[TheAnswerIs42]

So I have a 12g edge with:
C. wendtii
C. beckettii 'Petchii'
Sagittaria subulata
Jungle vals

All are planted in Tropica aquasoil and I use the stock lighting plus some additional DIY LED lights.

I have had them in the tank for about 5 months, but they don't really grow, well, they grow, but super slowly. I have not added any ferts or liquid CO2.

What are you opinions on this? Would I benefit from dosing ferts and what are your recommendations?

Thanks Fish Friends

 

[ichy]

shove some root tabs under each one.

 

[BDoss1985]

Mainly root feeders but they do benefit from co2... liquid sometimes causes melt at first

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

So I have a 12g edge with:
C. wendtii
C. beckettii 'Petchii'
Sagittaria subulata
Jungle vals

All are planted in Tropica aquasoil and I use the stock lighting plus some additional DIY LED lights.

I have had them in the tank for about 5 months, but they don't really grow, well, they grow, but super slowly. I have not added any ferts or liquid CO2.

What are you opinions on this? Would I benefit from dosing ferts and what are your recommendations?

Thanks Fish Friends

Hi TheAnswerIs42,

Per the Tropica website:

Aquarium Soil is a Japanese natural volcanic granulate material. Aquarium Soil naturally reduces your KH and pH value and enhances the ability of the plants to absorb nutrients. NB! Requires regular water change during the first 4 weeks!

Premium Fertiliser has all the required micro nutrients and is recommended for all plant aquariums. Specialised Fertiliser further has macro nutrients and is suitable for aquariums with many plants. Both are liquid fertilisers that are dispensed directly into the water on a regular basis.

Note that Tropica recommends dosing with fertilizers. Basically Tropica Aquarium Soil is very similar to calcined montmorillonite clay products in that it has an abundance of micro-nutrients and it reduces dKH/PH values. However calcined montmorillonite clay products do not contain much (if any) of the macro-nutrients that plants require such as nitrogen (N), potassium (K), or phosphorus (P) so we have to add them. I dose my tank using the estimative index (EI) method. The EI method adds nutrients to the water column allowing plants to foliar feed. The nutrients in the water are also absorbed by the calcined montmorillonite clay which releases nutrients it absorbs to the plant roots.

If it were me, I would dose the water column as well as use root tabs near the base of cryptocornes.

30 gallon; EI ferts with Flourish root tabs near base of cryptocorynes and H. 'Vesuvius' chain swords.

 

[TheAnswerIs42]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Roy, your tank is beautiful and something I'm striving for.

Root tabs and liquid ferts it is. I think I'll start slow and increase to a full dose over the course of 2 weeks, since I don't want and algae explosion.