Advice on fertilizing.

[jackhorn01]

About to change my substrate from gravel to sand and add live plants. I have read alot and have a general idea on what i need to do but would like to add opinions from some of you to the research I’ve done. Main thing is fertilizing. Its a relatively new tank. I have been cycling the tank with fish and things are going well thus far. So when I add the sand and plant the plants, should I fertilize them once to help them get established somewhat then play it by ear from there? Ie fertilize them when they ask for it after the first time ie leaves getting discolored? I know once the tank gets more established and the substrate begins to get nutrients from uneaten food / fish waste that the need to fertilize is reduced depending on setup.

 

[Byron]

It somewhat depends upon the plant species and numbers. You are correct that feeding the fish will produce good nutrients for plants. It might be sufficient without any fertilizer, or might not. What plants are intended?

You also want to be very, very careful which fertilizer(s), but I'll go into that when I know the intended plants.

 

[jackhorn01]

It somewhat depends upon the plant species and numbers. You are correct that feeding the fish will produce good nutrients for plants. It might be sufficient without any fertilizer, or might not. What plants are intended?

You also want to be very, very careful which fertilizer(s), but I'll go into that when I know the intended plants.

I’m thinking start off with a sore plant I really like those and one or two smaller, bushier types or some type of grass

 

[jackhorn01]

Sword not sore

 

[jackhorn01]

Also, current fish types are platies, neon tetra, and Cory, catfish

 

[Byron]

OK. Light is the issue, it has to be of sufficient intensity and spectrum to drive photosynthesis for the species of plant. Slow growing plants need less while faster growing need more, relatively speaking, and nutrients have to be the same (in balance for the species).

Swords do very well in moderate light, my tanks were thick with swords for years. These plants belong to the genus Echinodorus, and they develop large root systems and are very "hungry" plants. Substrate tabs will really give you lovely plants. Seachem's Flourish Tabs is what I use and highly recommend; one inserted next to the crown of the plant, replaced every three or four months. Depending upon how many fish you may not need liquid fertilizer in addition, but here we move to other plants. Grasses are not among the easy plants, and light is usually the reason. The pygmy chain sword plants provide good low level planting so you might consider these.

Floating plants are highly recommended for shading the light which benefits the forest fish we keep, and for their incredible water quality properties.

On thee light, what type is it and can you find the spectrum? A 4-digit number with a "K" suffix for Kelvin will answer this, and this data may be on the unit, tube or manufacturer's website.

 

[jackhorn01]

Right now it’s the cheap plastic clip on LED lights that came with the top. It was a set up from Walmart. I am actually on my way to my local pet store. I’m going to get a better top and lights while I’m there.

 

[Byron]

Right now it’s the cheap plastic clip on LED lights that came with the top. It was a set up from Walmart. I am actually on my way to my local pet store. I’m going to get a better top and lights while I’m there.

I'm the last person to advise on which LED work here, others may be able to help with this. But spectrum is very important if you want plants and not problem algae. LED is often high in the blue and way too low in the red, but plants need both plus green to photosynthesis. I am referring to the colour wavelengths that make up white light. LED with red diodes and blue diodes is not what you want. White diodes but white that is high in red, bleu and green. This usually translates as a Kelvin in the 5000K to 6500K range, or a CRI (colour rendering index) as close to 100 as possible.