Planted tank fertilizer

Hokieokieamy · Jul 9, 2023

Essjay said:
Java fern and anubias are both slow growing and therefore don't need much fertiliser. Because they are both grown on decor they need a small amount of liquid fertiliser.
Amazon swords are heavy root feeders. They grow best with root tabs rather than liquid fertiliser. Seachem also make Flourish Root Tabs, one of the best on the market. One tab pushed into the substrate near the sword plant, replaced every 3 months is good for them.

Don't buy an extra large bottle of liquid fertiliser or it will expire before it's half gone. I split mine into two or three small bottles and put all but one in the freezer. That one is the one currently being used, and I keep it in the fridge.

Okay thanks. My anubias and sword are doing okay. Do you know why my Java fern looks the way it does then?

Essjay · Jul 9, 2023

It's hard to see in the photo with the bottle in the way, but is it attached to decor or planted in the substrate?

Fishies4Ever · Jul 9, 2023

I am wondering what kind of fertilizer I should use as well. I do have fluval plant substrate but I would also like some liquid fertilizer because some plant like that better. I have red myrio, Anubias nana petite, golden creeping Jenny, Amazon sword, Java fern, and some kind of cryptocoryn. All the plants look pretty healthy but the red myrio is supposed to be an orangey red. Any plant fertilizer suggestions? I was thinking growth juice or the api leaf zone.

Byron · Jul 9, 2023

Fish384 said:
I am wondering what kind of fertilizer I should use as well. I do have fluval plant substrate but I would also like some liquid fertilizer because some plant like that better. I have red myrio, Anubias nana petite, golden creeping Jenny, Amazon sword, Java fern, and some kind of cryptocoryn. All the plants look pretty healthy but the red myrio is supposed to be an orangey red. Any plant fertilizer suggestions? I was thinking growth juice or the api leaf zone.

Red leaf plants appear red because they reflect red light wavelengths. Green plants reflect green. Plants need red and blue to photosynthesize, and it has been proven that adding green to red and blue does increate plant growth. A Kelvin rating in the 5000K to 6500K range has shown to be best, generally considered. I do not thiink this has enough red for red plants, it never was in my tanks. This is all tied together. The light in the photo does appear more on the blue side, and this is likely why red/orange leaf plants are not doing so well. If plants are using red to photosynthesize and grow, and to reflect to appear red, that means more red light is needed,

Hokieokieamy · Jul 9, 2023

Essjay said:
It's hard to see in the photo with the bottle in the way, but is it attached to decor or planted in the substrate?

It’s attached to a piece of wood.

Ram419 · Jul 9, 2023

Hokieokieamy said:
It’s attached to a piece of wood. View attachment 322219

Perhaps it is getting too much light. It's also possible that it's about to sprout new leaves. I have a few java ferns that are doing this.

Hokieokieamy · Jul 9, 2023

Ram419 said:
Perhaps it is getting too much light. It's also possible that it's about to sprout new leaves. I have a few java ferns that are doing this.

View attachment 322223 View attachment 322224

Maybe! My lights on 11 hrs but just changed it to 10 hrs.

Byron · Jul 10, 2023

Hokieokieamy said:
Maybe! My lights on 11 hrs but just changed it to 10 hrs.

This is still a long duration for a plant that has minimum light needs. If you have some floating plants it may help.

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Planted tank fertilizer

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