Use liquid fertilizers or tablets for plants

[Blue guppy]

I have a planted fish tank I want to know if I should be using liquid fertilizer or tablet. The plants are

Hygrophila difformis
Hygrophila cambosa stricta
Anubias
Java fern

Ps. What brand of fertilizer is best

 

[mohican]

With the selection of plants, go with liquid. 2 of the plants don't really need planted so buying fert tabs waste of $$. If your considering root tabs, just get better substrate.

 

[Blue guppy]

I heard that the java fern grows better with tablet fert

 

[paytertot]

I would say that root tabs would be beneficial along with liquid. As for brand, I'm still test driving a few. So far with tabs I've only used API. But with liquid, I found API to be of very little benefit, and I'm now using some brand with a blue dosing cup on top of the cap. I can't think of the name..

 

[paytertot]

Another option could be dry ferts.

 

[Blue guppy]

What is dry fert

 

[mohican]

Java fern is to be attached to wood or a stone so using a tablet for of would be complete waste. They feed from the water column. If your going to use fert, get a better substrate, it will benefit you in the long run, plus cheaper.

 

[Monkey Magic]

I use flourish excel you can dose it once a day or once a week i havent heard bad things about it yet and seachem has a good reputation and i also use fluval clearnax filter bags too which helps removing phosphates and helps with algae problems

 

[paytertot]

Java fern is to be attached to wood or a stone so using a tablet for of would be complete waste. They feed from the water column. If your going to use fert, get a better substrate, it will benefit you in the long run, plus cheaper.

Yea but java fern is not the only plant in question here. And substrate for planting is really not all that great, they don't have that much nutrition in them and it eventually runs out. Also I wouldn't want to change substrate in an established tank so that's why I use tablets.

 

[paytertot]

What is dry fert

Dry fert would be packages of dry fertilizers that you mix according to your plants needs and put in the tank. I've never tried them but I know many people here do.

 

[blert]

Your Hygros will benefit from tabs. The others from water column ferts (liquid stuff or dry). As far as changing to a planted substrate... Bah. Your substrate is only as good as the ferts you supply it. Doesn't matter if you spend 100$ on "planted" substrate or 8$ on a bag of PFS, you still need to add ferts to it. Even the stuff that says it comes with ferts in it will run out and need to be replenished. For a simple routine in a smaller tank Flourish Comprehensive (water column ferts), Flourish Excel (carbon supplement) and root tabs with micros (Flourish tabs, DIY, AquariumPlants.com, etc) will suffice.

 

[paytertot]

Your Hygros will benefit from tabs. The others from water column ferts (liquid stuff or dry). As far as changing to a planted substrate... Bah. Your substrate is only as good as the ferts you supply it. Doesn't matter if you spend 100$ on "planted" substrate or 8$ on a bag of PFS, you still need to add ferts to it. Even the stuff that says it comes with ferts in it will run out and need to be replenished. For a simple routine in a smaller tank Flourish Comprehensive (water column ferts), Flourish Excel (carbon supplement) and root tabs with micros (Flourish tabs, DIY, AquariumPlants.com, etc) will suffice.

+1 agree

 

[BBradbury]

Plant Ferts

I have a planted fish tank I want to know if I should be using liquid fertilizer or tablet. The plants are

Hygrophila difformis
Hygrophila cambosa stricta
Anubias
Java fern

Ps. What brand of fertilizer is best

Hello Blue...

The best thing you can do for your plants is to stock your tank with the appropriate number of fish. Typically, two small fish per gallon of tank volume is enough. The fish will provide the necessary level of macro nutrients the plants need and if you want to include the trace elements, you can dose these in a dry, liquid or granule form from a commercial source. I like hydroponics liquids and dose when I do my weekly water changes, but there are many good ferts on the market.

Don't neglect your large, weekly water changes. These will keep the mineral levels high in the water, which is important for good plant health too.

Pretty simple, really.

B

 

[Blue guppy]

Using clay soil in the aquarium

I was thinking of puttin clay soil on the bottom the fish tank for the plant because it is suppose to hold the nutrients