Fertilizer

[Sheridanp]

I am a bit confused with fertilizer. What kind do I use? Can anyone reccomend some good brands?

 

[ChrisP]

Which country are you based in? We talking substrate ferts or for the water column?

 

[Sheridanp]

Canada and both.

 

[Sheridanp]

Anybody?

 

[Themuleous]

We'll need a bit more info to answer this one, what are your long term aims for the tank, is it to be a hig-light ot low-light tank? What plants you hoping to keep? Will you be adding CO2? How much you willing to spend? (Sounds odd but there can be a real difference)

Have you read the pinned thread? They'll probably answer most of your questions

 

[Sheridanp]

I read them, yes. I am so confused with the IE thread, and with the chemicals.

I want a heavily planted 10 gallon tank, with 1.5-2.5 wpg for sure. I want to keep dwarf hairgrass, amazon sword, and well just a variety of plants that are easy to care for an require the amount of light I have. Yes, I will be adding CO2. I don't want to spend much, but you gotta buy what you gotta buy.

 

[Themuleous]

Glad to hear you've read them, dont worry that you didnt quite understand them, it took me a good few reads to get my head round them too, but essentially EI is a very simple method once you get the hang of it so dont be put off.

On to the tank advice The key thing with EI is a light intensity of over 2WPG so the first question you need to answer is how much light am I going to have. I will try and summarise the two options.

Over 2WPG - this is a considered a high light tank or an 'EI tank' if you will, and to get it to work you're going to need a nutrient rich substrate (which you say you already have, i.e. the eco-complete), you'll also have to add CO2 and dose nitrogen, phosphate and a trace mix (this contains iron, and other minerals that plants need in small quantities). If you have a hig-light tank you'll need lots and lots of plants, but you'll find you can grow pretty much anything. You'll also find you need to prune the plants weekly as they'll grow like mad (which is a good thing BTW it's what controls the algae) so there will be a fair bit of maintenance.

Less the 2WPG - this is a low light tank and does not necessarly require all the extra kit that a high light tank does. CO2 addition would be useful but not essential, and you only need to dose the odd bit of fertiliser every weeks or so. The key drawback to this type of tank is that you wont be able to grow some types of light demanding plants. From what I've read and heard others say, the key to this type of tank is the substrate, if this is nice and fertile (like the eco-complete you have is) then you can achieve some amazing scapes.

This is Jimboo's low-light tank, pretty cool hey?

From this

to this

I hope this clears things up a bit?

Sam

 

[Sheridanp]

It sure does. That has helped me. Although, what fertilizer brands are good and cheap?

 

[Themuleous]

That depends on what route you take, good all round ferts include Seachem Flourish, Kent Botanic Grow, API Leaf Zone, Waterlife Tropiflora and Tropica Master Grow and if your have a low-light tank then anyone of these would be fine.

However, if you decide to have a high light tank you'll need a better general fert like a good trace mix and a source of NO3 and PO4, you can get these in liquid form, but nearly everyone on here gets them in a dry power form which you mix yourself, by far the cheapest option. You can get those from Greg Watson.

 

[Sheridanp]

It doesn't look like I'll be getting high lighting soon. But, I've read that someone has grown plants with 0.69 wpg and alot of them were some I want. Probably in the summer I will invest in better lighting. But, with CO2, fertilizer, and alot of knowledge in my head from the pinned articles I think I can grow some successful plants with low lighting. Thanks so much to everyone who helped me.

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh low light is very possible you just have to chose plants that do ok in low light conditions, then they'll do fine

Glad to help, post some pics if you can then we can all see what you've done

 

[Sheridanp]

In a couple weeks I should have it going, I already picked out my plants. It looks like this is going to be a heavily planted tank. I'll get back to you guys ASAP.

 

[CBBP]

In a couple weeks I should have it going, I already picked out my plants. It looks like this is going to be a heavily planted tank. I'll get back to you guys ASAP.

at this watson site.. do you need all of those powders? and how much do you use?

 

[Sheridanp]

Read through the EI thread, it completely says what you need and what to do with it.

 

[CBBP]

Read through the EI thread, it completely says what you need and what to do with it.

doh.. stupid me.. sorry ^-^ I will read tomorrow.. my spleeing pills are kicking in.... and thank you!!


oh and jsut po4? My goldfish make enough nirAtes.. believe me..

whit.. you are having troubles with light? I know a cheap way to increase lighting when space is not avalible in those tiny light covers.. wanna see? send me a PM. your older light cover shoudl work and all that jazz!