What Do I Need For Optimum Plants Growth?

[KieranBoyne]

Hi, I want my live plants to grow REALLY well, so I thought i'd ask a question about what I need. They are all buried in the gravel. I use a pets at home own brand fertiliser, no root tabs or anything yet. I am going to get these:
 
1: To replace the pets at home own brand one. Better stuff in it I guess. I'll use the pets at home one as a backup fert incase it runs out.
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/API-Leaf-Zone-237ml-Aquatic-Plant-Food-Fertiliser-For-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-/390528713796?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item5aed534444
 
2: I know I need root tabs for the roots of the plants to gain extra nutrients. Are these good?
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320908918730
 
3: Why do I need this one again?:
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190912802978
 
Please tell me if I am missing anything. I was going to get seachem flourish but I can't afford it to be honest.
Why do I need carbon again?
And if there are better brads around the same price, please tell me!!
 
Thanks guys!

 

[Freedom]

I've only just started with live plants.  I have low tech, easy to grow plants. 
 
I use Seachem's  Flourish, Excel and Trace. And lighting of course.  I put in one half capful of each, once per week, and that is all my plants need.  I bought the 500 ml of each.
 
I know you said Seachem's was costly but at half a capful of each per week, these bottles are going to last me ages.

 

[KieranBoyne]

All 3 of them??? What do each of them do?
Isn't flourish excel one item? Or are there 3?

 

[daizeUK]

I don't believe there is a huge difference between Seachem Flourish and Trace.  I've never really understood why they have two separate products which contain different combination of micro-nutrients.  Neither of them contain macro nutrients in significant quantities so they can both be considered trace fertilisers, to my mind.
 
Kieran - Seachem Flourish is also called Flourish comprehensive.  It's not the same as Excel.  http/www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Flourish.html
 
Excel, API CO2 booster and EasyCarbo all do the same thing, they supply carbon to the plants in liquid form.  Carbon is the single most important nutrient for plants, it is the primary building block which all life needs to grow.  We don't usually think of carbon being a nutrient for plants because terrestrial plants get all the carbon they need from CO2 in the air.  Aquatic plants don't have access to the air (unless growing emersed, of course) so they must extract it from the water.  Dissolved gaseous CO2 is their preferred source of carbon, which we can supply by pumping CO2 gas through the water.  Liquid carbon compounds (usually glutaraldehyde) is another way that they can obtain carbon for growth.  Some plants can also make limited use of carbonates etc.
 
Kieran - check out prices for EasyCarbo, this is the one I buy.
 
Also I prefer liquid fertilisers to root tabs.  I've never actually used root tabs.

 

[KieranBoyne]

So should i use easycarbo only?
Oh yeah, i saw a combo deal on ebay, you get 3 seachem treatments. 1 for iron, 1 for potassium? And something else. Is that good for £15

 

[daizeUK]

If you're worried about cost, forget the branded products and get some dry ferts and mix your own fertiliser solutions.  I do this, about £15 of dry ferts will last me for years where I'd spend about £25 on bottles that last 6 months.
 
It's up to you whether you buy EasyCarbo, API CO2 booster, just go for the best deal you can find.  There's also TNC Carbon which is very cheap but I tend to avoid it because I'm not convinced it has the same algaecidal properties.

 

[Freedom]

Interesting, thanks!  As I said, I am also new to live plants.

 

[daizeUK]

I bought some EasyCarbo a few months ago from this place: http/www.reptilia.org.uk/easy-life-easy-carbo-1-litre-8992-p.asp
No idea if it's still the cheapest, but it was the cheapest I could find at the time.
I posted a review here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/429668-reptiliaorguk-online-uk-store/
At least that should give you a benchmark for the kind of deal you can get on liquid carbon products.

 

[KieranBoyne]

So, just to recap, i get one of the products you listed above, what else do i need?

 

[daizeUK]

You need trace ferts.  Flourish Comprehensive and Easylife Profito are good examples.
 
How many plants do you have?  Are we talking a few plants or heavily planted?
If just a few then the trace ferts may be all you need.
 
If you are heavily planted then you will need macro ferts and I recommend going the dry salts route.
 
Personally I see root tabs as an extra nice-to-have.  I wouldn't rely on them.

 

[KieranBoyne]

Ok, so i had 1 amazon sword and 1 anbuias. As the sword came in 3 bunches, i split them up and buried them in the gravel. So, in theory i have 4. Including the anubias

 

[daizeUK]

In what size tank?

 

[KieranBoyne]

60 litre. And in getting api co2 booster, leafzone and root tabs. In my opinion, api are one of the best. So, i thought why not?

 

[daizeUK]

3 swords will be huge in a 60L tank
 
Leafzone only contains potassium and iron I believe.  So you should probably get a trace fert as well.

 

[KieranBoyne]

Trace fert? Ok, i'll have a look