First Aquascape! Fertilizers???

[Alan W]

HELLO! 

I am setting up my first planted tank, but have had other aquariums for a while.  I've done my research and really like what the Aquascaping world is doing, especially some of the guys in Asia and Europe. I know I cant get so crazy right off the bat, but I really want to work up to that. So that being said. I am working on a low tech, low light, easy plant, "first aquascape". I'd like to do some carpeting plant in a section of the design, but realize that probably wont happen with my setup. Aubias, Java Fern, Cryptocoryne, and Red Lotus are on my short list of plants so far. I have decided to use Nerite Snails, Amano Shrimp, maybe small algae eating fish, possibly cherry shrimp, and a mix of tetra or similar size fish. 

I plan on using RO water, and I know I have to re-mineralize it. Can anyone recommend anything that they use?

I am looking at fertilizers and I keep coming back to the Aquarium Co-Op.  What is the Carbon Fertilizer for?  Will it help with low tech / non CO2 tanks?  Is it fish and shrimp safe too? And I guess same thing for the Iron.

[Fishkeeper125]

The plants that are on your list are both water column feeders and root feeders. I advise you using root tabs and liquid fertilizer. Aquarium co-op sells both. I think easy carbon is used to limit algae growth in some situations. 

[Jessica.]

Hi Alan! What type of substrate are you using? That will affect what you need to dose for fertz and root tabs. 

1 hour ago, Alan W said:

I'd like to do some carpeting plant in a section of the design, but realize that probably wont happen with my setup.

Not necessarily! Hydrocotyle tripartita, marselia crenata, and staurogyne repens can all carpet low tech tanks. Even monte carlo can work in med light and up. Dwarf sag is also an option. 

 

1 hour ago, Alan W said:

I know I have to re-mineralize it. Can anyone recommend anything that they use?

Seachem equilbrium is a good choice, which the co-op sells. I personally use GH Booster from Nilocg, as it's a better value than seachem and I remineralize a few hundred gals a week (my well water is basically RO). You can also run crushed coral in your filter or use wonder shells. The powered equlibrium is my preference as it's easy to measure how much Gh you're adding. 

1 hour ago, Alan W said:

What is the Carbon Fertilizer for? 

This is an algicide, the active ingredient is glutaraldehyde (any product you see as "liquid carbon" usually has this main ingredient, I can think of 4-5 different brands of it) . Seachem excel is a very similar product, also with glutaraldehyde in it. The amount of carbon it releases is debated, but it's somewhere between very little to none. I personally prefer not to use it in my aquariums, but I'm the sort of hippie type that also is scared of pesticides on my food. Cory talks about excel in this video (the excel is discussed at 54:30). I'm actually curious why he developed and sells it, after highlighting the issues of it back in 2016 in this video. But lots of people use it and like the algae inhibiting benefits.  

 

1 hour ago, Alan W said:

And I guess same thing for the Iron

The iron is shrimp and fish safe. Copper is what you want to look out for with shrimp and other inverts. It's good to add some iron, your tiger lotus will appreciate it. Basically to make a liquid all in one like easy green (or any of the other all in one ferts out there), they can't add very much iron to the mix or it precipitates out. So, many people like to dose extra iron. Iron, light, and nitrate levels play a role in giving red plants their color. 

Edited October 29, 2020 by Jessica.

[Alan W]

25 minutes ago, Jessica. said:

Hi Alan! What type of substrate are you using? That will affect what you need to dose for fertz and root tabs. 

Thank you for all the information so far!!  

 

I have a 29 gal for this build. (30in x 12in x 18in tall)

I haven't decided on a light yet, but was thinking about a Finnex for low light, or Fluval Plant light. 

I purchased Fluval Stratum for soil. I also have Carib Sand but that will NOT cap the Fluval soil, or have plants in it. 

There will be Ohko Stone (about 30 lbs so far) and Manzanita branches. They'll be scaped on one side with plants behind, in front and around.  The sand base only on the other side of the tank. The branches will likely overhang it. 

I really only planned so far on using the liquid fert, without root tabs.