Do i need fertilizer in a planted tank?

Hey everyone, I just set up my first ever planted tank... Without remembering about whether I needed fertilizer or anything.

The tank has a base layer of about 4cm of cycled gravel, 8mm avg. Capped with another 4cm of sand. The tank is 45 litres and planted with valisinaria, java moss, water sprite, some carpeting plant (Will send photos)an anubia and some bacopa. The tank is stocked with 1 betta, 10 tetras (3 lemons and 7 serpaes) and 2 cories. Will I need any fertilizer or anything to keep the plants alive, will get some fertilizer soon, but not for a couple weeks, due to living in the country. Is there also any diy fertilizers I can make for the time being?

Another question I have is could I hang some pothos on top of the tank, I like the look of them, not worried about lowering nitrates or anything.

Thanks everyone)!!

 

Hi, in a word YES, you'll need to feed your plants just like you do house plants, either with root tabs or with liquid fertilizer in the water column, the plants will get some nutrients from fish waste but not enough of everything they need to thrive.

 

My advisor has me using Thrive Liquid once a week and Thrive root tabs every few months. She says to use an all in one fert cause the others are too hard for a guy like me.

I have crypts, vals, anubisu, frogbit and of course duckweed.

 

Hi, in a word YES, you'll need to feed your plants just like you do house plants, either with root tabs or with liquid fertilizer in the water column, the plants will get some nutrients from fish waste but not enough of everything they need to thrive.

Ok, so they won't thrive for the time being, but will survive for a few weeks before getting them? What would you recommend more, liquid fert or root tabs?
As for liquid ferts what would you recommend, I live in Australia so don't know if I would be able to get seachem as commonly, instead I have access to blue planet, aqua one and aqua one much more.
Thanks heaps.

 

Seachem ferts are hard to use. You'll need several and have to figure out how to use them. I avoid this by using an all in one. Aquarium Coop sells one called easy green.

I use liquid every week and tabs every few months. I know someone who has a house full of beautiful planted tanks, and that what she does.

You plants will be fine for a few weeks. Strong plants help fight algae by outcompeting them for nutrients.

Good luck, planted tanks are cool.

 

Seachem ferts are hard to use. You'll need several and have to figure out how to use them. I avoid this by using an all in one. Aquarium Coop sells one called easy green.

I use liquid every week and tabs every few months. I know someone who has a house full of beautiful planted tanks, and that what she does.

You plants will be fine for a few weeks. Strong plants help fight algae by outcompeting them for nutrients.

Good luck, planted tanks are cool.

Ok, thanks so much, will get an all in one then,but not by aquarium co OP, since I can't get that brand.

 

Hi cooper2309 here is a liquid fert I use from AUSTRALIA

 

Hi cooper2309 here is a liquid fert I use from AUSTRALIA

Is that one any good?
what am I looking for in liquid ferts that make them Good or better than others, some kind of minerals, macro and micro nutrients?

 

Ye mine is good, ive had many plants double in size and produce many plantlets in a week or two

 

Ye mine is good, ive had many plants double in size and produce many plantlets in a week or two

Wow yeah
Pretty unexpected but I managed to get ahold of some seachem flourish today, I have been doing lots of 50 percent water changes the last couple of days to get rid of the tannins, when should I add the fert? And can I keep doing water changes while it's added? Thanks!

 

when do you plan on stopping the water changes, i dont see the issue with adding some ferts.

Perhaps take the driftwood out and boil it for an hour or two to release tannins which will dramaticlly reduce the tannins released in tank then just do your normal water change sedual and eventually it will not be brownish.
i dose liquid ferts once every 2 week sometimes once a week

 

when do you plan on stopping the water changes, i dont see the issue with adding some ferts.

Perhaps take the driftwood out and boil it for an hour or two to release tannins which will dramaticlly reduce the tannins released in tank then just do your normal water change sedual and eventually it will not be brownish.
i dose liquid ferts once every 2 week sometimes once a week

Yeah, I don't think the water changes will go for too much longer, will it ruin the tank taking it out again, I did boil it before putting it inside the tank, I didn't let it sit tho as I was boiling a kettle multiple times to fill up a sink (Dont have any big pots) Wouldnt it just be a waste dosing the water with ferts, then taking most of it out again?

The water isnt actually very brownish now anyways, it's better than it was yesterday, I might just do two more 50 percent water changes today then dose tonight and leave it for a week. I will go back to doing 1 50 percent weekly after that.

 

That should be fine, i guess 1 or 2 wc wont hurt then do normal routine and ferts after those final wc's.

 

That should be fine, i guess 1 or 2 wc wont hurt then do normal routine and ferts after those final wc's.

Ok will do that then, how have you found seachem flourish as a fert? Is it good?Will I have to get any other liquid ferts to go with it? Also as for root tabs what will be the best, I can buy almost 100 root tabs from ebay for the same price as 10 api or seachem ones, dont know if it's worth it tho. What do you think

 

Hi cooper,

To answer your questions I haven't used seachem flourish ferts but only fluval gro + which I've found to work well.

