Plants...*sigh

[Lady Hobbs]

I just can't decide what is best for my plants! They are only in gravel so have no nutrients to feed off so I added some Jobes Spikes. I know. Not for fish tanks but Flora Tabs etc are not available here without placing an order online so I grabbed these Jobes spikes and added just a wee piece to the roots. (phosphates 4% they said)

I've been running CO2 and altho I have green plants, they are not growing much but roots are filling out nicely.

My fish like an airstone and I know this drives the CO2 off. When I add air I get more active fish and they love to hang near the stones so what to do? Add air for the fish or CO2 for the plants. Plants supply oxygen but they have to get large enough to do so and mine are still small.

The question comes down to this: Could I just use the airstone for my fish and my plants, get rid of the CO2 since I have low lighting and just use ferts?

I just am stuck here.

[Chrona]

I just can't decide what is best for my plants! They are only in gravel so have no nutrients to feed off so I added some Jobes Spikes. I know. Not for fish tanks but Flora Tabs etc are not available here without placing an order online so I grabbed these Jobes spikes and added just a wee piece to the roots. (phosphates 4% they said)

I've been running CO2 and altho I have green plants, they are not growing much but roots are filling out nicely.

My fish like an airstone and I know this drives the CO2 off. When I add air I get more active fish and they love to hang near the stones so what to do? Add air for the fish or CO2 for the plants. Plants supply oxygen but they have to get large enough to do so and mine are still small.

The question comes down to this: Could I just use the airstone for my fish and my plants, get rid of the CO2 since I have low lighting and just use ferts?

I just am stuck here.

Well with an airstone running all the time, the plants will suffer regardless. I think at this point, you should just add more plants until they can saturate the water with oxygen. Some Flourish tabs will condition the gravel, making it somewhat similar to a planting substrate, in that it lowers the pH down there and adds trace. For the rest of the nutrients, fish waste should provide plenty. Jobes spikes will probably help, but not neccesary imo.

[Lady Hobbs]

OK........sounds good! Thank YOU!


OK.........airstone turned back off. Man. Houseplants are sure easier. Ferts from May to Sept and forget it until spring again!

[Rue]

...I think as long as they're green it's good...no matter what it takes to get there...

[Wallyfish]

It can be really messy transitioning from gravel to flourite in a tank, (or so I've read). Have you thought about placing your plants in small decorative glass containers with flourite? Thats what I did with my tank.

[sergo]

hobbs, if your plants are growing roots that's good. they are similar to houseplants and once they get a good base set they'll start growing up. my anubias may grow a new leaf about every week and a half to 2 weeks but i can see roots going every where now. once they get a root system established you should be good. they're green so they are happy, always a good sign. i say keep doing what you're doing, growth will be slower due to the low light. keep it up.

[Lady Hobbs]

I HAD some good roots. This is the tank that was leaking so all the plants were pulled up and are now floating in the 10 gallon waiting for whatever I will do with them.

[sergo]

damn your luck woman!!!!!! you can't win for losing it seems.