Fert Recommendation

[Bobtastic]

Hi all,

I'm just starting up my first "proper" planted tank and wanted some advise on where to start with ferts. Which ones are best and possibly were to get them from.

I am going to starting off with liquid carbon atm, as I don't have the money for CO2 and have safety concerns about going down the FE route (we have a 4yo the "needs" to touch everything).

I've been looking at TPN and TPN+, but I am wanting to have a fairly heavy fish amount so am confused on what is best to have...

 

[Truck]

go with TPN+ regardless of fish load, chain your FE to the inside of the cabinet and lock it

 

[Bobtastic]

The only place that I can seem to find that sells TPN+ is TGM does anyone know if there is anywhere else?

Also is EasyCarbon the best liquid carbon to go with or does it not really matter?

 

[Truck]

The only place that I can seem to find that sells TPN+ is TGM does anyone know if there is anywhere else?

Also is EasyCarbon the best liquid carbon to go with or does it not really matter?

go onto fluid sensor...theyve got it for the cheapest price... easy carbo and be bought from there too...TGM and aqua essentials sell it also but its more expensive there

 

[Gav935]

Warehouse aquatics sell tropica gear as well. Easycarbo on a 240l tank is gonna cost a fortune in the long run by the way...

 

[Nick16]

i dont see why you have to chain your FE down, i dont. its not like im wielding a hammer and smashing about in my cabnet. after all a chain is not going to stop it going bang! it may stop is falling but mine is wedged by my filter anyway.
im more worried about my reg going, and it dumping 2kg of co2 into my tank killing everything.
TPN+ is a good start, then once you have mastered that move over to EI.

 

[Bobtastic]

Warehouse aquatics sell tropica gear as well. Easycarbo on a 240l tank is gonna cost a fortune in the long run by the way...

Yeah, I kinda guessed that. But I need to convince my better half that that will be the case, so up until then I'm kinda stuck...

 

[Truck]

i dont see why you have to chain your FE down, i dont. its not like im wielding a hammer and smashing about in my cabnet. after all a chain is not going to stop it going bang! it may stop is falling but mine is wedged by my filter anyway.
im more worried about my reg going, and it dumping 2kg of co2 into my tank killing everything.
TPN+ is a good start, then once you have mastered that move over to EI.

with a 4 year old...anything can...and will happen

 

[Nick16]

yeah i guess, im like a four year old though, always fiddling and perfecting!!

 

[Bobtastic]

yeah i guess, im like a four year old though, always fiddling and perfecting!!

Lol, not perfecting... Destroying!

I'm sure he could break an unbreakable toy!

 

[Teephphah]

Not to hijack someone else's post, BUT . . .

I've been reading this site for a while now and it seems that the general (resounding) concensus is "Use TPN+, n00bs!" which is information I truly appreciate. HOWEVER, being in the US, I'm finding it somewhat difficult to secure said TPN+. Does anyone know of any alternative (but clearly inferior) easy one-stop-shop fertilizer products? Perhaps something from the Seachem line, possibly?

Any tips, pointers or other generalized green thumbery will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Gav935]

Lol @ "Use TPN+, n00bs!". Seachem's stuff requires you to buy N, P and K separately as well as flourish for traces, which is a ridiculous amount of money for what you're getting in reality (some dry powders mixed in water). The other alternative is to make your own tpn+ using dry powders which is not nearly as hard as it sounds using this guide http/theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm.

 

[Bobtastic]

So being a "newbie" (not a Noob ) I'm best off getting TPN+. I'm I better off getting a fairly large quantaty due to the size of my tank?

 

[Nick16]

250ml will do you, i started with 500ml and that lasted me a year! on a similar sized tank!

 

[Bobtastic]

Kewl, is there any recommendations on the type of liquid carbon to use? I only ever hear about EasyCarbon, but TGM seems to be the only place that sells TPN+ and EasyCarbon. It seems to be one or t'other...