Fertilizer Sans Copper

[hotpink143]

I just bought Leaf Zone by API and when I looked at the metal levels online it contains 2.5mg of Copper! What plant fertilizer do you use in your shrimp tanks?

 

[three-fingers]

Fertiliser without copper would be worse, as plants need copper.

For that matter, so do shrimp.

It's only in relatively high amounts it's dangerous, aquatic plant fertiliser is fine with shrimp .

Though API leaf zone isnt fantastic IME, it only contains trace elements, not the macro nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate and potassium) that are more important in shrimp tanks where there's not lots of food going in and fish living in it to create waste and provide these nutrients.

On my shrimp tank I made my own fertilisers using powders and dose daily, basically this: http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm

 

[hotpink143]

Thank you for your reply. That is a lot of ingredients!! Is there any brand you prefer if you weren't going to make your own?

How much copper is harmful to Crystal Red Shrimp and Bee Shrimp?

Also, what should my readings for KH and GH be with the API brand?

 

[three-fingers]

If I wasn't making my own, I would either use Tropica Plant Nutrition +, or a combination of Seachem Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium and Trace/Flourish.

The Tropica one contains all the nutrients in one bottle, while Seachem make all three macro nutrients in separate bottles and the trace elements in a fourth bottle. Seachem Flourish is basically trace elements, and from what I've read is basically a more concentrated version of Seachem Trace, with different dosage instructions. So you could probably use it instead of Trace for better value for money, but you would have to experiment with the dosages.

Seachem fertilisers will be more expensive to buy in the first place (since you are buying more bottles), but you can get them at most LFS really easily and they will last longer.

Tropica Plant Nutrition + will probably have to be bought over the net (I like http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/), but is cheaper to start with since its in one bottle.

Though I'm not sure which system works out more cost-effective out of those two, making your own from dry powders is by far cheaper and is the same thing .

I'm not sure on exact concentrations where copper becomes toxic to shrimp except that its much lower than for most fish and snails.

The thing to remember is that anything you add in fertilisers will A) most likely be used up by the plants anyway B ) is probably in chelated from, which apparently means it should also be less toxic and C) if the recommended dosages are followed, I've never read or experienced any problems.

The only fertilisers I would be wary of are liquid carbon fertilisers (like Seachem Excel and EasyCarbo). Twice I've used the recommended dosages of liquid carbon ferts and ended up with some dead shrimp (fish and snails seem unaffected). Some shrimp seem more sensitive than others.
However, lots of people have used liquid carbon ferts with no shrimp problems at all. So I suspect toxicity depends heavily on the water chemistry of the aquarium, and species of shrimp. Looking at what liquid carbon ferts are made of, I'm not surprised I had issues: http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutaraldehyde .

As for KH and GH, there's no specific values you should have relating to any fertilisers.

Most shrimp (just like fish) are highly adaptable.

Basically in most situations you want a pH above 6.0, a KH above 0 (the KH is what stops your pH wildly changing) and also a GH above 0 as long as the shrimp are shedding fine. People tend to advise a higher GH for shrimp, but IMO I dont think it matters too much as long as you are feeding proper shrimp food at least once or twice a week, or a very good variety or fresh//prepared foods for fish.

More important is keeping ammonia and nitrite at 0ppm, and nitrate as low as possible though dont worry as long as its at or below 40ppm (fish can easily thrive in much higher, but shrimp appear more sensitive).

 

[hotpink143]

Wow, thank you for your advice!

I still don't understand the KH and GH! All the numbers I keep reading when researching are just numbers. My test kit only gives me readings with degrees dkh and ppm? Does anyone know what I mean?

 

[three-fingers]

I know what you mean, best advice I can give about KH and GH would be to read this article on KH, if your interested : http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/water/alkaline.shtml

And then this one on GH: http/www.theaquariumwiki.com/GH

But, don't worry too much about them, realistically, it's nice to know them especially if your interested in water chemistry, but not totally necessary .

 

[hotpink143]

I was just concerned because I've lost 2 shrimp. I've been doing daily water changes because that little tank goes out of whack so easily. So I was thinking it must be something to do with the other water parameters. I'll read that article, thank you!