Micro / Macro Supplements

[androo303]

Hello all,

I have a smaller tank (about 25 gallons) with some hemianthus callitrichoides (just planted), vallisneria spiralis (been growing for sometime now) and something similar to rotala wallichii but green.

Just wondering what type and where I should get some micro/macro nutrients for these plants to grow healthy and strong. I have Flourish Excel, but i don't think that is enough. I plan to add pressurized CO2 and I do have a 30" Coralife light on for about 8 hrs a day.

Thanks again for your help! 

[zima]

It all depends on the other ingredients of the setup. How powerful is the 30" Coralife fixture (in wattage)? Flourish Excel is not a micro/macro nutrient, but a liquid form of organic carbon - which somewhat replaces the CO2. It is known to damage vallisneria plants, so I'm somewhat surprised the two live together. If your lights are powerful enough and you're supplementing enough carbon substance (either through Flourish Excel, yeast-generated or pressurised CO2), only then I would start thinking of adding nutrients. But if you're not into the so-called hi-tech setup yet (and I'm not saying you have to go that way at all - there are beautiful options out there for a low-tech planted setup), I would avoid dosing nutrients for now, unless you see serious nutrient deficiencies in plants. Put another way, if plants are not growing fast enough to absorb the nutrients you'd be adding, algae will. And you don't want that!

Now onto answering your question  . You can get nutrients in liquid form from an LFS, or there are dry nutrient options from a hydroponic store. I used the latter, premixing them according to ratios that can be found online. I suggest reading up on dosing strategies before spending too much money. Tom Barr has excellent sources, as do other planted tank sites.

[androo303]

Put another way, if plants are not growing fast enough to absorb the nutrients you'd be adding, algae will. And you don't want that!

Well then, i definitely do not what that. Algae seems to be everyones thorn, but i do not have that problem just now as my shrimp and algae eater is making it nice and clean.

I'd like to add some CO2 as i'd like to add some newer/vaster plants so I dont want them getting deprived of the requirement, but otherwise I might stay away from it.

Cheers for the information!

ps. The vallisneria plants do turn a little brown when if i over add FLourish Excel (I've figured out it is easier to use syringes!)