# Do I need ferts or no?



## Zookeeper (Apr 27, 2011)

I'm trying to stay very low tech but want nice plants, of course. I'm just not sure if my betta and 2 ghost shrimp will make enough nutrients for the plants. I currently have 3 aponogeton and 5 wisteria. None are fully grown and I just added the wisteria today. I got the aponogeton as a bulb and it's done great so far. I also have a marimo that just split so it's no longer huge. That's actually why I decided to add plants today because I put one half in the kids tank and I thought maybe it would be ok to add more plants but now I'm second guessing. I have smooth glass stones for substrate and 2 15w lights.

So my 2 main questions, but feel free to give your 2 cents on any topic, are

1. Do I need to add liquid ferts? If so what kind is best?

2. Can I use a little water from my other 10 gallon community tank as a fert? It's a nice "earthy" tank. Even with a 20% water change every other day, it still smells, well, earthy. It probably has everything the plants need. It's healthy, no new additions in over 4 months, and never a death of any species.


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## i4yue (Jul 5, 2010)

i would have to say no...you dont NEEED ferts but if you want your plants to be stronger, faster, and better then i would use the recommended amount. i use seachem flourish myself and i dose every water change which is about once every other week and my plants do fine. lately i havent been dosing at all and my plants still are doing great =) i also use seachems root tabs...pretty much anything from seachem is pretty good!!

as for using other tank water as fert....i personally wouldnt b/c the hassle isnt worth the little amount of nutrient your plants will be getting. imo


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## Zookeeper (Apr 27, 2011)

It's really not a hassle at all. With my gravel vacuum and jugs moving water is easy. If it would give it a little boost, that is all I'm looking for.


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## Justonce94 (Apr 23, 2011)

Fetts are needed in some cases but it just really depends on you. You don't have to add something that your not so sure about!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Depends more on your plants. If they are doing well, I'd say no. If they start to suffer a little, I'd say get something like FLourish or Leaf Zone and use that. Don't try using water as a fert. Most of the stuff needed is in the gravel anyway.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

It never hurts to add them. Of the plants you list, the Apons will need them more.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello Zoo. I have several low tech tanks and have found that plants in low light conditions and no CO2 need a little help to grow well. So, I've always used a good liquid fert for the standard nutrients and another for a source of carbon. I like Yamato Green and currently use a little Flourish Excel.

I mix the two in a pitcher of my water change water and dose when the tanks need to be topped off due to evaporation, typically two to three times per week.

Just one reporter's opinion.

BBradbury


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## Suenell (Mar 26, 2011)

Don't know about your gravel, if it will provide enough contact for your roots. You should have something finer at the bottom if you have smooth stones - I'd think they're too big. What I do for fertilize is freeze some Osmocote in an ice tray then slide them under the plants here & there.


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## Zookeeper (Apr 27, 2011)

Can I just put the root tab things under the roots? The apon is growing really well but I just added the wisteria Tuesday. It's all nice and green at the moment but I by no means have a green thumb out of water lol. I don't really want to spend $16 for a handful of the soil and I have no clue what osmocote is but I will go google. 

My hood can hold lights up to two 25w but currently have the 15w. Is the 2w per gallon a good rule or should I get some higher wattage bulbs?

Thank you all for being so nice. I'm new to this whole planted tank thing and it's a little intimidating :/


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

You won't need root tabs for Wisteria.


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