Plant Food And Such Like

[Twinklecaz]

Hi, so my aquarium has been up and running (with plants) for about 9 days now. My plants don't exactly look awful but I think they could do with a bit more "oomph". I have mainly Amazon Swords. one or two of them have a hole in maybe one of the leaves. I have sand substrate and I don't have a CO2 system. My questions are:

1: I have the light on for about 8 hours a day. Is that right? I have to confess I've had days with more and days with less but in general that's what my timer is set for (2pm - 10pm).

2: I have King British Plant food that is says to dose once every 2 weeks. Is this stuff any good or is there a better one I can buy. Would it do any harm to dose more than every 2 weeks?

3: Would my plants benefit from some liquid CO2? If so which one is good? Would there be any knock on effects on my aquarium/fish?

Thanks

 

[Dinky Stig]

Hi, so my aquarium has been up and running (with plants) for about 9 days now. My plants don't exactly look awful but I think they could do with a bit more "oomph". I have mainly Amazon Swords. one or two of them have a hole in maybe one of the leaves. I have sand substrate and I don't have a CO2 system. My questions are:

1: I have the light on for about 8 hours a day. Is that right? I have to confess I've had days with more and days with less but in general that's what my timer is set for (2pm - 10pm).

2: I have King British Plant food that is says to dose once every 2 weeks. Is this stuff any good or is there a better one I can buy. Would it do any harm to dose more than every 2 weeks?

3: Would my plants benefit from some liquid CO2? If so which one is good? Would there be any knock on effects on my aquarium/fish?

Thanks

Sounds like a potassium deficiency, but could be carbon too.
1. How big is the tank and what light is over it?
2. The King British stuff isn't fantastic, I would buy some TPN+ and dose 1ml per 50 litres daily.
3. Liquid carbon, all are made of the same thing: gluturaldehyde, but some are in different concentrations, I would either easy life easy carbo or Aqua essentials liquid carbon, just make sure you don't overdose and you'll be fine.

Cheers,

 

[Twinklecaz]

Potassium aye? Can I get stuff for that?

Thanks for the tips. I knew I forgot some info lol. It's 60L and my light in 15W T8 Sun-Glo.

 

[reignofcheese]

I've got a planted tank and my sword is really doing well and growing like mad. I use sand substrate with some fertilizer tablets, and supplement the water column with seachem flourish (I've read in various places that if you are short a nutrient, you are likely short more, so it's good to use a general fertilizer) and it's been working for me.

I have started using co2, and though it is not needed I have found the difference in my plants tremendous - perkier and greener than they have every been.

 

[Dinky Stig]

Right, I'd say it's definitely a nutrient deficiency, most probably potassium in my experience, adding potassium is easy, you can buy both TPN+ and easy life easy carbo from Fluid sensor online, and you would need to dose 2ml's of each daily.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Thanks, you're a star!

Will I get postassium from one of those 2?

 

[Dinky Stig]

The TPN+ contains the micro nutrients including boron, manganese, magnesium etc, and it also contains the big three macro nutrients: Nitrate, Potassium and Phosphate, make sure you buy the + version and not the standard version though, as it is only the + version that contains the macro nutrients.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Thanks

 

[Twinklecaz]

Hi me again

So I've ordered both those products (thanks) and expect them to arrive in the next day or so. My question is will the leaves on the plants that are slightly yellow/or have a hole in have to be removed or will they recover once they get the nutrients/CO2 they need? If so is there a trick to removing them without damaging the plant?

I only don't seem to be able to do it without uprooting it and then re-planting it

 

[Dinky Stig]

Take a pair of sharp scissors, and cut the leaf off at the base.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Ok thanks!