Fertilizer for tank

[FWFishTanks]

What is a good fertilizer for a planted tank? I was thinking eco complete, but are there other better options? What about a fertilizer mixture? Suggestions are much appreciated!

 

[Coryluv]

Eco complete is not a fertilizer, it is a substrate designed to be a planting medium. It is a good option. There are too many options to mention.

Better is so relative. It depends on your goals and preferences. I have a thriving low tech tank in Petco black sand with root tabs.

Here's a pic. Just keep in mind if it looks a little sparse that I did a very comprehensive trimming and replanting over the past two weeks.

 

[Mebbid]

We need more information to answer correctly.

What light level are you going for?
What are some plants that you want?

Starting there we can guide you in some more choices.

 

[FWFishTanks]

We need more information to answer correctly.

What light level are you going for?
What are some plants that you want?

Starting there we can guide you in some more choices.

I want medium light with plants like stargrass, and mostly low light plants like crypts, swords, and vals

 

[FWFishTanks]

Eco complete is not a fertilizer, it is a substrate designed to be a planting medium. It is a good option. There are too many options to mention.

Better is so relative. It depends on your goals and preferences. I have a thriving low tech tank in Petco black sand with root tabs.

Here's a pic. Just keep in mind if it looks a little sparse that I did a very comprehensive trimming and replanting over the past two weeks.

That's what I meant! A planting medium substrate. Thank you for the clarification!

 

[Mebbid]

Well in that case, I would suggest eco complete, root tabs, Excel / Metricide 14, and dry fertilizers from green leaf aquariums. Go with either the EI or PPS pro fertilizing methods as they both work great.

 

[FWFishTanks]

I would do excel.. But what about the vals? Wouldn't they melt?

 

[Mebbid]

I would do excel.. But what about the vals? Wouldn't they melt?

Metricide 14 is the exact same thing as excel, just twice as strong and less than half the price. But either one works well.

Some vals will while some won't. I've had spiral vals which melted like crazy but rivercats (planted tank guru here) had a ton of luck growing vals with excel.

 

[BBradbury]

Fertilizers

What is a good fertilizer for a planted tank? I was thinking eco complete, but are there other better options? What about a fertilizer mixture? Suggestions are much appreciated!

Hello FW...

Fertilizers depend on the plants and the lighting you want. I keep my tanks as simple as possible. That includes easy to grow plants like Anubias, Java fern, mosses like Singapore and Christmas for the bottom and Hornwort, Anacharis and Pennywort for the the surface. These plants require only a couple of florescent lamps from the hardware store. The fertilizing is a job for the fish, so I have a lot of them and feed them well. My job is the "keeper of the tank water", so I change large amount of it frequently. Everything has a job. The plants keep the oxygen flowing to the fish, the fish wastes feed the plants and I keep everything stable by changing the water. Large, frequent water changes maintain pure water conditions for the fish and high mineral levels for the plants.

However, this approach won't work for the more demanding plants. Those that require high end lighting will need high end nourishment, fertilizers like CO2. It's best to research the plants you want and their lighting requirements before you buy any.

B