[starlin]

have my tank for about 8 months, and now have many plants. havent been using any fertilizer up till now only root tabs in eco-complete substrate. my plants arent looking as healthy or growing as fast as i would like. i have a small amount of Black brush algae on some of my slower growth plants and filter outlet, heard liquid co2 could also help this. so would like to start using. i was not sure what to buy from here >>

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/plant_fertilizersubstrate.php?page=1&instid=8214

i was going to buy the API CO2 booster, as for the fertilizers:icon_ques, i thought the Giovanni's Trace +, with a bottle of Giovanni's Iron +, one of these also raises kh, which is quiet low in the tap water here. all are a little different and am unsure which one(s) would be best.

as for dose, my tank is heavily planted, i dont want to over do it. guessing would start on a low dose and see how my tank responds.
thanks adam.

 

[Diana]

KH is carbonates.
Bicarbonate of soda, also called baking soda is carbonates. A common kitchen supply.
1 teaspoon (US) per 30 American gallons (5 ml per 113 liters) will raise the KH by 2 German degrees of hardness.
(Side note for people not accustomed to all these measurements: 1 teaspoon US is not the same as 1 Imperial teaspoon. The US teaspoon is really close to 5 ml. The Imperial teaspoon is closer to 3.5 ml)

What are the ingredients in the root tablets?
Are there fish in the tank? Fish food is another source of fertilizers.
If the root tablets are pretty good, then a low light tank should not need much more.

To perk it up, adding CO2 and improving the light would be a place to start, then see if the plants need more fertilizer. They probably will.

 

[starlin]

i tried using carb of soda, my plants started to die back after using it, i may have used too much. the root tabs i used were the dark brown, black seachem ones, i put them in the substrate about 8/9 months ago. i only have a few fish atm, 3 rummies, 5 neons, 1 cory and beta, plan to get more. currently i am using 1x6700k T5HO globe, which is 25 inches from the substrate, 10 inches from the water. they are on for 10 hours a day. i have a fixture with two bulbs and switches, so i could easy vary the amount of lighting. i would like to start adding co2 to improve the health and growth of my plants. my red ozelot has changed to mostly green to red/dark green, my stem plants grow very long and spindly. over all my plant do not appear very lush and bushy. while some plants dont really grow at all, eg. my hair grass. i am finding it hard to get my head around the balance of co2, fertz and lighting.

 

[starlin]

took some initiative, i think my lighting has been too low, i turned on the second tube, 9 hours a day. if i get algae problems will dose liquid c02 and fertilizers, if not, may lower my fixture. my tube has only fair a reflector and has been traveling though a lot of surface weed and glass. with 2 tubes on i figure around 30-40 pars. but hard to tell.