# Accidentally Used Terrestrial Fertilizers



## NaturalPerfection (Jan 25, 2013)

Hello. New here. Greetings and thanks for stopping by.

I have a newly acquired 10 gallon fish tank with some gravel, rocks, and just recently some coral. I first filled it with tap water, a week ago, and let it filter with my hanging over the side charcoal filter, new bag, for about 3/4 of a day. I brought home some anacharis and a moss ball and planted them in my gravel. They were very green on entering the aquarium. THEN, I started researching aquariums and the plants to go inside and how to care for them. I read over and over that they need three things: nutrients, light, and CO2. I had no fish so I figured I must add nutrients. My dear mother has much love for organic outdoor gardening and so I thought to use some of her liquid fertilizers. I had not come upon the supposed ratio I recently read of 10-1-10 or 10-1-20 (?), but I figured I had supplies to get the nutrients the plants needed to them in sufficient quantities. I ended up mixing multiple bottles of brown liquids and dumping a 1/4 cup a day into the tank. 

Some bottles as examples:
1. Advanced Nutrients - Big Bud - (0-2-4) Guaranteed Analysis: 2% Phosphate, 4% Potash, 0.7% Soluble Magnesium plus a whole list of non-plant food ingredients - Derived from: Magnesium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Phosphate, Citric Acid
2. Advanced Nutrients - Overdrive - (1-5-4) Guaranteed Analysis: 1% Nitrogen, 5% Phosphate, 4% Potash, .92% Soluble Magnesium - Derived from: Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate
3. Botanicare - Liquid Karma - (0.1-0.1-0.5) Guaranteed Analysis: 0.1% Water Soluble Organic Nitrogen, 0.1% Phosphate, 0.5% Soluble Potash plus 0.5% Humic Acid and 0.01% Yucca extract - Derived from Kelp seaweed extract

The last one seems solid. But anyways I have about 7 bottles mixed up in somewhat even ratios, 1/4 cup in a day for about 2 days. All my anacharis and my moss ball turned brown. So, I thought I must need CO2. So I prepare a batch of sugar yeast and water and start pumping it in through a bubblestone. Plants continue turning brown. After 4 days of fertilization I decided maybe I'd give not fertilizing a try... It has now been about 7 days and some buds are forming, bright green, and the inner green of the moss ball is becoming visible once again, though I don't know how the brown will go away (fall off? or turn green again?). 

My reason for posting is I want to know if my fertilizer solution WAS the cause (seems to be, though pH is tested low at perhaps 6.2 (just using test strips)), and if I should completely change out the water before considering adding some fish. And if anyone gets to the bottom of this, I have an air pump and CO2 pump. How much of either is too much? I hypothesized that as long as CO2 isn't dropping the pH too much it is ok? I did hear you don't want to run it at night...

Thanks in advance, hopefully I won't be a one time poster! (Kinda depends on if I have some plants to talk about haha)

Peace, Alex.


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## NaturalPerfection (Jan 25, 2013)

I forgot to mention that I have been using an odd light set up.

Days 1-3: 90W Halogen Lamp (During my waking hours, 8am-Midnight)
Days 4-5: 90W Halogen Lamp + 29W CFL (Same hours as above with the CFL running all night)
Days 6-7: Two 29W CFL (Only during waking hours, 8am-Midnight)

And here are some pictures of the damage (


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## rjordan393 (Nov 23, 2012)

From your post, I see you are new to fish & aquariums or have limited experience. The fertilizers you prepared are all out of balance and not good for growing plants in an aquarium. 
I recommend that you remove the plants and get some knowledge on how to care for them. Plants either require low, medium or high output lighting, proper fertilizers and in some cases, CO2.
But you really should purchase a book that covers all aspects of fish, aquariums and plants or check the local library. The most important subject is water quality. You need to find out what is in your tapwater. Carbon is ok to help keep the water clean in a fish only tank but you should rely on other products for preparing your tapwater for use. If you have chlorine, chloramines or ammonia, then these must be removed or detoxified before adding tapwater to an aquarium. Heavy metal like copper should be detoxified. You will also need test kits and learn all about cycling the tank. The initial cost will be expensive. So be prepared.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Besides the ratio, most (if not all) non aquatic fertilizers use ammonia as a nitrogen source, where aquatic ferts use nitrate. This is because ammonia will induce algae (and if too high toxic for animals as well), so no matter the ratio, they will be of no use.


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## NaturalPerfection (Jan 25, 2013)

Ok, cool. I suppose with enough nitrifying bacteria they could work, but I'll stick to aquatic ferts


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

I guess, but doing a large water change before adding fish never hurt anyone At least test ammonia and nitrite before adding fish to see whether it is all converted to nitrate. But in the long run, just use aquatic ferts or make sure you know exactly what is in the bottle (no ammonia or urea for example). If money is the problem, just buy CSM+B powder, this is one of the cheapest traces and better for your fish (and probably plants as well). Good luck!


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## NaturalPerfection (Jan 25, 2013)

Ack, sorry for not replying sooner. Thanks, I've switched to aquatic ferts! I've got some shrimp, waiting on the fish for a healthier environment.


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