Root tabs vs. liquid fertilizer

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rreekers

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Joined
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witch one works better?

or which do you prefer and why?

i am thinking about trying root tabs because i dont feel like i have had much luck with the liquid.

i currently use liquid Flourish 1x a week,
is there something that would work better?
 
What types of plants do you have? Scouser is right, if you have a bunch of swords that are heavy root feeders, tabs would be best. If you have a bunch of stem plants then liquids or dry ferts would be the best bet.
 
i am not sure what types all of them are but im pretty sure i have a mixture of root feeders and stem plants


-- could i use both root tabs and liquid??
 
Absolutely. Do you have a picture you can post of your plants? We can try to ID them and tell you if it is even worth while to dose anything. If they are low light and slow growers you may not need anything else other than some PWC's to keep them going.
 
i want to know because i am planning on revamping my tank today and i am adding another ~$40 worth of plants along with my ~$35 worth in my main tank. I also have plant in my other tanks that i would really like to grow, they have been pretty stagnant for the last 2-4 months
 
I've used API root tabs with my swords with great success. I've never used a liquid fert, dry ferts are much easier to dose and are cheaper in the long run. I actually ended up using the PPS Pro dosing method and using autodosers to pump the solution into my tank. Basically you use the dry ferts with water to create a solution so it can be pumped into your tank automatically.
 
Absolutely. Do you have a picture you can post of your plants? We can try to ID them and tell you if it is even worth while to dose anything. If they are low light and slow growers you may not need anything else other than some PWC's to keep them going.

I can take picture of what is in my tank, but over 1/2 are still in bags waiting to be planted
 
It largely depends on the type of plants you have. As mentioned above, swords and other rootfeeders will benefit from root tabs. Ferns will benefit from liquid dosing. But most aquatic plants have evolved to take nutrients up through their leaves.

Maybe try some macro-ferts. A bit of extra potassium can help a lot.
 
some of my plants

I know I have swords, Java moss, moss ball, onion plant


-- i dont know the names of most of the pictured ones, and like i said i have a ton more, still in bags that i am unsure about, but i think that they are all stem/leaf absorbent because they dont have much for root systems like swords do.

ForumRunner_20120112_133434.jpg



ForumRunner_20120112_133451.jpg



ForumRunner_20120112_133508.jpg
 
Tabs under the swords, or at least nearby will help them perk up and spur some new growth. For the other plants, liquids will be best. Flourish is good but can get expensive in larger tanks and in the long run.
 
They are the same however Excel contains CO2 in case you are not injecting it. Plus I here Excel is great for culling algae!
 
Flourish contains nutrients that plants (and algae) need to grow. Excel, on the other hand, provides a source of carbon for the plant that it would otherwise get from co2. It doesn't actually contain co2.
 
i want to know because i am planning on revamping my tank today and i am adding another ~$40 worth of plants along with my ~$35 worth in my main tank. I also have plant in my other tanks that i would really like to grow, they have been pretty stagnant for the last 2-4 months

This is concerning, what kind of lighting are you using in the new setup?

You can use both flourish and flourish excel together, they are totally different things. But if your lighting is sub-par it's not going to do a whole lot.

I'd look into co2 injection over excel, just because it has better results overall, but I've used excel for a few years and have never had an issue with it.
 
the ones that stay stagnant are not in this tank, they are in my fry tank. the ones in the 60g do grow. some better than others.

my lighting is 3 t8 bulbs. currently one is a Flora Max

what would be the best bulbs for the most lighting in a t8 fixture. since my tank is a 60g hexagon, it is just over 2 feet deep
 
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