Help with plant fertilizer/weak plants

[hartgirl]

I am pretty new to using live plants in my aquarium, but now that I have converted I could never go back! (My fish just LOVE them). I have an 87gallon freshwater tank with an aqueon led light strip with all 3 slots filled (1 day white strip and 2 colormax strips). According to the manufacturer it's around 30 PAR. I've started with some "easy" to grow plants like water sprite, crypts, and java fern. (I also have java moss in another tank but it's doing great).

Well, my crypts on half the tank are doing good, while the other half are not growing as fast or are as bushy. Then the water sprite BARELY grows, if at all. Some of the sprite leaves are sort of white and wilty, and others keep getting thin and sort of turn brown in the stem and disappear. This is bothersome because this stuff is supposed to grow like a weed! I was dosing with leaf zone with a half dose twice a week. Then I switched to splitting up a whole dose over the course of 1 whole week and never saw results either way.

Now, I've started adding Seachem Excel to my routine, and bought a bottle of flourish comprehensive too. I haven't started the flourish yet, but some people say to use both flourish and leaf zone, others one or the other. To me, these products seem quite different. Bottom line, I need to get these sprites growing! My fish love them and so do I, and I would love some help on deciding what to dose, and possibly which type of nutrient my plants could be missing...thanks!!!


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[DeirdreHoyle]

I have water sprite in my tank and it grows like a weed! I use Excel daily, Flourish Iron every other day and Flourish Potassium once a week. I also use Flourish comprehensive once a week with every water change. That seems to work wonders on my water sprite, hope it helps yours!

 

[hartgirl]

Thanks for the info! It seems daunting to try and measure all of the variables plants need to thrive. I suppose some is trial and error though right?


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[Mattfinn]

For your crypts I advise root tabs instead of liquid ferts because they're root feeders they get more nutrients this way and it may even help the sprite. Also a lot cheaper in the long run.

 

[hartgirl]

I forgot to mention I do use root tabs for my crypts...sorry! I dose the water column for the sprite and java fern too, although I am trying to find a balance for the sprites!


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[DeirdreHoyle]

It is definitely trial and error! I struggled pretty hard when I first started keeping live plants. Eventually you'll find the balance. Don't give up! I've also heard that water sprite are nitrite fiends...do you know your nitrite levels?

 

[hartgirl]

Nitrite levels are 0. Do you mean nitrate? That usually hovers around 20 ...with water here it never really gets lower...


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[DeirdreHoyle]

Oops yes I meant nitrates that's the same level as mine, so maybe you'll just have to start using flourish comprehensive and see if that helps

 

[hartgirl]

Ya I'm sitting here staring at my fertilizers lol. Thinking of doing both flourish and leaf zone since I'm sure I either have an iron or potassium deficiency and flourish by itself doesn't provide a whole lot. Leaf zone has only iron and potassium ....idk....?


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[Fishperson]

Leaf Zone provides macronutrients (nitrate, phosphate, potassium) and Flourish provides micronutrients (a mix of stuff).

You should be dosing both.

To address your deficiency, if your nitrate is 20 and your GH is above 5 then it is probably a lack of micronutrients. Dosing Flourish in conjunction with Leaf Zone should solve that.

What is your GH, by the way?

 

[hartgirl]

I have no idea whatsoever. I need to test for that. I'm off tomorrow so I can check then if my lfs has a kit though. That's a really good piece of info. A lot of what I am reading sound a lot like horrible stereo installation instructions...thanks!!!


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[Fishperson]

You can check your towns water report.

As long as it is over 6 or so it should be perfect, 5 is good enough, 4 might give you deficiencies without added Mg and calcium.

Thats what GH is btw. A measurement of magnesium and calcium.

 

[hartgirl]

Ok so on follow up, apparently Clovis has really hard water (haven't confirmed yet but will run a test tonight). I will be doing twice weekly Seachem Comprehensive doses, and using Leaf Zone twice weekly as well. Some places I've read say to do two full doses of Leaf Zone twice, others say do two half doses. I guess I'm trying to figure out how long fertilize is actually active in the water column before you have to re-dose anyway... Thanks again everyone!!


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[Spencer1044]

Well I use flourish. Once every two weeks and my low tech 29 gal tank setup is doin great this is what it use to look like 2 months ago my secrete is dirt. Just plain old organic top soil. I put it under my substrate and the plants instantly took off. It's not hard it doesn't make the water dirty or raise any levels in the tank. I mean what do plants grow in anyways... DIRT!!! Any questions you for me just ask.


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[hartgirl]

Geeze 2 months?! That's awesome. I just got more plants in the mail...trying to redo it and make it more lush. Can you add dirt after a tank has been set up?


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[Mama Karoti]

Nitrite levels are 0. Do you mean nitrate? That usually hovers around 20 ...with water here it never really gets lower...


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Through trial and error, I have found this to be true with my water sprite. Even with a fully stocked tank, I have to dose a bit of nitrate each week at water change. Makes a big difference.

I also use PPS pro (tweaking to the needs of my tank). I just left out the nitrate until I got a feel for it. I got mine at Greenleaf aquarium.

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[Spencer1044]

Ya you can but it's a little bit tougher it's basically a 100% water change. Get a big tub trash can cooler, if you have an air pump put the air hose in the tub, then fill the tub up with the water from your tank. Then put the fish in the tub. Take out rest of water from tank and also the substrate (put your plants in the tub with the fish). Then when the tank is completely empty put the dirt in the bottom only 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Put the substrate over the dirt. Slowly put the water from the tub into the tank. Put the plants in. The fish and then top your tank off with new water and you're set. It will be cloudy for a day or two but will clear up soon. Oh one last thing put as much plants in your tank as you can so they don't get way overloaded on the new source of nutrients


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[hartgirl]

The thought of dirt sounds great but I cannot fathom taking apart this whole thing! Maybe when I upgrade tanks again (I'm addicted- it'll happen)....thanks for the info everyone!!


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[Spencer1044]

Your welcome and ya I agree might as we'll wait a little good luck


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[Mama Karoti]

My water sprite, about 18 inches tall, low tech mid/high light tank.


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