Fertilizers

[Bobo8]

So my two main plants were doing very well and then all of a sudden one started growing like a weed and the other started to die off. I originally had a huge melon sword? Not sure but anyway he was doing so well! Then I added an anubias barteri and everything was fine for a while. Now the anubias is growing great and the sword is pretty much dying. It is such a beautiful plant and I don't want it to die! I do a 30% water change every other week as I always have. I also have flourish and the API CO2 booster. Currently I'm not adding either of those because I'm not 100% sure how much to add.



This is what the sword used to look like




This is him now

And here's the anubias




They probably get more than 12 of light per day. I just turn them on when I wake up and off when I go to sleep. I've always done that.
Also the parameters are usually nitrate: 10-20 nitrite: 0 ammonia: 0

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[20cc]

swords need root tabs , put a root tab in the roots right under it

 

[Bobo8]

Okay I think I have those. I'll do that right now.

 

[Rivercats]

You need to add them on a regular basis as swords use a ton of nutrients and go through root tabs every couple of months or so.

 

[Bobo8]

So is flourish once a week fine? And the CO2 boost once a week?

 

[20cc]

if you only have swords or root feeding plants then all you really need is root tabs, you dont really need to dose the water column until you get stem plants that take nutrients from the water column. root tabs and co2 dosing will be enough for the swords

 

[Bobo8]

I also have crypts, anubias and another stem plant I forget what it is :$ lol

 

[Rivercats]

So is flourish once a week fine? And the CO2 boost once a week?

Follow the directions on the flourish bottle but with what you have once a week is probably fine. The CO2 booster should be used daily because liquid carbons only stay in solution 12-24 hours.

 

[Bobo8]

Okay that's what I thought for the flourish. And I'll start doing a daily dose of CO2 but is a daily dose really necessary? At the risk of sounding dumb, do the fish not produce enough CO2 to support the plant growth? I guess there's probably not enough for optimum growth.

 

[Rivercats]

API CO2 Booster, Excel, and Metricide 14 are all liquid carbons, not CO2. Liquid carbons help to increase photosynthesis and plant growth. I've found I can grow some non-low light tolerant plants like Ambulia in fairly low light tanks when using liquid carbon daily.

In larger tanks it's much more economical to use Metricide 14 Day Solution as you can buy a gallon for $27 shipped or less if you shop around online. It's mixed at a 1:1 ratio with RO or Distilled water so your getting 2 gallons for around $27. That's dirt cheap.

The amount of CO2 produced by fish does supply some for plants and is often enough in very low light tanks if enough fish are present but by using liquid carbon plants will in fact grow better/faster. The amount of liquid carbon used also determines growth and photosynthesis rate. In low light tanks I use 1ml liquid carbon for every 5 gallons of tank water. Then as light increases I increase the amount used going to 1ml liquid carbon to every 1 gallon of water in high light, high production tanks. But also as plant growth and photosynthesis increases so does the need for proper macro and micro nutrients.

 

[Bobo8]

Thank you! That was very helpful!!