[sequoiafish]

What are some of the best inexspensive fertilizers I can get ?
Thank You
Chris.

 

[FSM]

dry fertilizer

http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizer.html
http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html

about $25 for a few pounds

 

[markstanfill88]

www.aquariumfertilizer.com

 

[sequoiafish]

Looks like I can get seachem products from my lfs, whats the best seachem fertilizer. I was thinking their tabs.

 

[tbonedeluxe]

Here is their website for detailed info on their products.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/Planted.html

 

[Anupam]

Seachem works out much much more costly than dry ferts.

 

[OverStocked]

The dry tabs aren't comprehensive ferts. You need to dose the water column and using Seachem will cost you a fortune in comparison.

 

[captain_bu]

You asked for suggestions for cheap ferts... Seachem ferts are not cheap, you are paying mainly for water and a plastic bottle. You would also need to invest in multiple Seachem products in order to have balanced nutrition.

Get dry ferts. Since you are in California I suggest aquariumfertilizer.com as your source. They ship USPS priority mail from Napa. $20- $25 will get you a years supply.

 

[sequoiafish]

ALright you uys conivinced me.

Since iam new with the underwater fertilizer, wich is thier best product for me?

 

[rich815]

ALright you uys conivinced me.

Since iam new with the underwater fertilizer, wich is thier best product for me?

There are loads of great threads here and on other similar sites that go into great detail on fert regimes. There is no "best" product, and how you use your ferts really varies based on how often you change water, your fish and plant bio-load, type and amount of filtration, your lighting, whether you use CO2, etc, etc. Where in California are you?

 

[captain_bu]

Check out the dosing regimes sticky at the top of this forum.

I am guessing by "best product" you mean "what types of dry ferts do I need?"

You would need macro and micro ferts.

Macros
KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) which supplies Nitrates
KH2PO4 (Mono Potassium Phosphate) which supplies Phosphates
Generally the above two will also supply enough Potassium but it can't hurt to order some K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate)

Micros
Plantex CSM+B

If your water is particularly soft and low in magnesium and calcium order some Barr's GH booster. This also contains Potassium so you can probably skip the K2SO4.

If you live in the Bay Area consider joining SFBAAPS
http://sfbaaps.org

Great group of people. You will learn a lot coming to the meetings and talking to folks. Meetings always feature plant swaps too.

 

[sequoiafish]

Thanks captain, I live in Redding California.

Their PMDD Pre-Mix sounds perfect.Is it still okay if i have fish in the tank also?

 

[FSM]

Yes

 

[captain_bu]

One thing about the PMDD mix is that it does not contain any phosphate. I know it looks convenient to get everything pre-mixed but buying the individual chemicals gives you the opportunity to tweak the dosing for your tank. PMDD refers to a dosing strategy (Poor Man's Dupla Drops) not a product. It is a different dosing strategy than than EI (Estimated Index). PMDD runs much leaner and without phosphates (which your plants need). EI dosing is based on making sure your plants always have more nutrients than they need, you reset the tank each week with a 50% water change to keep the nutrients from building up. If you haven't read the dosing strategies sticky it should go over both dosing strategies.

If you are using high light, injecting CO2 and growing some of the more difficult plants I suggest buying the individual chemicals and dosing EI. For lower light and less demanding plants you may be happy using PMDD. Buying the individual chemicals would also allow you to try either strategy with the PMDD pre-mix that is not an option.

 

[sequoiafish]

Thabks for the explaining captian bu, I am just used to taking care of land plants so far so the dosing of an aquarium is a bit new for me.

My tank is a 120 gallon temp of 79f and ph of 7.6 and doesn't have CO2 on it but the plants I will be trying to grow, as soon as they arrive, are:

Bolbitis Heudelotii
Hydrotriche hottoniiflora
Nesaea sp red
Barclaya Longifolia

and eventually

Red tiger lotus
marbled anubias nana

My light is so far good enough, a medium light setup.

Is their a dosing that is between EI and PMDD ?