New To Planted Tank.. Fertilizers? Please Help?

[Mylesmom08]

Hey guys, so I just ordered some plants from Bama Plants - that guy is awesome. Anyway, I need help on what to 'feed' them? I have pretty much low light. I was hoping to get some Seachem products, but there are soooo many I am at a loss! I have plants mixed with fish. Tank is cycled. What fertilizers should I use since there are fish in the tank (do they feed off them or do I need ferilizer?) 

Here is my plant list:

5 Dwarf Sag
1 Anubias Nana
5 Val spiralis
1 Cryptocoryne petchii
2 Jungle Vals
1 Java Fern Needle Narrow Leaf Small
2 Amazon Swords

Thanks in advance?

 

[mike455555]

do you have a substrate? them plants are all easy to grow, you could get a complete mix, i use EI doses so i can make my own ferts in different amounts so i dont know about the brand names but they are out there 

 

[Mylesmom08]

I have sand substrate for my corydoras, and since Im a beginner I figured if I killed these plants since they are for beginners, then I am just not cut out for plants but they are still thriving this last week! Some of the val tips have melted off, but I trimmed them last night and noticed runners growing already, so that must be a good sign? lol however my Java Fern was tied to driftwood and its looking brown and holey. Is El excel? Should I use that since I have no Co2? I did some reseach and got conflicting answers. I have an aquaclear 110 on my 45 and it creates plenty of airation so I removed my bubble wands. But don't fish give off Co2...? I'm a med student, but I have no idea about fish and Co2 exchange for plants lol

 

[levahe]

Seachem flourish would be a good choice, that's all you would need as you aren't dosing co2.

 

[Mylesmom08]

Cool, thank you! So I take it Co2 isn't needed with my plant variety and fish in the aquarium then?

 

[levahe]

They would be fine without co2, but you could add it if you wanted

 

[snazy]

Cool, thank you! So I take it Co2 isn't needed with my plant variety and fish in the aquarium then?
 

 
CO2 is the most critical component needed by plants and cause number 1 for algae and dying/not growing plants.  Sometimes, given low light certain low demanding plants may get enough from the natural occuring CO2 in water via fish waste/respiration/organic decay in the substrate/surface movent(gas exchange), etc.. but in most scenarios these are very low levels and it all depends on the individual tank and the rest of the factors whether this will be enough. One can experiment. The lowest the light, the less demand for CO2.
Some plants are capable of extracting carbon from different substances so they can survive in low dissolved co2 enviroments because of that(like vallis for example), but all would prefer not to and would grow way better and nice with dissolved co2/injected co2. There's a different way to supplement CO2, via liquid carbon but this is an algecide and it also can have the same damaging effect to certain plants like vallis. It's not nearly as effective as injected CO2 when it comes to rate of growth.  Certain high levels of CO2 and liquid carbon can be toxic to fish and even more toxic to inverts. The most sensitive species would need a slow increase n order to adapt to levels of these, taking care not to reach the upper toxic levels at which fish will start hiding/refuse to eat/gasp at the surface/die, etc...
 
All plants would also need nutritients, macro being called macro because plants need them in macro amounts and micro, or otherwise called trace fertilizers in trace amounts.
The light that comes with most tanks this days is in most scenarios more than the plants need/can manage with the current amount of CO2.
 
However, the plants you have are very low demanding as far as CO2 goes, so you can just get some fertilizers and dose these for a start. If you start seeing structural damage to plants like holes/melting/withering away, etc..then you also have a co2 shortage and if not addressed, the tank can get covered in algae. Good/even flow around the tank also plays a role in distributing the CO2 and nutritients, so sometimes this is the cause of problems if the rest of the factors have been covered.

 

[Mylesmom08]

Thank you snazzy, that was awesome! Can I ask another question quick without starting a new thread? You sound like you would know. I have a 24-inch 17 watt T8 bulb on my 45 right now. It came with the aquarium. If your wondering, here it is:

http/www.petco.com/product/112178/Aqueon-Deluxe-Full-Fluorescent-Black-Aquarium-Hoods.aspx

Would I be able to switch only the bulb out with something stronger? I am so confused, I know it has to be a T8 24 inch, but the guy I got my plants from said I can use a standard house T8 bulb like 90 watts; another person asked the same question online (I cant find the link now! ugghh lol) and said no you cannot use a flourescent bulb for an aquarium lamp, it has to be like a coral light or power-glo light - yet I only see ones that are like 20 watt max? Isn't that pointless or..? I don't want to spend money on something that is no better than what I already have.
Also, I want to give my aquarium that sort of "blue" hue that I see everyone has. My light makes my tank look swampy and ugly lol I see good reviews for this item, plus I'm an Amazon Prime member so I get free 2 day shipping (eecckk XD - best thing ever for this hobby when everything is cheaper online lol) but would this be better than my current light for plants?

http/www.amazon.com/Power-Glo-Fluorescent-Aquarium-20-Watt-24-Inch/dp/B0002AQM5U/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

[snazy]

To be honest, I don't know what can be installed in your hood instead of the current bulb. As long as they are both 24" and are T8 bulbs/connector, then it should be fine. Althernatively you can fit a different bulb/bulbs with some modification to the hood as long as you purchase the whole fixture or totally change the top of the tank.
 
 I guess by fluorescent they meant the compact fluorescents which I've read being used in aquariums(some even designed for aquariums in mind with the proper spectrum) but I've got 0 experience/knowledge about them. You still need to mount them onto the proper fixture so that means modification to the hood/or different hood altogether and in that case you can just buy totally different stuff, not necessarily the old bulky CFL fixtures.
The colour the bulb gives does not matter and its a personal preference so go with what you like your tank to look like.
 
Also, you can use something like this below which is LEDs and is more powerful.
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Quality-LED-light-aquarium-fish-tank-lighting-tube-white-blue-and-UV-UVGI-/181184411526
 
Or this one, but it's more expensive but it's a T5 HO which is again way more powerful than a T8
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GLO-T5-HO-Aquarium-Lighting-System-1x-24W-/370541465724?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item5645fe107c
 
Or these:
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-T5-T8-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Overhead-light-Lamp-Lighting-Coral-Plant-Ornament-/330728172058?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&var=&hash=item4d00ef6a1a

 

[Mylesmom08]

Uuuh ohh, I'm American so I have no idea the price on those lol!! But I get the idea now, thanks so much!

 

[snazy]

No problem. I hope at least it gives you the idea what you can do.