Been looking at api ones but not sure if they are good enough. It is mainly for my large amazon sword plants.
Best root tabs?
- Thread starter jessonthenet
- Start date
These would probably be the best although i have no first hand experience.
http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/tropica-plant-nutrition-capsules-x-36-p-1252.html
http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/tropica-plant-nutrition-capsules-x-36-p-1252.html
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Hi
The problem with feeding plants is getting them to “Eat” the food at the right rate.
I am not a wiz with planted tanks but I have a C02 system in my house tank and if I feed the plants with the wrong amount of food things go a bit crazy.
Plant tabs are meant to be used in conjunction with other feeds.
I would recommend looking at a few sites for planted tanks.
I found just popping tabs in was as dangerous as just not doing any thing.
I add this and that each week but don’t have a clue I visited Aquajardine and one of the guys worked out the dose rate for my tank with the plants I have.
After a bit of fine tuning it works well and for me looks good.
I do know if your feeding the plants with C02 you cant just sit back and let it happen.
The problem with feeding plants is getting them to “Eat” the food at the right rate.
I am not a wiz with planted tanks but I have a C02 system in my house tank and if I feed the plants with the wrong amount of food things go a bit crazy.
Plant tabs are meant to be used in conjunction with other feeds.
I would recommend looking at a few sites for planted tanks.
I found just popping tabs in was as dangerous as just not doing any thing.
I add this and that each week but don’t have a clue I visited Aquajardine and one of the guys worked out the dose rate for my tank with the plants I have.
After a bit of fine tuning it works well and for me looks good.
I do know if your feeding the plants with C02 you cant just sit back and let it happen.
Thanks, I have been considering adding co2 but I wasn't really going to do that unless I upgraded my lighting. Do you still think it would be worth it even with T8 lighting. My plants grow quite quickly so not sure how much I need CO2.
The main problem I have with my plants is they go a little bit yellowy so I do large water change and add king british plant food which I think is just iron? This helps my plants go green but then this sends the growth through the roof and then my plants start going yellowy again?
If I added CO2 would this my plants use up more nutrients? I also test my nitrates from time to time and they are always at 0ppm and my tap water never reads more than 5.0ppm which I think may be a problem for my plants.
Just looking for the right fertilizers and is it worth messing with co2? I only had this planned if I was going to move onto a T5 unit but tempted to try it with my T8's anyway along with the right fertilizers?
The main problem I have with my plants is they go a little bit yellowy so I do large water change and add king british plant food which I think is just iron? This helps my plants go green but then this sends the growth through the roof and then my plants start going yellowy again?
If I added CO2 would this my plants use up more nutrients? I also test my nitrates from time to time and they are always at 0ppm and my tap water never reads more than 5.0ppm which I think may be a problem for my plants.
Just looking for the right fertilizers and is it worth messing with co2? I only had this planned if I was going to move onto a T5 unit but tempted to try it with my T8's anyway along with the right fertilizers?
Hi all,
Personally I wouldn't use CO2 in tanks with fish in them, it does make your plants grow more quickly (if enough nutrients and lights are available), but any mistake with the level of CO2 is likely to be fatal, and lower levels of CO2 may stress fish in the longer term.
Also T8's are fine, you only need a lot of light to drive the "high light - high CO2 - high nutrient - high growth" sequence. If you want a "better" light source you can use any 6500K natural daylight tube.
I do occasionally use root tabs, I make my own by rolling "Osmocote" in clay to form pellets, and then pushing them into the roots of the Cryptocorynes and Amazon Swords.
The easiest option is to feed the water column. You can get a DIY mix from "James' Planted Tank" <http://www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank/allinone.htm> or buy a ready made one, Aquajardin (as Bob suggests) sell these or from Johnny on this forum <http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/>.
cheers Darrel
Personally I wouldn't use CO2 in tanks with fish in them, it does make your plants grow more quickly (if enough nutrients and lights are available), but any mistake with the level of CO2 is likely to be fatal, and lower levels of CO2 may stress fish in the longer term.
Also T8's are fine, you only need a lot of light to drive the "high light - high CO2 - high nutrient - high growth" sequence. If you want a "better" light source you can use any 6500K natural daylight tube.
I do occasionally use root tabs, I make my own by rolling "Osmocote" in clay to form pellets, and then pushing them into the roots of the Cryptocorynes and Amazon Swords.
The easiest option is to feed the water column. You can get a DIY mix from "James' Planted Tank" <http://www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank/allinone.htm> or buy a ready made one, Aquajardin (as Bob suggests) sell these or from Johnny on this forum <http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/>.
cheers Darrel
I don't know if these are available to you. I use Jobe's Palm & Fern Spikes. I break them into thirds and use each piece as one root tab would be used. They are 16-2-6
once a fortnight to once a month. Maybe I am being too inconsistent/lazy.
