Good fertilizer?

[TankMan]

Is this a good fertilizer for below my sand substrate?

If so, how much should I put? (low-medium light plants)

Thanks!!

 

[CorallineAlgae]

That's a great fertilizer. Just sprinkle it right on the glass before you add your substrate. You don't want an actual solid layer covering the glass. A little goes a long way. Basically, you want the beads everywhere on the bottom but you still want to see glass. I don't know of any formula for adding it, such as so much per square foot of glass.

 

[TankMan]

Does anyone know how much to put on the bottom?

 

[aqua_chem]

There's no real prescription amount. Several per square inch should be fine.

 

[cyris69]

I was going to do this but just went with dry fertilizers from aquarium fertilizers. It's a macro and micro mix that should last me well over a year for only 19$ shipped might try checking that out. Osmocote costs almost the same.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

I was going to do this but just went with dry fertilizers from aquarium fertilizers. It's a macro and micro mix that should last me well over a year for only 19$ shipped might try checking that out. Osmocote costs almost the same.

They're not used to preform the same tasks. Osmocote (or root tabs) is used in the substrate to help support heavy root feeding plants, while dry ferts (or liquid ferts) are used to support column feeding plants. Many planted tanks need a combination of both types of fertilizers. I use dry ferts for both my macro and micro mix, and you're 100% right... they're excellent! I still also need to use root tabs though.

 

[Atxpunx]

Hijackification! What if I crushed osmocote granules, put them in a container with water, waited a while and used that for water column doses like one would with dry ferts? A couple drops per gallon per day.

 

[bigbanker]

Hijackification! What if I crushed osmocote granules, put them in a container with water, waited a while and used that for water column doses like one would with dry ferts? A couple drops per gallon per day.

That's how I dose.... I know certain forum members do not agree with this method.

I just try not to dose too much at once for the health of my fish. Just be consistent and watch the fish.

 

[cyris69]

I understand that but doesn't it perform both if you have a high cec substrate that is good at pulling nutrients from the water column? I also planned to alternate days putting the fert on the substrate.

 

[TankMan]

I'm doing the dry ferts that are in the Original post, as well as API liquid ferts. Overkill?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Hijackification! What if I crushed osmocote granules, put them in a container with water, waited a while and used that for water column doses like one would with dry ferts? A couple drops per gallon per day.

I've read that Osmocote can release a good amount of ammonia when crushed. It would be a good idea to test the solution you make from crushing it for ammonia. It may be an option, but I use it as a very slow time release soil enrichment fertilizer. That's what it's produced to work as. Still, who knows? lol Finding new uses for products is what fuels innovation. I'm still a skeptic, though. Besides, dry ferts are cheap, safe and work amazingly well with little risk to livestock.

 

[jetajockey]

I agree, like most terrestrial ferts it has ammoniacal nitrogen in it. Crushing it is like directly dosing ammonia into the tank. In small amounts it's probably fine but not a risk that I'm willing to take personally.

 

[bigbanker]

I'm doing the dry ferts that are in the Original post, as well as API liquid ferts. Overkill?

I'd say no... but you can always test on your tank: what happens when you stop dosing one? Also your dry/liquid ferts may be providing different nutrients. I'd check if it is the same go with what is cheaper.

I've never thought about testing the oscomote solution. I'd say what goes in crushed vs slow released is the same but with a difference in timeframe. I'll def test the solution the next time I dose later this week. I know my personal levels are 0/0/15.... but that is fully stocked, heavily planted, and running two filters on a 95g

 

[bigbanker]

I agree, like most terrestrial ferts it has ammoniacal nitrogen in it. Crushing it is like directly dosing ammonia into the tank. In small amounts it's probably fine but not a risk that I'm willing to take personally.

That being said we wouldn't dose tons of dry ferts knowing that too much is not beneficial. You wouldn't dump tons of oscomote into the tank either. With both you start low and then dose up

 

[Atxpunx]

I agree, like most terrestrial ferts it has ammoniacal nitrogen in it. Crushing it is like directly dosing ammonia into the tank. In small amounts it's probably fine but not a risk that I'm willing to take personally.

Oh yeah the ammonia nitrogen! Well, that's why I ask instead of going gung ho into the unknown.

 

[jcolon]

Is this a good fertilizer for below my sand substrate?

If so, how much should I put? (low-medium light plants)

Thanks!!

I'm jealous ... I couldn't find the plus formula no matter where I looked

 

[jetajockey]

That being said we wouldn't dose tons of dry ferts knowing that too much is not beneficial. You wouldn't dump tons of oscomote into the tank either. With both you start low and then dose up

Definitely, it only takes a small amount of most ferts in most cases anyway. The main point I was making was that aquatic plant ferts use KNO3 (nitrate) as a nitrogen source because it is far less toxic to animals compared to ammonia. Plants like ammonia better than nitrate so terrestrial ferts use it, but they also don't have to worry about fish swimming around in it.

It's possible to dose small amounts of ammonia into the tank for the plants but the margin of error is variable and quite small compared to dosing nitrate. In the result of even a slight overdose the tank stock can suffer ammonia burns and/or death.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Definitely, it only takes a small amount of most ferts in most cases anyway. The main point I was making was that aquatic plant ferts use KNO3 (nitrate) as a nitrogen source because it is far less toxic to animals compared to ammonia. Plants like ammonia better than nitrate so terrestrial ferts use it, but they also don't have to worry about fish swimming around in it.

It's possible to dose small amounts of ammonia into the tank for the plants but the margin of error is variable and quite small compared to dosing nitrate. In the result of even a slight overdose the tank stock can suffer ammonia burns and/or death.

So it's the nitrogen source. I'm so glad you clarified this for us. I read about this on a forum where the manufacturer of osmocote actually responded to a question about it being ruptured in a tank and causing an ammonia spike but I couldn't recall the details. Great info!

 

[TankMan]

So in a nut shell....... Don't crush it. :hehe:

 

[CorallineAlgae]

I'd say what goes in crushed vs slow released is the same but with a difference in timeframe.

Right, but even with terrestrial plants proper time release can mean the difference between burning the roots of a plant, causing it to die, or helping it to grow well. I grew up on a 140 acre plant nursery and have seen fertilizers eat up metal containers. These time release granular ferts are so powerful that without a binder to let the granules slowly dissolve over 6-8 months they can deal a death blow to plants. Still, osmocote has a reputation in the nursery business for being the safest option to avoid root burn whole providing long term plant support. I suspect that the reason that brand is so popular for aquarium use, over other brands, is the consistently slow time release it offers, and the Plus version of Osmacote has the slowest time release of all the mixes they offer. Crushing it to dose directly makes me shiver. As a kid I wasn't allowed to touch it without gloves and supervision. I'd be squeamish about pouring it over a fish.