Help With Plant Fertilisers

[KieranBoyne]

Hello guys, I need plant fertilisers badly. I know I need root tabs which I have ordered. (api root tabs), but what about the liquid fert?? I don't have the money to splash out big... Like, seachem is a no-no it's way too expensive. And I will be getting liquid carbon as well. And once again, seachem is out of the question. Api co2 is expensive when you have virtually no income.... 
So what brands are really good, but aren't as expensive?? Tetra maybe???

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Go dry. Research "Estimative index"

 

[KieranBoyne]

Update: I think I've decided on these 2:
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331170355557
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310941300011
 
And my root tabs were out of stock so, any other ideas for good cheap ones other than api?
 

Thanks tta but it's all a bit confusing..... Just remembered I have a £20 voucher for ebay...

 

[DrRob]

osmocote (they're small yellowish slow release fertiliser balls) from the garden centre, put in ice cube tray with a small amount of tank water, freeze and then push into the substrate, you get a few minutes before the ice melts. The cheap form of root tab.

 

[508]

not sure how big your tank is but it's not worth getting small bottles like that, they'll only last 2 months at best
 
this is what I get http/www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EIGA64W/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
quite expensive for my tank since it's 200L and the liquid carbon only lasts about 3 months but I'm not really willing to take a step forward to gas co2 so it'll have to do for now
 
should find the same thing on ebay at a similar price, but that's probably the best you're going to get

 

[KieranBoyne]

Thanks DrRob.... But I already ordered them.... Sorry for any inconvenience. And thanks for all the replies guys.

 

[508]

Ah, that sucks. It wasn't really worth it to be honest, you can get 500ml of each for about £10.

 

[Ninjouzata]

I know you already ordered, but if you havn't already read about it..maybe THIS will help in the future? Hopefully will clear up some of your confusion. 

 

[Mamashack]

I've gone for Aquarium Plant Food's "Plant Nutrition" which is an add daily liquid as I can't use EI having invertebrates which would probably not do so well with being overdosed. Plus there's the need to do weekly water changes to get the overdosed ferts down to safer levels. With the one I'm using you can add daily for a fortnight without water changes which is how often I do mine.
I also use Easy Carbo as was recommended  by daize for my low tech tanks and so far so good. May be imagining it but after only 4 days my java fern is looking a more healthy green (it was melting rapidly before I started using it and the liquid ferts) I cautiously went for the 250ml bottle for around £6.45 eBay since I wanted to try it out before splashing out on larger volumes. I shall certainly be reordering it tho!

 

[Ch4rlie]

I've gone for Aquarium Plant Food's "Plant Nutrition" which is an add daily liquid as I can't use EI having invertebrates which would probably not do so well with being overdosed. Plus there's the need to do weekly water changes to get the overdosed ferts down to safer levels. With the one I'm using you can add daily for a fortnight without water changes which is how often I do mine.
I also use Easy Carbo as was recommended  by daize for my low tech tanks and so far so good. May be imagining it but after only 4 days my java fern is looking a more healthy green (it was melting rapidly before I started using it and the liquid ferts) I cautiously went for the 250ml bottle for around £6.45 eBay since I wanted to try it out before splashing out on larger volumes. I shall certainly be reordering it tho!

 
Does dosing EI ferts really effects inverts?
 
I was planning on adding shrimps and maybe a nerite snail to my high tech nano tank which has co2 and do EI ferts as well.
 
Would like to know how this affected them exactly, links would be good too if you have any.

 

[daizeUK]

Does dosing EI ferts really effects inverts?

 
No
 
They don't like liquid carbon much but there is nothing in EI dosing that will hurt them.  The amount copper present in trace mixes does not hurt them.  Shrimp actually have copper-based blood, just as ours uses iron in the form of haemoglobin, so a little copper is actually essential for them - obviously too much kills them but this is not an issue for the amount in EI dosing.  I use full EI dosing in my tank with Amano shrimp.

 

[Ch4rlie]

 

Does dosing EI ferts really effects inverts?

 
No

 
They don't like liquid carbon much but there is nothing in EI dosing that will hurt them.  The amount copper present in trace mixes does not hurt them.  Shrimp actually have copper-based blood, just as ours uses iron in the form of haemoglobin, so a little copper is actually essential for them - obviously too much kills them but this is not an issue for the amount in EI dosing.  I use full EI dosing in my tank with Amano shrimp.
 

 
Whew! Thanks daize

 

[DrRob]

You can also get away with liquid carbon with the less fragile shrimp, but you will see a drop in numbers of shrimplets surviving.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

If ferts were bad for shrimp there would be no such thing as an "amano" shrimp.

 

[DrRob]

If ferts were bad for shrimp there would be no such thing as an "amano" shrimp.

 
Although, to be fair, his dosing doesn't seem to be that high.