Solid Ferts for Dry Start Method?

[aquasamurai]

Hi,

I got a quick question for you all.

Last night I planted 6 pots of HC in my 17 gallon tank using dry start method.

And i will be spraying a mixture of water and flourish once a day but my question is

DO I NEED SOLID FERTS ON TOP OF THE LIQUID FERTS TO ENSURE HEALTHY GROWTH OF MY HC IN DRY START METHOD?

Let me know if you've done it before or if you have any tips.

Thanks!

 

[bshenanagins]

You will need flourish and flourish excel (liquid CO2). I went the dry method because you get more for what you pay for so either use flourish or get a good dry mixture. I have aquariumfertilizersdotcom's "Macro-Micro" ferts and my plants are doing well for just 1w/g. Getting new t5 setup in the mail. I would advise dry ferts because you'll run out of the liquid stuff faster and it's more expensive. I think the dry stuff is if higher quality than any liquid.

 

[aqua_chem]

You do NOT need Excel for a dry start setup. The plants get all the co2 they need from the air. To answer your question, I would need to know what kind of stubs grate you're using and whether the water you used in the setup came from a fish tank, fertilized or otherwise.

 

[aquasamurai]

Thank you guys for some great inputs.


I thought those solid ferts had nutrients beside just Co2 but what exactly does it do?

I thought about using the powder but I was afraid they'd be washed away when I add water back into the tank.

Currently I'm using my previous tank water for the DSM. I'm using mixture of Japanese made substrate called shrimp something and hydrosand.

Thanks for your help.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

I am interested in knowing about this too, I play to start my HC in a new tank of mine using DSM...I thought you are just supposed to spray water in now and then...

 

[bshenanagins]

It wouldn't dissolve away, the plants would still absorb the nutrients because their in the water, the nutrients can't escape. Just because they dissolve doesn't mean they disappear. Also you can create a liquid by properly mixing the dry ferts with water to make a sprayable solution.