Flourish Fertilizer questions

[lhenson]

This was already posted in another thread...I had hijacked it accidentally. I am not sure if this is against the rules, but I am moving it to its own thread and running it so people may see it. I am starting to use fertilizer...on hand I have flourish, flourish excel, and flourish iron. Seachem has this dosing chart at http://www.seachem.com/support/PlantDoseChart.pdf . I wouldn't think I'd have to use everything it calls to use, but can I get some pointers from you guys? They say to fert. everyday?! That seems a bit much...is this what you do? My plants are small and seem to be growing at a somewhat slow rate. I dosed Thursday with 1/2 cap of flourish and 1/2 cap of flourish iron.

Plants: 3 different types of Anubias, banana plants, Marble Queen Radican Sword, Ozelot Sword, Amazon Sword, Red Wendtii, onion plants

I see some definite growth on my larger red wendtii since fertilizing Thursday. I fertilized again today after 50% w/c and vac. 1/2 cap flourish, 1/2 cap flourish iron and 1.5 caps of Flourish Excel (initial dose.) What are your thoughts? I don't want to overdose, but looking at the Seachem chart which calls for daily doses of different fertilizers...don't see how I could overdose by only fertilizing a couple times a week.

7.0 ph, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10 nitrates
26 gal. bow w/ temps 80-82
aquarium gravel/sand sub

I am running 2 filters; stock Aqueon and Aqua Clear 50 and several airstones.

How often do you dose? Do you dose with several at one time...ex: This is Seachem's schedule DAY one:

Flourish 1 cap per 60 US gallons (240 L)
Flourish Excel 1 cap (5 mL) per 10 US gallons (40 L)
Flourish Iron 1 cap (5 mL) per 50 US gallons (200 L)
Flourish Phosphorus 1/2 cap per 40 US gallons (160L)
Flourish Nitrogen 1/2 cap per 40 US gallons (160 L)

Each day there are 3-5 different fertilizers including, Flourish brands: Potassium, Nitrogen, Trace, Phosphorus, and (Prime at the end of the week.) Now I hadn't planned to buy their whole line, but do I need to throw this much stuff in my tank everyday for my plants to be as happy as my fish? Do you fertilize daily?

[Goes to 11!]

Well, What are you lacking? You only have to add what they need as opposed to what is available for sale.

There's no need to dose IE: [Insert additive here] if your plants are not missing it in their environment. Admittedly, You won't know what they are missing until they grow on a while and show you. This comes with the territory I am afraid.

I notice you did not mention your lighting, Additional ferts will provide you with a lovely lush world class algae farm if you do not have adequate lighting for the plants to out compete the algae for the nutrients available. Please tell us what you have for lighting.

I use Flourish comprehensive once or twice a week [Memory dependent & I am actually out atm lol] for root tabs I use either the Flourish [Easily available] or the 'Trace' and 'Total' tabs from here.

I have lately been experimenting with some CO2 dosing via an impulse purchase of some API CO2 booster, It seems to work well in the smaller tanks [<29g].

Obviously I don't make this very complicated [Low-tech tanks ranging from low to Med-high lighting] but I don't attempt difficult plants either, Not on purpose anyway.

It's not all that complicated, I promise.

[lhenson]

I tell you what I am missing is adequate lighting. I am running stock bulb in Aqueon hood. Low light. Sadly, I know less about lighting than I do about fertilizers. I have purchased a glass cover for the tank, but am just so clueless about what to put on top of it. I do not want to run Co2. Sounds like I shouldn't fertilize anymore until I deal with my lighting issue, right?

[lhenson]

I have a 26 gal bow front tank which makes it a bit taller too...would that make a difference regarding the amount of light getting to the plants?

[ryann]

What type of bulb? color? wattage?

[lhenson]

Like I said...clueless. Stock, 15 watt...color? How do I figure that one out?

[PhillipOrigami]

Usually it says, but my aqueon is 8000k, as probably are others.

[openbook]

You need to upgrade the lighting or the plants will fade away, except the anubia they grow in swamps with super low light. If any of your plants can float, let them float until you get a new light fixture. There should plenty of threads for you to read to figure out your lighting needs.

For ferts what works for me is-
I dose the flourish after a water change, say sunday. 2 days later, tuesday I dose the flourish excel since the co2 in the new water I added to the tank has probably been used up. Also on tuesday I fill up my kent aquadoser with another dose of the flourish and fill with water. Then I set it to a slow drip and it will disperse the flourish over several days. Then thursday or friday I dose some more flourish excel. This has worked well for me.

Until you truly know what your plants needs are for ferts it's best to start out on the low end of the dosing and see what kind of results you get. If you go overboard with excess nutrients you can have an algae farm practically overnight.

[lhenson]

Thank you much for your advice! Not sure what a Kent Aquadoser is...is that a co2 thing? I am going to slow down with my ferts until I figure out this lighting issue. I understand my need to upgrade my current lighting system and will do my research before I fertilize much more. I don't need Algae problems!! If anyone out there has a 26 gal Aqueon Bow front and has replaced their stock light system, I'd love to hear what you've done!

[Goes to 11!]

If anyone out there has a 26 gal Aqueon Bow front and has replaced their stock light system, I'd love to hear what you've done!

One thing you can do while you wait is measure your bulb and fixture and Google for a replacement of the same size but with a spectrum of 6500K and more suitable wattage for the plants you are keeping [Or plan to.]