[astrosag]

Hey all,

As the title suggests, I'm not sure if I'm ferting properly now that I have significantly increased the flora in my tank.

This is a 20G, low light (48W) and no CO2.

The plants I currently have in my tank...

Nana petite (3 bunches worth)
Needle-leaf Java Fern
Wisteria*
Anachris*
Bronze wendtti*
- Adding elatine triandra soon.
(The last three - * - I added only a few days ago)

My normal ferts regimen (if you can call it that) is Flourish Complete twice a week, Excel once a week and 50% water change/week.

My substrate, where all but the elatine triandra will go, is 1" of Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil capped with 1-2" of Eco-Complete ....substrate have been "active" for 6 months now - although only the recent additions have really utilized it.

Do I need more ferts (I hear elatine triandra is a nitrate hog)? Should I be using root tabs?

The bump in fauna has been significant enough for me to reconsider my fertilizer dosing.

I'd appreciate any feedback, thanks.

 

[2in10]

Flourish complete has very low N and P. If you are using tap water for your WC then you should be fine. Excel should be used daily as it breaks down within 24 hours of use. You may want to consider adding potassium as tap water is usually very low in it and the complete again has very little of it. Adding trace nutrients would be good also IME.

 

[astrosag]

2in10 thanks for the reply. I do use tap water for my water changes, treated with Prime.

When you say dose N/P/Ka - would that be liquid ferts or solid and where would I get them from?

 

[HD Blazingwolf]

Dry ferts are much easier to handle dose and buy than liquids and are a LOT cheaper. Green leaf aquariums has a great package buy of npk and trace. And there is a sticky in the fertilizer section that tells u how to dry dose those ferts for ur size range tank that will produce non limiting growth from those fertilizers... very simple and inexpensive