Using "Schultz's" plant food as aquarium fertilize

[brendan]

My mom brought home some Schultz plant food from the store the other day and it got me thinking about ferts for my planted tank. Is it possible to use this stuff in planted aquariums?

Here are the chemical amounts in the fert.

Total Nitrogen 10%
1.6% Ammonicacal Nitrogen
0.2% Nitrate Nitrogen
8.2% Urea Nitrogen
Available Phosphate 15%
Soluble Potash 10%
Iron 0.10%
Manganese 0.05%
Zinc 0.05%
EDTA 1.3%

TIA

 

[medge00]

shultz plant soil i've used with success...

regular plant foods are NOT recommended. Don't know why, but its either bad for fish or causes algae like no body's business.

 

[Guest]

I'd have to say be very careful with house plant ferts. I've been using organic ferts for ten years with my house plants. So naturally I tried the organic houseplant ferts in my first planted tank. Admediantly, I probobly over dossed.

Needless to say, my phos. shot threw the roof. A BGA problem formed that was a PITA. It took several water changes to finally get my phos down to an acceptable level and keep BGA at bay.

Since then, I have moved on to dossing with dry ferts. Personally I think dry ferts are much easier, not to mention far cheaper than Kents or Seachems liquids.

I learned my lesson with houseplants ferts. Needless to say, I'll never use them again 8O.

Unless your a chemist, I'd suggest sticking with Kent and Seachems, or visit www.gregwatson.com and get dry ferts much cheaper. While your at it download Chuck Gadd's calculator for dossing dry ferts.

 

[malkore]

Don't use house plant ferts. ALWAYS a bad idea. Why? because they aren't formulated for aquatic plants, where fish are living. They're always too high in phosphate, usually far too much urea, and the nitrogen levels aren't in the right proportion to the phosphates.

The only safe terrestrial plant fert would be the Jobe's sticks for Lush ferns and palms...and even then those are only for substrate fertilizing, and you break them into 3-4 pieces. If they come out of the substrate, they can cause algae blooms.

Your best bet is to start with something like SeaChem's Flourish line of liquid ferts. Try the comprehensive fert first...and avoid their Trace, as it's a waste of money.

If you have a high light tank, then it's worth following Mojo's advice and get dry ferts. Otherwise in a low light tank they aren't really needed, tho some PLantex and Potassium would still be handy...your phosphate and nitrate should be fine.