I will try root tabs add some more ferts, do a few more water changes, reduce my light by an hour, maybe try a different T8 tube as one needs changing soon anyway. I've added more fish and gonna be adding more again so will see what makes a difference.
I think most of my problems are probably lack of nitrates.
I will have a look at the root tabs that yous have recommended as I don't think my swords can really benefit from the liquid fertilizers?
Thanks.
JBL 7+13 balls are the best. I use them and the API root tabs.
Key is to have root tabs for heavy root feeders like swords and ferts in the water column as well.
Key is to have root tabs for heavy root feeders like swords and ferts in the water column as well.
Hi all,
Any slow release fertiliser tabs should be all right. What you need to do is check the nitrogen source. Usually it will be ammonium nitrate (NH3NO3) this is ~ 33% N ((14+3) + (14+48) = 79 so 14 + 14 = 28/79), and it is the "usual" nitrogen source for terrestrial plant fertilisers.
As long as the tabs are relatively low in nitrogen and slow release, this isn't a problem. As a rule of thumb anything that says it is specially for Ferns, Azaleas, Bromeliads, African Violets or Orchids should be pretty safe. Citrus winter fertiliser is another possibility.
Specialist aquatic plant fertilisers usually use KNO3 (potassium nitrate) to get around the ammonia toxicity.
Personally I like to keep the nutrients in the water column at a very low level. This is why I use about 5% cat litter, clay or Akadama and about 5% Oak leafmould in the substrate along with a sprinkling of Osmocote. The humus and controlled release fertiliser provide a trickle of slow release nutrients and both humus and clays add some CEC/AEC (cation and anion exchange capacities).
cheers Darrel
Any slow release fertiliser tabs should be all right. What you need to do is check the nitrogen source. Usually it will be ammonium nitrate (NH3NO3) this is ~ 33% N ((14+3) + (14+48) = 79 so 14 + 14 = 28/79), and it is the "usual" nitrogen source for terrestrial plant fertilisers.
As long as the tabs are relatively low in nitrogen and slow release, this isn't a problem. As a rule of thumb anything that says it is specially for Ferns, Azaleas, Bromeliads, African Violets or Orchids should be pretty safe. Citrus winter fertiliser is another possibility.
Specialist aquatic plant fertilisers usually use KNO3 (potassium nitrate) to get around the ammonia toxicity.
All aquatic plants can take all the nutrients they require through their leaves. "Aquascapers" often use EI ("Estimative index") feeding with high CO2/light and a plain sand substrate, even for alleged root feeders like Amazon Swords and Cryptocoryne spp.
Personally I like to keep the nutrients in the water column at a very low level. This is why I use about 5% cat litter, clay or Akadama and about 5% Oak leafmould in the substrate along with a sprinkling of Osmocote. The humus and controlled release fertiliser provide a trickle of slow release nutrients and both humus and clays add some CEC/AEC (cation and anion exchange capacities).
cheers Darrel
Thanks for the info.
I understand photosynthesis just ain't got a clue about the actual fertilizers yet and getting the right balance between light, nutrients and amount of co2.
Oak leaves are interesting, would indian almond leaves do the same job?
What would cat litter/clay do to the ph?
Will read all the info and make sense of it at some point in the near future.
Cheers.
I understand photosynthesis just ain't got a clue about the actual fertilizers yet and getting the right balance between light, nutrients and amount of co2.
Oak leaves are interesting, would indian almond leaves do the same job?
What would cat litter/clay do to the ph?
Will read all the info and make sense of it at some point in the near future.
Cheers.
Hi all,
The usual trade off is that as the temperature of calcining increases the clays lose CEC, but gain physical stability (think of a brick or pottery as a physically stable calcined clay that has lost all of its CEC due to the high temperature of firing). Akadama is sold for potting Bonsai and has no effect on pH, but any "calcined moler clay" (I've used both "Seramis" and "Tesco's lightweight non-clumping cat litter") will do. The only disadvantage with the cat litter is it takes a long time to wash the scent out of it.
Have a look here for "Akadama" details, again via the very useful "James' Planted Tank": <http://www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank/akadama.htm>
cheers Darrel
Any relatively nitrogen poor, humic compound would do. The usual suggestion would be "Sphagnum peat", but leaves/leaf mould will do as well. The clay compounds will have a relatively minor effect on pH, but they could cause the pH to rise if all the exchange sites are filled with Ca2+ ions, for example.
