Help... Which Ferts (australia) To Use?

HI there,

Firstly, we don't get Nilocg here... but we can get pretty much anything that is API/Seachem.

When I first started our tanks, I used Osmocote plant tabs. They're due to be replaced soon. But as I've added a bunch more plants, I want to make sure that I cover everything as I think the nutrients are running low.

Here are the two tanks. Should I stick with the tabs and use various API/Seachem liquid ferts to top up? Or can someone recommend a liquid fert combo that I should get to keep them going? Remember...needs to be available in Australia.

Thanks.

 

I’m not sure if Easy green is available in australia but you can check.
If Api/seachem is only available then you can use seachem flourish comp, iron, trace and maybe excel. Those would supplement your plants with what they need to grow.

 

Oh, I thought I should probably state the non-plant inhabitants.

Guppies, Bristlenose Catfish, KuhlI Loaches and quite a few RCS.

 

You can use a combination of flourish, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and equilibrium for the calcium and magnesium if you have softer water.

 

if you have softer water.

Yes, I have basically 0 hardness tap water.

Here's two pictures of the Osmocote contents I grabbed off the internet. The Percentages? What do they represent? Do these look ok to cover the potassium and magnesium? I'll take a look at Flourish and Equilibrium. Thanks.

 

Those look good as long as the ammonium stays ammonium

 

Yeah. I had them in the tank when I cycled and the API test was off the chart, but the seachem test showed that it was ammonium and that the ammonia was ok.

-G

 

I would suggest looking into dino dung and spit. Commonly used by many aussie hobbyists.

Would also suggest looking at aquagreen and buying their dry ferts abd making your own - far cheaper!

 

dino dung and spit

Um... say what??

The Osmocote is $7 per nag and a single bag will last my 2 tanks a year (3×4months). I'll check out aquagreen and see hows the composition compares.

-G

 

Um... say what??

The Osmocote is $7 per nag and a single bag will last my 2 tanks a year (3×4months). I'll check out aquagreen and see hows the composition compares.

-G

Ill link the aquagreen website as well as linking what dino dung is. Very popular with aussie aquarist, demanding plants seem to enjoy the 'dino' range.
AQUAGREEN Fact Sheet

(That or dosing with dry ferts, found near the bottpm of the 'catalogue' of the same linked site. Basically its like florish but your not paying fir a bottle of water with ferts mixed in.

 

Ok... so I got the Seachem Flourish and Seachem Flourish Trace and started adding them alternating the days. After probably a week, I've got BBA bursting fourth in earnest on our driftwood. In my main tank, it's green, in my wife's tank it's the deep maroon/red. I figure her tank is getting that colour due to hers being LED lit with around 1-2 hours of blue light each night/morning.

It's slowly taking over the driftwood... now, it doesn't look horrid - I'll add photos later - but I do think it might get out of hand and not leave the BN anywhere to munch on... so I'm thinking of stopping the ferts as I've not seen an improvement in the plants - granted, it's only been a week.

Do people live happily with their BBA in a planted tank, or is it something I need to eradicate or close to?

-G

 

 

Sorry off topic but just wondering what brand / size is the smaller black tank? I've been looking for something similar.
Both look great btw

 

The kit isn't available in Australia, and I replaced the internal filter with an Aqua One Nautilus 800 canister filter.

-G

 

The kit isn't available in Australia, and I replaced the internal filter with an Aqua One Nautilus 800 canister filter.

-G

Ah, ok, they are here now, it's exactly the one I've been looking at, only the smaller size (Fluval curve 32L). Would love the Vista but just don't have the space. Thanks