Using Both Water Column Fertilization And Root?

So I was going to go with the typical Eco-Complete and Seachem Flourite for my ferts because I noticed that's usually what works best, for me anyway. But this Aquascape, I was going to use quite a bit of plants super glued on driftwood, also in the rocks and stuff, plants not in the substrate to abbreviate. Will those ferts in the substrate be enough if it's not even planted in it? Would adding a liquid fertilizer be "too much", fertilization or would it not hurt to? What would the best thing to do here be?

 

All plants will benefit from liquid fertilizer even if they are root feeders and get nutrients from substrate

 

Anubis, ferns, and the like are water column feeders.

 

I hate to bear bad news, but eco-complete and flourite are pretty much nutritionally inert. On amazon you can find the nutrient analysis for eco-complete, and I have the one for flourite here in this stickied post:
Info Before You Buy Flourish And Ferts In General

They are missing some major macronutrients and what micronutrients that have may not actually be available for plant use, because they make up the actual structure of the substrate.

This is a great site for more info:
Complete guide to substrates for the planted aquarium

To answer your question, there's no such thing as too much fertilizer, unless you're pouring huge amounts or spilling fertilizer in. It doesn't harm fish or inverts. Some people warn against creating "eutrophication" but if you look at people who use the Estimative Index dosing method (intentional overdosing method) they have no trouble with algae as long as plants are healthy. And healthy plants require sufficient nutrients

 

I hate to bear bad news, but eco-complete and flourite are pretty much nutritionally inert. On amazon you can find the nutrient analysis for eco-complete, and I have the one for flourite here in this stickied post:
Info Before You Buy Flourish And Ferts In General

They are missing some major macronutrients and what micronutrients that have may not actually be available for plant use, because they make up the actual structure of the substrate.

This is a great site for more info:
Complete guide to substrates for the planted aquarium

To answer your question, there's no such thing as too much fertilizer, unless you're pouring huge amounts or spilling fertilizer in. It doesn't harm fish or inverts. Some people warn against creating "eutrophication" but if you look at people who use the Estimative Index dosing method (intentional overdosing method) they have no trouble with algae as long as plants are healthy. And healthy plants require sufficient nutrients

Thank you this is really helpful! My only concern, I am planting a 125 gallon, and 50 dollar bags of fertilizer that I’m gonna need a lot of isn’t really ideal. I’m looking for a dollar a pound, or somewhere in that range. If I still used ecocomplete and flourite, with added in liquid fertilizer, would that be okay to get all of this missing micronutrients?

 

Thank you this is really helpful! My only concern, I am planting a 125 gallon, and 50 dollar bags of fertilizer that I’m gonna need a lot of isn’t really ideal. I’m looking for a dollar a pound, or somewhere in that range. If I still used ecocomplete and flourite, with added in liquid fertilizer, would that be okay to get all of this missing micronutrients?

Black Diamond Blasting Sand at $8.00 for 50 pounds for black or Pool filter sand for white at $12.00 for 50 pounds.

 

Thank you this is really helpful! My only concern, I am planting a 125 gallon, and 50 dollar bags of fertilizer that I’m gonna need a lot of, isn’t really ideal. I’m looking for a dollar a pound, or somewhere in that range. If I still used ecocomplete and flourite, with added in liquid fertilizer, would that be okay to get all of this missing micronutrients?

Glad it helped!
Liquid ferts aren't super economical with large tanks, because you're mostly paying for water. In your case dry fertilizer may actually be the cheapest. Dry ferts usually follow the EI method:

The Estimative Index of Dosing, or No Need for Test Kits

Nilocg sells dry ferts as well.
Dry Fertilizer - Fertilizer Packages - NilocG Aquatics

They may look a little confusing, but here is what everything means:

NPK : top macros, nitrogen phosphorus potassium
CSM+B : micros
GH booster : magnesium, calcium, potassium (a good thing to add because CSM+B doesn't contain calcium)
Various iron add ons : iron is chelated to be available at certain pHs only, so the type of iron needed will depend on your pH. The iron in CSM+B only works in acidic pHs.

If this is all too confusing for now, then I would recommend Nilcog Thrive once more. It's the most concentrated liquid fert out there and is intended to be dosed like EI ferts

 

My 150 with BDBS.

 

My 150 with BDBS.
View attachment 523151

beautiful!! I love the crystals up front

 

Okay so I think I figured what I’m gonna do, if it works. Black Diamond Blasting powder is expensive everywhere online, but there’s a tractor place down my road that I think sells it for cheap. If I were to buy two 50 lb bags, and put one layer of Fluval Fertlizer (17.6 LB bag) at the bottom of it, would the plants get the nutrients?