The usual trade off is that as the temperature of calcining increases the clays lose CEC, but gain physical stability (think of a brick or pottery as a physically stable calcined clay that has lost all of its CEC due to the high temperature of firing). Akadama is sold for potting Bonsai and has no effect on pH, but any "calcined moler clay" (I've used both "Seramis" and "Tesco's lightweight non-clumping cat litter") will do. The only disadvantage with the cat litter is it takes a long time to wash the scent out of it.
Have a look here for "Akadama" details, again via the very useful "James' Planted Tank": <http://www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank/akadama.htm>
cheers Darrel
I think you are just showing off now Darrel pmsl. Hang on I will just get my periodic table out and my science encyclopedias out, one moment.
Ok I know Ca is calcium was in the top sets for science at school but unfortunately was too busy smoking tabs in the toilets so could you be more concise but less elaborate.
So what you are saying is any leaves will do and cat litter/clay could make my ph rise a little bit if there is calcium in it?
lol,
Jess
Ok I know Ca is calcium was in the top sets for science at school but unfortunately was too busy smoking tabs in the toilets so could you be more concise but less elaborate.
So what you are saying is any leaves will do and cat litter/clay could make my ph rise a little bit if there is calcium in it?
lol,
Jess
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
Yes.
Point taken, but if you are going "high tech", with CO2 etc. you really need to know what you are doing and most importantly why you are doing it.
cheers Darrel
Well that's what you are here for. :thumbup: and you certainly know your stuff no doubt about it.
The co2 was to make up for the low fish stock. I wouldn't say co2 is really high tech just an additive like fertilizer. I know high light would increase the need for co2 and the growth would increase the need for fertilizers. So I definitely need the right fertilizers and then maybe co2 or just more fish.
Thanks for the info.
I tell you what you could really help me with is giving me a good recipe for the mixture in a diy co2 kit.
Hi all,
The advantage of yeast for CO2 is that it is difficult to produce enough CO2 to kill your fish, the disadvantages are that it isn't possible to adjust the CO2 easily, and CO2 levels are likely to vary, leading to algal problems.
If you don't mind a relatively low level of CO2, the best DIY method is the "Jello method", using 2 culture bottles set up 2-3 weeks apart and "Brewers Yeast". <http://www.aquariumforum.com/f34/diy-co2-made-easy-5049.html>.
cheers Darrel
If you are serious about CO2 it is worth investing in a fire extinguisher based system and joining UKAPS <http://www.ukaps.org/>.
The advantage of yeast for CO2 is that it is difficult to produce enough CO2 to kill your fish, the disadvantages are that it isn't possible to adjust the CO2 easily, and CO2 levels are likely to vary, leading to algal problems.
If you don't mind a relatively low level of CO2, the best DIY method is the "Jello method", using 2 culture bottles set up 2-3 weeks apart and "Brewers Yeast". <http://www.aquariumforum.com/f34/diy-co2-made-easy-5049.html>.
cheers Darrel
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Already registered with UKAPS and was just after a good recipe as already have my DIY bottle made and tried a few concoctions but was using the fast acting yeast and not sure if I got the amount of yeast to sugar right. Maybe the fast acting yeast wasn't the best choice. Got about a fortnight out of my mixture and it started a bit crazy but levelled out but wondered if I could get more.
So been messing about with stuff and just want a recipe that works and can't be bothered to look at the other sites.
Not bothered about algae. I assume you are on about BBA which can be brought on by fluctuating CO2 levels?
I know you can't control it because the bottle will explode, would be quite funny but obviously don't really want that.
Don't wanna mess on with fire extinguishers unless I take the one out the car but then what if my engine catches fire what should I do.
Basically I'm not bothered if stuff messes up I just want something to work with if it goes wrong then I just try something else.
Have you used DIY CO2 and do you have a recipe that works?
So been messing about with stuff and just want a recipe that works and can't be bothered to look at the other sites.
Not bothered about algae. I assume you are on about BBA which can be brought on by fluctuating CO2 levels?
I know you can't control it because the bottle will explode, would be quite funny but obviously don't really want that.
Don't wanna mess on with fire extinguishers unless I take the one out the car but then what if my engine catches fire what should I do.
Basically I'm not bothered if stuff messes up I just want something to work with if it goes wrong then I just try something else.
Have you used DIY CO2 and do you have a recipe that works?
Hi all,
I'm a bit of an agnostic about the effects of fluctuating CO2 levels, what is true is that higher CO2 levels will definitely lead to faster plant growth if other nutrients aren't limiting.
Yes, but not in tanks with fish in them. This is your best bet.
cheers Darrel