Hardware store fertilizer.

mindfestival · 05-26-2012, 07:59 AM

By hardware store I mean, gardening shop.

If I found a fert with NPK for a terrestrial plant, could I use it?

It would be far, far cheaper.

Basically I am looking to dose primarily N, in the most economical way possible.

triscene · 05-26-2012, 11:36 AM

if it would be an options, wouldnt be people using it? It is not for aquarium plants and could be harmfull to fish and other beings (shrimps etc). Poisoning by copper and other substances is more than propable in these fertz used in gardening.

ecotanker · 05-26-2012, 12:24 PM

For N you can use urea, but with caution. Check out the thread below:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ge...aquariums.html

**ThatGuyWithTheFish** · 05-26-2012, 01:28 PM

I'd be careful. A lot of fertilizers will contain harmful chemicals to fish when dissolved in water.

Diana · 05-26-2012, 03:35 PM

Many garden fertilizers become available to the plants when they get wet. In the garden this is just right. Irrigate the plants, water in the fertilizer, and the plants get the fertilizer in the root zone where they can best use it.

In an aquarium the fertilizers will dissolve in the water, and this is OK, but be VERY careful with the dosing so as not to overdo it.

If you can use a fertilizer dosing program to figure out how much N, P, or K the active ingredients will add to your tank, you might be able to figure out the dosing. There is such a calculator at the top of this forum.

Osmocote is one product line that can be used in aquariums. Dose it by putting it under the substrate and it slowly releases fertilizer into the water next to all the soil particles, where the plants' roots are.

Agricultural grade fertilizers were also designed for land use:
KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4 and similar materials are OK in aquariums, too, and usually the cheapest way to get the nutrients the plants need into the tank.

05-26-2012, 07:59 AM	#1
mindfestival Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 178	Hardware store fertilizer. By hardware store I mean, gardening shop. If I found a fert with NPK for a terrestrial plant, could I use it? It would be far, far cheaper. Basically I am looking to dose primarily N, in the most economical way possible. __________________ _______________________ "Good judgement comes from experience, and much of that comes from bad judgement"

05-26-2012, 12:24 PM	#3
ecotanker Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (13/100%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 136	yes, but with caution For N you can use urea, but with caution. Check out the thread below: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ge...aquariums.html

05-26-2012, 01:28 PM	#4
ThatGuyWithTheFish Honeycomb Cats! (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Boston Posts: 1,670	I'd be careful. A lot of fertilizers will contain harmful chemicals to fish when dissolved in water. __________________ 20G Long Hi-Tech: My Golden Rule of planted tanks: WWTAD- "What would Takashi Amano do?" RAOK Club #69

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

05-26-2012, 11:36 AM	#2
triscene Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Slovakia Posts: 103	if it would be an options, wouldnt be people using it? It is not for aquarium plants and could be harmfull to fish and other beings (shrimps etc). Poisoning by copper and other substances is more than propable in these fertz used in gardening.

05-26-2012, 03:35 PM	#5
Diana Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Contra Costa CA Posts: 5,013	Many garden fertilizers become available to the plants when they get wet. In the garden this is just right. Irrigate the plants, water in the fertilizer, and the plants get the fertilizer in the root zone where they can best use it. In an aquarium the fertilizers will dissolve in the water, and this is OK, but be VERY careful with the dosing so as not to overdo it. If you can use a fertilizer dosing program to figure out how much N, P, or K the active ingredients will add to your tank, you might be able to figure out the dosing. There is such a calculator at the top of this forum. Osmocote is one product line that can be used in aquariums. Dose it by putting it under the substrate and it slowly releases fertilizer into the water next to all the soil particles, where the plants' roots are. Agricultural grade fertilizers were also designed for land use: KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4 and similar materials are OK in aquariums, too, and usually the cheapest way to get the nutrients the plants need into the tank.