Do Substrate Fert Tabs Feed Plants Above The Gravel?

[Gvilleguy]

I am slowly converting my tank from fake plants to planted, and I now have a mix of:

1. 4 Water Sprite (Ceratopteris Thalictroides)
2. 4 Amazon Swords (Echinodorus Amazonicus)
3. 1 Java Fern (Microsorium Pteropus)

I hope I have a mix of low light, low CO2 tolerant plants here! I only have 15W of light and no CO2 injection.

The only plants with roots down in the gravel are the Swords - the sprites are anchored by attaching their roots to stones, and the Fern is planted on a cave surface.

I'm ignorant of fertilizer solutions. I bought Plant Care Solutions "Plant Food Tabs 0-0-6 Plus Iron". These are tabs that you put down in the gravel. Will this type of fert also leech out and feed the plants above the gravel??? Or do I need to instead use a liquid fert?

Thanks!

 

[jacko32]

no you will need liquid ferts for plants that arent big root feeders like the java ferns

 

[Gvilleguy]

Thanks, Jacko - I'll run out and pick some up tomorrow. With my low light situation I want to give the plants all the help they can get.

 

[SuperColey1]

no you will need liquid ferts for plants that arent big root feeders like the java ferns

Hate to disagree but root tabs are a little bit of a marketing ploy.

Truth is that if you are dosing ferts you don't need root tabs. We use nutrient rich substrates in general as lee way for forgetting to dose. It can also be a 'safety net' i soaking up and storing away left ovre nutrient for using on a rainy day. (CEC = Cation exchange capacity)

All plants will take nutrient from wherever they can get it. roots or leaves and they can get the nutrient easier through their leaves.

Anything in the gravel will be a slow release into the water by its very nature.

So you dose the water column and then put the root tabs in. the plant takes it from where it is easiest (the leaves) and then the root tab is left there to slowly leech into the water. I would forget about them and dose the water column.

Java Ferns are as big a 'root feeder' as any other (if there is such a thing as a heavy root feeder) Thing is their roots are in general above the substrate so they can find from root and leaf via the water column.

AC

 

[Gvilleguy]

Either way it sounds like you are recommending liquid fert as a simple way to go, right?

 

[SuperColey1]

Yes. dosing the water column is manditory. dosing the substrate is optional.

AC

 

[gearhead65]

Good info!

 

[Gvilleguy]

I bought liquid fert today and already dosed the tank! Thanks for the help, forumites. I also replaced my 8,000K kit bulb with a 6,700K, hoping to encourage a bit more photosynthesis. I need all the help I can get with my low wattage. I wish I had known more about lighting before buying my tank kit - I would have planned for a larger light fixture.

 

[SuperColey1]

Sorry just noticed this in your first post

.0-0-6+iron

What the 0-0-6 means is N-P-K. +iron speaks for itself. Basically it is just Potassium and iron!!! Not much ise at all really. As a rule never buy anything that doesn't have N and P in it unles oyu have liquid fertiliser coming from your tap.

Also was looking for your tank size and light so I see you have 15W over a 26USG? Not much light there at all. I am pretty doubtful that you wil need to dose anything more than N and P in a non CO2 very low light fish stocked tank. and even then we are talking very small amounts.

Check out your water quality report. Should tell you the ppms of nitrate and phophate or phosphorus on there. If they are anything like N = 10ppm or more and P = 0.2ppm or more then I doubt you will need anything more than a 10-20% weekly water change to provide the nutrient you need.

The quantities will be bumped up by fish waste and fish food. Traces (iron is a trace) mean just that. The plants only need a trace of these. It is N-P-K and C that they need in abundance.

As you're low light and C limited that means the plants rate of growth will be slow and I would anticipate the tap is supplying the full range of nutrient at more than enough quantity for your plants If not then do 2 water changes a week thus adding double the fertiliser. lol

p.s. don't expect to be noticing growth unless you are looking at a month old photo and comparing it to present. You are not going to see a surge of plant growth. A little like being next to your child. you won't notice day to day how much they are growing. It is only over months that you notice

p.x. Nice colour tube . I think it will look and work better.

AC

 

[Gvilleguy]

The past week the water sprites have grown like weeds (maybe they are!) - they have shot up about 3 inches in some spots. The amazon swords are sprouting new leaves from their base. The java fern has shown no visible growth, but does not seem to be getting any worse, at least. So I'd say I'm having good success considering my very low light conditions.

I can tell the water sprites will require weekly maintenance. They are putting out "babies" in several spots, and at their current growth rate they will reach the top of the tank and start blocking the light in a week or so.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[gearhead65]

The past week the water sprites have grown like weeds (maybe they are!) - they have shot up about 3 inches in some spots. The amazon swords are sprouting new leaves from their base. The java fern has shown no visible growth, but does not seem to be getting any worse, at least. So I'd say I'm having good success considering my very low light conditions.

I can tell the water sprites will require weekly maintenance. They are putting out "babies" in several spots, and at their current growth rate they will reach the top of the tank and start blocking the light in a week or so.

Thanks for all the advice!

Really? I thought watersprites were high light plants. I'd like to have rapidly fast growing plants. I would really like my tank to grow wild like a jungle. Hmmm...I may need some of those.

 

[Gvilleguy]

The LFS where I purchased had them labeled as "Water Sprites", but they didn't have the official name posted - so I'm not 100% that they are Ceratopteris Thalictroides. But they looked similar to me! I'll post a before and after pic a bit later to show you the change in growth in 5 days...

 

[jacko32]

The past week the water sprites have grown like weeds (maybe they are!) - they have shot up about 3 inches in some spots. The amazon swords are sprouting new leaves from their base. The java fern has shown no visible growth, but does not seem to be getting any worse, at least. So I'd say I'm having good success considering my very low light conditions.

I can tell the water sprites will require weekly maintenance. They are putting out "babies" in several spots, and at their current growth rate they will reach the top of the tank and start blocking the light in a week or so.

Thanks for all the advice!

Really? I thought watersprites were medium light plants. I'd like to have rapidly fast growing plants. I need my tank to grow wild like a jungle. Hmmm...I may need some of those.

buy hygrophelia polysperma if you want a plant that grows rapid i had to remove mine after only 1 month just couldnt keep up with it

 

[SuperColey1]

yep hygro ploysperma, hygro poly rosanervig, ludwigia repens, rotala rotundifolia etc. all super fast growers.

AC

 

[BethK]

I use fertilizer tablets (look like small yellow/white/brown balls stuck together), my plants were doing well on them in smaller tanks, no browning/dying issues but then that was just swords, valis, moss, camb. In my 125ltr, my plants were just 'ok' but as soon as I used easy carbo, they bloomed (expect valis, it doesn't get on with easy carbo).

I know this isn't of any help but thought i would just say