Seeing your also from Australia perhaps this might work for you? Osmocote water garden and aquatic plants root tabs 50 pack from Bunnings which I recently purchased, I haven't used it yet but I believe flyfisha has had success with it.

Scotts Osmocote 250g Water Gardens & Aquatic Plants Controlled Release Fertiliser

I think it's around 7.50 Aus dollar

 

I use Seachem Flourish and it's amazing. I supplement it with Crushed Seachem fert tabs in gravel which is also part aqua Soil topped with sand (they have a pretty good life for a tab and most can last up to 3 months). And occasionally dose potassium. I also use Seachem Excel as a carbon replacement as I run a non CO2 setup. These are the easiest options here in our fish stores in Aus and everything else at your LPS is usually garbage. Avoid places like Petbarn etc...

Just remember not to overdose the tank. Is usually the biggest issue people run into. Algae love the nutritional boost as much as your plants.

 

45 liters is roughly 12 gallons....
You are a little overstocked....
But not much....
Got no idea about diy fertiliser...
But your fish poo will help for time being...

 

Hi cooper,

To answer your questions I haven't used seachem flourish ferts but only fluval gro + which I've found to work well.

Seeing your also from Australia perhaps this might work for you? Osmocote water garden and aquatic plants root tabs 50 pack from Bunnings which I recently purchased, I haven't used it yet but I believe flyfisha has had success with it.

Scotts Osmocote 250g Water Gardens & Aquatic Plants Controlled Release Fertiliser

I think it's around 7.50 Aus dollar

Wow that is very good, I will have to try fluval grow + at some point. Those bunnings tabs look good, will give them a shot, if you do end up using any tell me. Would I use them like any normal root tab? Plant around 6 inches from each other? And replenish every couple of months?
Thanks!

I use Seachem Flourish and it's amazing. I supplement it with Crushed Seachem fert tabs in gravel which is also part aqua Soil topped with sand (they have a pretty good life for a tab and most can last up to 3 months). And occasionally dose potassium. I also use Seachem Excel as a carbon replacement as I run a non CO2 setup. These are the easiest options here in our fish stores in Aus and everything else at your LPS is usually garbage. Avoid places like Petbarn etc...

Just remember not to overdose the tank. Is usually the biggest issue people run into. Algae love the nutritional boost as much as your plants.

Ok, thanks heaps, will do.

45 liters is roughly 12 gallons....
You are a little overstocked....
But not much....
Got no idea about diy fertiliser...
But your fish poo will help for time being...

Overstocked with fish or plants? I managed to get a fertilizer anyways seachem flourish for the moment, thanks.
I was looking at the tabs from bunnings, some people think that they might be too big for one spot, the tablets are too big. Has anyone found this to be a problem at all?? Are they really that big Peter?

Thanks

 

Those bunnings tabs look good, will give them a shot, if you do end up using any tell me. Would I use them like any normal root tab? Plant around 6 inches from each other? And replenish every couple of months?

As I said i haven't use daily it yet so can't comment on spacing and how many to use, I recommend just using the fishlore search bar and type something like, osmocote root tabs and you will see how others have used it, check out posts which involve flyfisha as I think he recommends his experience in a 10gal I believe could be wrong

When I use them I'll let you know, search up Thins link, it's an Aussie fish keeper how compares a range of popular root tabs and includes the osmocote Bunnings root tabs,

Best of luck

 

Ok, will do thanks heaps.

 

Ok, so they won't thrive for the time being, but will survive for a few weeks before getting them? What would you recommend more, liquid fert or root tabs?
As for liquid ferts what would you recommend, I live in Australia so don't know if I would be able to get seachem as commonly, instead I have access to blue planet, aqua one and aqua one much more.
Thanks heaps.

Hi again, it will depend on your plant types whether you use root tabs or liquid ferts, if you have plants rooted into your substrate then tabs would be better but if the plants are attached to things like bogwood or rocks with roots coming from the stems or for floaters then a liquid fert would be better. I have both kinds of plants in my tank so use tabs & liquid ferts. As for the manufacturer I use JBL & Seachem but I think blue planet & aqua one would be fine.

 

I don't use fertilizer and plants are growing fine off of fish food. It depends on what plants and what kind of water you have. Also lighting is still the primary driver of growth. The anubias and java moss might grow very slowly. The vals and water sprite might compete for growth

 

45 liters is roughly 12 gallons....
You are a little overstocked....
But not much....
Got no idea about diy fertiliser...
But your fish poo will help for time being...

If the Nitrates low and your plants showing deficiencies then you might need liquid fertilizer. Root tabs are useful things and there are lots of recipes out there.

 

Ok, thanks heaps, I will get root tabs as well as a liquid fert then.

If the Nitrates are not building up you probably don't need liquid fertilizer. Root tabs are useful things and there are lots of recipes out there.

Ok, thanks.