Fertilizing method?

[Scuba Guy]

I have an idea I want to run by the forum:

My substrate existed before I decided to add plants. It is mostly pebbles, not fine gravel and certainly not nutrient rich.

I have an amazon which has a thick network of roots among the pebbles, but the leaves are small.

I am adding ferts to the water column, but I know the amazons are heavy root feeders.

I was thinking of taking a turkey baster and then when I add ferts to the water, I use the turkey baster to inject the nutrient rich water directly into the gravel under the plant.

Anyone try this? Am I wasting my time?

My thinking is that the high concentration of Nitrate/Potassium, etc. is greatest under the roots where I inject and then slowly leaches out into the water column for the other plants with the Amazon getting a good shot.

[*Sarah*]

I don't know if it would actually retain the nutrients, or if they would just dissipate into the water. Why not use a fertilizer stick?

[Sasquatch]

Wouldn't it be simple to just buy fertilizer sticks? They generally last a long time and it's more likely that the plants will have access to the nutrients.

The turkey baster thing will probably just cause an empty hole under the roots and the nutrients will leach out into the aquarium water so you wouldn't have a lasting effect. But that's just my 0.02$. Canadian at at!:hmm3grin2orange:

[Scuba Guy]

....just when I thought it was a good idea...

Where can I buy fertilizer sticks...?

[*Sarah*]

....just when I thought it was a good idea...

Where can I buy fertilizer sticks...?

I'm guessing at any lfs that sells fertilizers for plants.

[cocoa_pleco]

yep. Most lfs's have em. They look like little brown black sticks