when you miss dosing the water column, however the term 'root feeder' is a bit dated now in the planted community. Plants in an aquarium with rather take from the water column, it will use less energy by doing so.

Agreed. water column dosing is all that is needed. The reason most of us buy 'special' planted substrates is as a back up but there are more than many cases of complete inert sand substrates where the user simply water doses and has superb growth.

Something to sell though and something to buy so they push them as worthwhile.

If you a re really wanting to add 'root tabs' Don't spend money on little tablets.

Just get those slow release granules from the garden centre (the ones that comprise of sticky little balls) and push then into the substrate. (Osmocote)

One of those is enough for a hundred litre substrate so pick the little balls apart from the 'stuck together' ball and spread them around.

AC

AC

 

[roadmaster]

Was at the lawn and garden store the other day and saw Osmocote plugs shaped like a thimble. Is this what you are talking about Super Coley?
Have not seen them here before now,and always wrapped the pellet's in red clay and let them dry before pushing them down deep into substrate.(until now) Also used the ice cube method.
Anyhow, I bought a package of these plugs and am going to use them soon as I receive the plant's to replace the vallisneria that is presently overtaking my aquarium. I keep trimming it back and pulling it out but there is too much.
Am going to replace the vals with crypt balanase and Retrospiralis (sp).Will grow tall, but hopefully not as fast.

 

[Aqua Tom]

My Tropica Plus arrived yeterday. I did a substrate clean & 40% water change then added half the recomended dose of fertilizer as advised on the instructions.

I am excited.

 

[SuperColey1]

Was at the lawn and garden store the other day and saw Osmocote plugs shaped like a thimble. Is this what you are talking about Super Coley?
Have not seen them here before now,and always wrapped the pellet's in red clay and let them dry before pushing them down deep into substrate.(until now) Also used the ice cube method.

Yep they're the ones. 1 plug is all you want for 100 litres. pull it apart and shove it deep into the substrate with tweezers or whatever. Ice cubes anything.

Don't get carried away with them though. Just 1 for 100 litres.

AC

 

[Aqua Tom]

 

[SuperColey1]

Lol

I'll take apicture of one tomorrow

AC