What is the best substrate for plants?

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thomasina

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Georgia Mountains, in the good old USA
I have: banana plant, Anacharis, Java Fern, Wisteria, Moss ball and a few others...
Question is that I have aquarium stones (only) in my tank. Must I have different substrate? What is the best Seachem product that provides a high quality fertilizer, CO2 fert., Iron Rich, and Substrate fert.? I have read them, but still, experience is the best advise of all. It is a 10 g. tank with tetras, and is near the end of the cycle. Using PRIME to help with the nitrate. That is it in a nutshell! Thanks in advance!!:flowers:
 
I have: banana plant, Anacharis, Java Fern, Wisteria, Moss ball and a few others...
Question is that I have aquarium stones (only) in my tank. Must I have different substrate? What is the best Seachem product that provides a high quality fertilizer, CO2 fert., Iron Rich, and Substrate fert.? I have read them, but still, experience is the best advise of all. It is a 10 g. tank with tetras, and is near the end of the cycle. Using PRIME to help with the nitrate. That is it in a nutshell! Thanks in advance!!:flowers:

I don't use liquid ferts so am no help there but what size are the aquarium stones? Are they a large gravel? The java fern will do best tied onto a piece of DW or even a rock if necessary. The banana plant will just sit on the substrate as with the Moss ball. Will advise about planting once I know your gravel size but unless it's large you can just plant as normal.

I would suggest using Excel for liquid carbon but I'm pretty sure anacharis is one of the plants that is sensitive to liquid carbon and it will melt if used. So that leaves using CO2 which in a 10g tankI would suggest making a DIY CO2. It is also the cheapest option. They do make little pressurized CO2 units but having to buy replacement canisters get costly after a while.

I use AquariumPlant.com root tabs. The ones called Total. But there are many brands out there. This is the only one I'm familar with.
 
Just a quick note... I have about 75 anacharis stems in my tank and I use glutaraldehyde daily, even mega doses on occasion, and my anacharis has not melted, is in fact growing between 2 - 4 inches a week. I've been using it for more than a month and no problems.

I was concerned because I heard this too, but I haven't yet experienced it. Maybe there is something in Excel that is not in the Glut.? Otherwise, I'd say try it before you decide to go the CO2 route.
 
From Seachem withe the plants you have I'd say to get Comprehensive and Excell as well as iron and the fert pack that has nitrogen, magnesium and potassium. You'll probably only use comprehensive once or twice a week, Excell daily and the others I would use as needed whenever plant deficiencies show up. Seachem root tabs are the ones I've used for years and continue to use.

I did the Seachem ferts and still use them on my tiny 5.5 gallon planted tank. I find making my own 2-part liquid fert mix from dry fertilizers to be the best option. I got enough dry ferts to fertilize my 20 gallon tank every day for around 8 years for 20 dollars from Green Leaf Aquariums. If a better deal exists I don't know about it. You would need a small scale and some bottles to mix them in. I got that stuff on Amazon for around $15. Still comes out cheaper than anything else.

I agree with rivercats about the substrate. If it's small "pea" gravel you're fine, if you have larger stone gravel it would be better to change it for anything small like black blasting sand, pea gravel or best of all some sort of plant substrate. I've used Flourish and Eco Complete and both are nice.
 
I agree, but of you have Val or other like plants the excel will melt them, yea found that out the hard way
 
Once again I have to say don't use fertilizers with nitrogen unless you don't have fish or you have 0 NO3. It makes sense to me that we do water changes to lower nitrogen in the tank so paying to add nitrogen and then filtering it out doesn't seem rational.

I only use Flourish trace, Iron and Potassium and only use it 1-2 times every 2-3 weeks. My plants are doing great.

Just a note:

NPK are the 3 main marconutrients plants require. N comes from fish waste, P is generally from food waste and K usually has to be added.

Micronutreients are numerous B, CO, CU, MN, ZN, RB, NI, V to start. Iron keeps yellowing leaves to a minimum. Yes. they are mostly metals.
 
Very true. I had to add nitrate to my tank because even with 14 fish in a 20 gallon it was always always zero. I started out using the Seachem nitrogen but it was just to expensive. I feel people who have normal nitrate levels in a fast growing planted tank are fortunate.
 
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