Do I Need Ferts And Root Tabs?

20 gallon long, lush planted low light tank no Co2 injection. Eco complete for substrate. Will I need to add ferts or root tabs for crypts or other rooted plants?

 

20 gallon long, lush planted low light tank no Co2 injection. Eco complete for substrate. Will I need to add ferts or root tabs for crypts or other rooted plants?

Not if you have ecocomplete.

 

Not if you have ecocomplete.

Not true. Eco is inert. Only has a cec value. Plant species, plant mass, par, and stocking will determine macro and micro needs. Crypts do appreciate root tabs. But will feed through foilage as well

 

So do I need to do liquid ferts? I'll probably get one of those 100 tabs for 5 bucks and use them to feed my crypts.

 

Well I'm not sure how many plants but 100 tabs is a lot for a 20g. Like years worth. Lol

We need a run down of plants, stock, and light. We know you have no co2 and eco.

A fts would be helpful too.

 

Ok, light: AQUANEAT Full Spectrum Aquarium Light

Stock: 4 endlers, 6 SterbaI Corys, 2 paired GBRs, 12 cardinal tetras.

plants: Not really sure, but probably Java Moss, Anacharis (mabye), Java Fern, Anubias Nana, marimo moss balls, Amazon Sword, Pennywort, Anubias Barteri, Anubias BarterI Nana, Rotala, Didiplis diandra.

Those are guesses at what I think ill use

 

I think you can grow those. And yes they would benefit from ferts and tabs.

 

I have those Aquaneat LED lights and they grow my low light AND medium light plants very well! But not the high light plants. And you won't get the "red" color out of many of the red plants. Doesn't mean they won't grow under that light. They just won't be as colorful. They will stay mostly green.

 

So they won't turn pretty colors?

What kind of ferts and tabs do you suggest? That's good to know that they will grow those plants.

 

So they won't turn pretty colors?

What kind of ferts and tabs do you suggest? That's good to know that they will grow those plants.

No unfortunately the plants that develop lots of color are more for high tech tanks with Co2 and high lighting and all that jazz.

I have a couple plants that allow me some color because the leaves grow in reddish, but then they turn green over time. So the new leaves give me a pop of color. One example is a red melon sword. I love that one. Another is ludwiga repens. The new growth will give you color on both of those plants.

But yes, unfortunately it is hard to achieve a colorfully planted tank without high lighting and Co2.

 

Rotala may color
Dwarf lilly
Even banana have some differenrt variations.

 

Wow! The Ludwiga repens and the red melon sword look amazing! So does the rotala and the dwarf lily.

 

Add FE with your low par will help alot.

 

Whats FE and low par?

 

Sorry
Fe = iron
Low light

 

Lol, so a liquid fert with iron in it? Would Seachem Flourish work?

 

Yes it will certainly help. I believe its .03 percent fe. They also package it seperatly.

 

So Seachem Flourish for my liquid fert and then what kind of root tabs?

 

I use seachem tabs as well but there's others. Look on amazon

 

HI I have a 10 gallon with 3 balloon mollies, a nerite, a moss ball, an anubias and a java fern. The hood has small yet bright LED lights. People here helped me decide on these low tech plants, they seem to be thriving for about 2-3 months now but I'm starting to notice tiny brown spots on some of the java leaves. So do I fertilize? I'm new to plants so talk me through it as if I'm 5 please! Ha! Also, lights are on 10-12 hours a day. Thanks!

 

Pics? I don't own Java Ferns but as far as I know those tiny brown spots on some of the leafs are actually the way the fern propagates.

 

Pics? I don't own Java Ferns but as far as I know those tiny brown spots on some of the leafs are actually the way the fern propagates.

Here's a pic of the worst leaf, the 2 others aren't quite so bad, I know they propagate from the top but this looks bad I think? Thanks for the reply!

 

It's likely a combination of incorrect lighting and no ferts...
Seachem flourish would likely be a good choice for your low plant mass and low lighting (it lacks NP but again from the picture would likely work for this tank unless you add more plants)

I would consider upgrading your lighting to help the plants out, even something as simple as a 6500k cfl in a shop light clamp will do wonders

 

It's likely a combination of incorrect lighting and no ferts...
Seachem flourish would likely be a good choice for your low plant mass and low lighting (it lacks NP but again from the picture would likely work for this tank unless you add more plants)

I would consider upgrading your lighting to help the plants out, even something as simple as a 6500k cfl in a shop light clamp will do wonders

Ok thank you, I'll pick up some seachem today and start from there.

 

I second the flourish, if everything looks healthy and green don't try to do too much, but flourish will give you some micro nutrients.

 

I second the flourish, if everything looks healthy and green don't try to do too much, but flourish will give you some micro nutrients.

Thank you!! I've never used it, honestly I was a bit nervous about adding chemicals, obviously the fish should be ok with it.

 

Thank you!! I've never used it, honestly I was a bit nervous about adding chemicals, obviously the fish should be ok with it.

It's not really chemicals (I mean everything is a chemical but these aren't industrial/man-made in the sense people usually think), it's more like compounds of different elements that plants naturally need

 

I just received my bottle, opened it and squirted on my face...smells like poop and sweat. Moving on....there's no directions. I added 1/2 ml to a 10 gallon with 2 plants, seem right? I just put straight into tank which I felt weird about too. If this is correct I'll enough until the year 5019. Thank you!

 

You can find the directions for the given product on Seachem's website.

 

You can find the directions for the given product on Seachem's website.

Thanks for the response. I'll check it out

 

So your bottle doesn't have the directions printed on the back? The dosage is 5 mL per 50 gallons once a week, which is equivalent to 1 mL per 10 gallons.

 

So your bottle doesn't have the directions printed on the back? The dosage is 5 mL per 50 gallons once a week, which is equivalent to 1 mL per 10 gallons.

Well that's all it says, not how often or how to add it. Mine actually says 5ml per 60 gallons and that each "line" on cap (no actual measuring device) is 1 ml so I added approximately 1/2ml?

Ok website says use 1-2 times per week? I think I'll just add with my weekly water changes. Do you all refrigerate this?

 

I do not refrigerate mine.

 

I don't either, just don't put it in direct sunlight or in the heat

 

Add it the day after water change, better not to add same day as prime.

No refrigeration (unless it's a HUGE bottle).
Use the cap to measure... can also use a syringe to be more exact.

I used seachem when I first started (most of us do), but I found my plants needed more. Eventually I was dosing their entire line, planted were happier, I was spending a fortune, and the measuring in the caps for multiple bottles was driving me crazy (most often done before lights on). Eventually I switched to thrive by nilocg, one pump per ten gallons and a whole new world awaited lol, plants responded better, not that they were bad with the seachem, decent growth, no algae, but a pain to dose... new ferts and wowee!!! My plants took off like crazy.
I now mix my own dry for $$$ reasons (12 tanks)