[RedFocks]

Sorry for such a noob question, but I'm getting ready to set up my plant tank... ordered 60 lbs of eco-complete... it will be the only substrate in the tank. Also picked up a bottle of Flourish Excel.

It's a 29 gallon biocube... 72 watts of light. First off... will the excel be enough co2 for this tank with this kind of lighting?

And also was wondering what nutrients/minerals I should be adding? I know the eco-complete has a lot of minerals and such in it, so I'm not 100% sure what I need to be buying to supplement...

Thanks for any advice

 

[Hoppy]

It would be best to assume that the substrate has no nutrients in it. Then you can dose the water with the nitrates, phosphates, potassium, and trace elements the plants need. Whatever is in the substrate would then just be supplemental nutrients, and they would last a lot longer.

If you order potassium nitrate, mono potassium phosphate, and CSM+B, which are dry chemicals, you will spend the least amount of money and get the most flexible group of nutrients to dose the water with. Read up on the "estimative index" or EI method for one widely used way to use these. You can buy the chemicals from: (among others)
http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/
http://oregonaquadesign.vstore.ca/index.php/cName/fertilizer
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizer.html

 

[Guns286]

Take a look at the link below. It contains information and formulas for the PPS-Pro system of fertilization. I'm a noob to planted tanks and fertilizers but this system seems very easy and understandable. I actually just ordered the 5 componants needed to create the formulas from www.greenleafaquarium.com and got a good price. 5, 1LB bags for $35.00 shipped.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...e-pps-pro.html

 

[Chasintrades]

Guns those links are not working?

 

[Guns286]

Hmm. Thats weird. Try just going to aquaticplantcentral and searching PPS-Pro. Or, do a google search for PPS-Pro, it should bring up the aquatic plant central link. Sorry about that.

 

[Church]

It's greenleafaquariums.com

 

[Guns286]

I just checked. Go to aquaticplantcentral.com, go to forums, and search for PPS Pro. Its the first thread that pops up "newbie guide to PPS Pro".