# Plants



## ColtenB (Mar 8, 2012)

hello all im new to this website but i have a million questions already hope y'all have some answers lol Ok i have only gravel subtrate and i have to say i don't want to deal with all stress and stuff of emptying my fish tank to put dirt in the bottom of it...anyway my point is will the gravel kill my plants off? right now i have 2 wisteria and 2 ludwigea <== "im sure thats not spelt right' and some jungle val on the way....will that be fine aswell? thanks Colten by the way i apologize if this is already on here someplace else i don't have time to look in depth just thought id throw this out there


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ColtenB,

Welcome to APC! You can certainly grow great plants just using gravel, fertilizer, and light.

45 Gallon tall


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## ColtenB (Mar 8, 2012)

what kinda Fertilizer would you suggest? Very nice tank btw


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ColtenB,

At this point I was using Seachem Flourish Comprehensive, Seachem Excel, and DIY CO2.


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## ColtenB (Mar 8, 2012)

none of these will kill my fish im guessing??


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## ZeeZ (Nov 3, 2011)

Won't the Excel cancel out the Flourish?

Alternatively, you can use Root Tabs. These come in a pill form and you put them at the plant's roots and the plants will feed directly from it. 

No, ferts won't harm your fish. However, some may harm inverts like snails or especially shrimp, as some ferts have copper in them. You can check the ingredients to be sure your ferts don't have copper in them if you keep snails or shrimp.


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## ColtenB (Mar 8, 2012)

Wouldn't the root tabs be better anyway since plants absorb the most nutrients through there roots? and nope i don't keep inverts anymore =)


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

@ZeeZ No, actually they work together. The Flourish product I recommended is a comprehensive source of macro and micro nutrients and Excel is a source of carbon molecules; both are necessary for healthy plant growth. I think my pic in last nights post is evidence enough.

@ColtenB Some plants, like Crypts and Swords are heavy root feeders however many stem plants absorb nutrients from the water column. I will use 1/2 a Seachem Flourish tab under my heavy root feeders and do the majority of my fertilization through the water column. I had problems with Osmocote tabs causing high nitrate levels resulting in algae blooms.


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## ZeeZ (Nov 3, 2011)

Interesting. I could've sworn I read somewhere that the Excel was a source of iron and carbon, and when used with Flourish Comprehensive, it cancelled each other out. I've been using only Comprehensive since I read that article.

Time for me to go find some Excel. The LFSs here never carry that, only Comprehensive.


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## ColtenB (Mar 8, 2012)

i just planted my plants like 2 days ago give or take would now be a good time to start using the comprehensive my lfs don't carry excel but is ordering it for me


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ColtenB,

I don't know how have heavily planted , how many watts and type of lighting, or how long your photoperiod is so it is difficult to answer. With more information I could probably give a better answer but I would start at 1/2 the recommended dosage.


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## ColtenB (Mar 8, 2012)

i have 2ludwiga,2wisteria and will have 2 jungle val. 15 watts type is aquari-lux..what do you mean by photoperiod? Do you mean how long per day my lights are on and off? if so 12am till about 8am sometimes 9


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ColtenB,

I would start with 1/2 recommended dosage and increase it as the number of plants in you tank increaseds.


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## ColtenB (Mar 8, 2012)

should i add it everyday? or what


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ColtonB,

Just follow the instructions on the bottle but use 1/2 the recommended amount.


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