[otter]

I've been using the Nutrafin ones, they seem to work great. Is there better ones out there? Is it beneficial for ALL plants to have these? Here's some info on the Nutrafin:

Nutrafin Plant Gro Fertilizer Sticks supply complete nutrition to aquatic plants for a period of one year. Once activated, they slowly release a well-balanced feeding formula that maximizes the size, color and health of all aquatic plants, with optimum amounts of phosphorous and no copper. Nutrafin Plant Gro Fertilizer Sticks will have no negative impact on water quality.

Instructions:
Push one prefilled Nutrafin Plant Gro Fertilizer Stick on an angle under each plant root system to provide complete nutrition for all aquatic plants. Use in conjunction with Plant Gro Iron Enriched, Plant Gro NPK and Nutrafin CO2 system for complete plant nutrition.

Ingredients:
Ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, potassium nitrate, calcium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, boric acid, ferrous sulfate, iron EDTA, manganese sulfate, sodium molybdate, zinc sulfate, zinc oxide.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Ammoniacal nitrogen-16%, nitrate nitrogen-8.5%, available phosphate-9%, magnesium (soluble)-1%, sulfur (total) 2%, (combined sulfur)-3.8%, boron-0.02%, iron (water soluble-0.42%, chelated iron-0.03%) total-0.45%, manganese-0.06%, molybedenum-0.02%, zinc (total-0.05%), water soluble-0.017%.

 

[John P.]

What plants are you growing? I've never used any fert sticks. Just a planted tank substrate and water column dosing. Most plants are fine this way.

 

[otter]

Currently I have Red Tiger Lotus, Aponogeton, Giant Hygro, rotala indica, brown crypt wendtii, some tall grass stuff, all in 50% flourite 50% gravel. The fert sticks made the lotus, the giant hygro, and the aponogeton go nuts. It helped but to a lesser degree with the crypt.

 

[plantbrain]

Jobes sticks do the exact same thing for much less $.

These and the jobes need to be very careful not to pull them up when replanting/pruning etc, Green water is not too fun.

Many have ended up with algae over time using such fert sticks.
It's the NH4 part that's the issue, fine for terrestrial ferts, bad for aquatic ferts.

If you add enough ferts to the water column to begin with, you'll not find much difference between where the ferts are placed.

If you dose irregularly and are forgetful, then these will help.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[otter]

Thanks for the info Tom.