Dosing a plant tank?

[Talvari]

So I will be ordering more plants for my 46 gallon tank shortly. Currently, I have 8 stalks of wisteria, 2 java fern, and 2 anubias in there. I want to add dwarf sag, jungle vals, italian vals, and some rotala.

I have a 2 bulb T5 fixture and eco-complete substrate. Currently, I am dosing Flourish on sundays, and Flourish Excel on Monday/Wednesday/Friday. I wasnt sure if I should add root tabs, as well, but the plants I have in there currently have been growing so quickly as it was, I decided to wait awhile. (My wisteria went from 3" to 12" in about a month!)

Any suggestions or tips?

 

[DragonFish71]

Supposedly the vals don't do well with Excel. I've never had a problem, but others have had them melt. So to err on the side of caution, if you just use the Flourish, they will be fine.

Root tabs aren't needed unless you have heavy root feeders like swords or crypts.

Just an FYI, the anubias and javas do better with the rhizome out of the gravel, attached to wood or rocks. It will rot eventually.

Rotala is so easy to grow, what you're doing is fine. I've thrown it into a bucket of tank water and forgot about it for a few weeks, it was still perky.

 

[Talvari]

The anubias and java's have the rhizomes out of the gravel... I anchored them for a bit until they had a root system of their own, and then planted that.

I started using the Excel because a few people told me that the vals do well on that, but not on regular Flourish? Oh well, I guess Ill see where it goes.

I was told you couldnt do swords in a low-medium light tank?

 

[jetajockey]

No, vals, anacharis, and a few other plants are notoriously sensitive to excel/glutaraldehyde. I've used it with them without issues as well, but I only do half doses.

Flourish is just a micromix of fertilizers, all plants can benefit from that.

 

[Talvari]

Okay, thanks for the clear up. Maybe I just misunderstood.

I started dosing slowly anyways... I've only been dosing for about 20 gallons, instead of 46 gallons, particularly since I dont have *that* many plants in there yet. Should that be OK?

 

[BBradbury]

So I will be ordering more plants for my 46 gallon tank shortly. Currently, I have 8 stalks of wisteria, 2 java fern, and 2 anubias in there. I want to add dwarf sag, jungle vals, italian vals, and some rotala.

I have a 2 bulb T5 fixture and eco-complete substrate. Currently, I am dosing Flourish on sundays, and Flourish Excel on Monday/Wednesday/Friday. I wasnt sure if I should add root tabs, as well, but the plants I have in there currently have been growing so quickly as it was, I decided to wait awhile. (My wisteria went from 3" to 12" in about a month!)

Any suggestions or tips?

Hello Tal...

Am in total agreement on not using Flourish Excel. IMO, the trace of "Gluteraldehyde" in this SeaChem product (1.5%) isn't good for Vallisneria, ferns or mosses. In high doses, it will make short work of algae. I used it a couple of years ago and my "Corkscrew Vals" died. My Java fern and Singapore moss were damaged, but survived. The algae never came back. But, I have more heavily planted tanks and change out large amounts of tank water weekly, so that may be part of the reason the algae is gone.

If you prefer liquid ferts, then research one called "Yamato Green". With good lighting, it works very well and is cheaper to use than the SeaChem products.

Just a thought.

B

 

[blert]

To be safe, just don't dose Excel directly on top of the Vals, or other sensitive plants like mosses, anacharis and such. You can also dilute your dose into a cup of tank water and then pour it in.

 

[Philly33]

I'm using Brightwell's FlorinAxis as a carbon source. I'm very pleased. I have/had Vals and anacharis, I had a melt down from excel. I only keep Excel on hand for spot treatment for hair algae on the other plants.

 

[blert]

I'm using Brightwell's FlorinAxis as a carbon source. I'm very pleased. I have/had Vals and anacharis, I had a melt down from excel. I only keep Excel on hand for spot treatment for hair algae on the other plants.

Thinking about buying some of that since I have points to spend at AquariumPlants.com and it's what they sell. Is it the same thing as Excel?

 

[aqua_chem]

I'm using Brightwell's FlorinAxis as a carbon source. I'm very pleased. I have/had Vals and anacharis, I had a melt down from excel. I only keep Excel on hand for spot treatment for hair algae on the other plants.

Im skeptical of Florinaxis. They claim that there's bioavailable carbon, and tout it as a kreb cycle intermediate, but thats not going to help nearly as much as a calvin cycle supplement like Excel.

 

[Philly33]

Brightwell's FlorinAxis does not contain gluteraldehyde which is the active ingredient that melts the Vals but acts as an algaecide.

 

[aqua_chem]

I've never seen anything that would suggest that Florinaxis is an algaecide. Its not even technically a carbon supplement in the strictest sense if the word.

 

[jetajockey]

I googled it a little a while back when it came on the market and my opinion was that it works like more of a wallet-cide than anything.

 

[Philly33]

Brightwell's FlorinAxis does not contain gluteraldehyde which is the active ingredient that melts the Vals but acts as an algaecide.

I meant it doesn't but Excel does