Aquarium plant fertilizer stimulates the growth and health of the plants in our aquarium.
There is the false feeling that the remains of the fish’s own food and their excrement are enough to keep them in perfect condition.
This statement is true, but only in part, there are nutrients that plants need and that they cannot get through the natural breakdown of debris, such as potassium sulfate, which prevents plants from losing their green color and turning green. yellow or brown color.
Comparison, best fertilizers and compost for aquarium plants 2020
The aquarium subscriber step by step
Just as we feed the fish and ensure that their environment is correct, the aquarium plants also require our attention.
As the aquarist evolves, he becomes more aware of the landscaping in the aquarium and the plants take center stage.
There is a typical evolution of the freshwater aquarium, either to a Dutch aquarium with a great profusion of plants , or to an aquarium where the most studied landscaping and decoration take on a special role.
The use of a greater number of plants requires paying special attention to lighting, usually resulting in the need to add CO2
and a greater vigilance on the parameters of the water, to avoid that its imbalance derives in an invasion of algae.
The most important points to watch out for within the aquarium subscriber are:
CO2 inside the aquarium
If we have never used CO2, it is recommended to start adding carefully, since each aquarium will react differently to an increase in CO2, which will largely depend on the previous values of the water, the existing fish, the type of filtration or lighting.
It is recommended to use CO2 text on a regular basis, which helps us control the amount present, so that we know if it is adequate, it is necessary to add more, or we are sinning too much.
The aquarium plants are large consumers of CO2As the number of plants increases, the CO2 needs will also increase. That is why it is necessary in a planted aquarium to use a meter to help us control the dose.
Periodic water changes
To keep the aquarium in perfect condition, we know that we must make periodic water changes.
When the aquarium is densely planted , these changes become more necessary and should ideally be made once a week.
The idea is to keep the nutrient ratios and the aquarium values within acceptable parameters.
Special attention must be paid to the KH values, which must move between 4 and 6, so that the dissolution of CO2 in the water is correct.
The total hardness or gH can be modified according to the needs of the aquarium itself, although it is suitable for it to move between 8º and 12º of gH.
illumination
It is common to observe how most aquariums mount T5 fluorescent or currently, led screens .
It is very good when the aquariums do not exceed 50 centimeters in height, but for aquariums over 50, ideally you should use HQI (Metal Halide) lighting.
It is recommended that the lighting be 1 watt per liter with HQI or Fluorescent lighting, but for Led screens it is more advisable to reach 1.8 watts per liter.
The lighting time has to be between 8 and 10 hours , always within the same time range, so it is recommended to use a timer that starts and cuts the aquarium lighting.
Plant fertilizer
The plants must be introduced into the aquarium in the second phase of cycling , and a week later the fertilization will begin.
The planted aquarium will remain perfect, if we provide the plants with what they need: lighting, CO2, liquid fertilizers and we keep the water parameters within adequate values.
The nutrients that plants need are:
- Micronutrients: iron, magnesium, calcium, boron, cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, sulfur, zinc …
- Macronutrients: basically potassium, which most brands of compost include as micronutrients.
- Nitrates and phosphates: which are usually not necessary to add (perhaps correct), because the aquarium itself with its inhabitants generates them.
Most of the liquid fertilizers on sale contain the nutrients that plants need.
There are no better or worse manufacturers, what we must assess is the purity of the products, since some have higher concentrations of active ingredients than others.
It must be appreciated that in certain aquariums, it may be necessary to have independent nutrients to balance the needs of certain plants and to be able to add the element that interests us the most.
Characteristics of the best fertilizers for aquarium plants
TNC Complete Pass
Tetra Plantamin
Sera Florena
JBL ProScape
Seachen Flourish
Specific fertilizers for aquariums: Iron, Potassium and Phosphorus
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