Help About Fertilizer For A Beginner

[memder]

Hi everyone! I just set up my first fresh water tank and had some plants in it.

I bought a liquid fertilizer from PetSmart, which is Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium. I read the label and found out that the this fertilizer is mainly for microelements. It contains only 0.07% N, 0.01%P2O5, and 0.37%K2O. Other microelements such as Mg, Fe, Zn, are quiet reasonable.

My question is: is this fertilizer enough for my plants? Should I swith to another fertilizer which contains more N.K.P? I have no idea how much N.P.K water plants usually need. If I do have to switch to another fertilizer, any suggestions for good fertilizer?

My tank has been set for a week and has fish in it. Every thing is so far so good, except that one of my red leave plants is loosing leaves.
How soon should I put any fertilizer into my tank?

Thanks a ton.

 

[wslinky]

It maybe helpful to know some more specs about your tank, like lighting, CO2, substrate, tank size etc. Here is some general info:


The Flourish Complete is only going to provide the micro nutrients, you will need to also add Macro Nutrients (NPK). It is often recommended to use dry ferts, you can get them through Greg Watson, there are other SeaChem Flourish product that will dose macros but it will be far more expensive then dry.

As far as dosing I would recommended reading the EI Article, EI requires little to no testing.


As far as when to add ferts now is the best time before the Algae begins taking over.


I am still pretty much a newbie to the whole fert thing, this is the advise I have gathered and am using but it is not the only way of fertilizing.

 

[aaronnorth]

Red coloured plants need more light because the chlrophyll pigment finds it harder to photosythesize because it is red. The flourish will be fine for your plants, dose daily to get better results and if nothing is happening then TPN+ is the best fert out, it contains NPK along with other trace elements.

 

[memder]

Thanks everyone!

Excuse me for more silly questions: what is TPN+? I have a 10g tank, 5 plants in it, and gravel substrate, do I need fertilizer at all?

Thanks again.

 

[aaronnorth]

Tropica Plant Nutrition+

here is aqua essentials where i get mine from

details

Tropica home page - about TPN+

 

[SuperColey1]

These are a few setups using TPN+ as a sole fert:
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/224047/Juwel-Rio-125/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/22.../Juwel-Rio-125/[/URL]
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=208540"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=208540[/URL]

+mine on the right of signature. lol

Andy