View Full Version : Fert Tabs vs. Liquid Fert
I have liquid Seachem Flourish and I'm going to be getting Excel. I know that Seachem also makes these fertilizer tab things that go into the substrate. Is there any reason to use these vs. the liquid? Is it best to use them in conjunction with one another? Just wondering if it's worth getting them (off to the LFS tomorrow)
Hooked Newbie
07-13-2008, 6:04 PM
It depends on your plants. The tabs are good for pants that take in the majority of their nutrients through the roots. The liquid ferts are best for plants that take in the nutrients in the water column. Even better and more economical are dry ferts. You also need to take into account the substrate and how well it "holds" nutrients. I still haven't gotten the whole planted chemistry thing down, so I'll bump it to the more knowledgeable folks.
tanker
07-13-2008, 8:58 PM
It depends on your plants. Most stem plants take in ferts from the water, most "Root" plants (swords, ect), take in ferts from the sand.
What about ground cover (in my case, dwarf clover).
I may get a pack of these things just for the big crypt in my tank (which, from my understanding, are heavy root feeders), but if they'll help the clover then I'll spread a couple out amongst the foreground
Mgamer20o0
07-14-2008, 3:12 AM
i would get them for crypts. what kind of substrate do you have?
I have about 1.5in of Schultz Aquatic Soil under about 1.5inch of gravel from Walmart
Ozymandias
07-14-2008, 6:57 PM
ya go for some firt tabs with that stuff, it's basically inert.
it'll suck up nutrients over time, right? that's what I read, otherwise I wouldn't have even bothered getting the stuff
Yup, they basically leach slowly into the water, sorta like a natural lake or river.
I know how the tabs work. i was referring to the Schultz substrate. i heard that although it's inert it will suck up nutrients from the water and eventually provide said nutrients for the plants. or am I missing something?
247Plants
07-15-2008, 1:03 AM
No you are talking about CAC or cation exchange capacity of the substrate.
I believe Schultz aquatic soil is zeolite. Same as kitty litter. will absorb what is around it and will hold nutrients to the roots of the plants. However, it starts out inert.
right...that's what I mean. Inert to start with, absorbs nutrients over time = nutrients for plants