Fertilizer Tabs.

AquatiCreations

AquatiCreations

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Feb 25, 2008
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Hey Guys,

I was going to use some fertilizer tabs under a few of my plants,looking at the bottle I read the ingredients and one that really stuck out was phosphate... I normally go out of my way to remove this from my tanks,as it causes algae to thrive... what gives?
 
Root tabs are used for your root heavy plants which have trouble getting nutrients from the water. Phosphates are just another nutrient but this is why it is important to not disturb the tabs once they are in place because they can cause an algae bloom. What are your phosphate readings? Have you tried adding more stem plants to combat the algae?
 
Short answer is phosphate is a macro nutrient, you can't grow plants without it. In low tech planted tank, fish food will generally provide enough, in high tech (light) most people need to add it. IMO, (and experience), every algae problem I've dealt with (in a planted tank) was cured by adding more nutrients. This is the general principle of EI dosing. Add enough that you never run out. Algae can survive at nutrient levels so low plants die. Excessive nutrients within reasonable levels are not a problem.
 
Canuck said:
Short answer is phosphate is a macro nutrient, you can't grow plants without it. In low tech planted tank, fish food will generally provide enough, in high tech (light) most people need to add it. IMO, (and experience), every algae problem I've dealt with (in a planted tank) was cured by adding more nutrients. This is the general principle of EI dosing. Add enough that you never run out. Algae can survive at nutrient levels so low plants die. Excessive nutrients within reasonable levels are not a problem.
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Ah so by adding more nutrients you're making the complex plants thrive,and out-compete the algae for nutrients?
 
by adding more nutrients you make it easier for your plants to use your nutrients. basicly you need to get them in balance. these are your macro nutrients P-phosphate N-nitrate K-potassium. a good ratio would be
1-10-20 or 2-20-40. your plants will take up 1ppm phospate at around the same rate it takes in 10ppm nitrate. if your plant doesnt have phosphate it can't utilize the other macros. algae is used to taking up nutrients in unbalanced environments, so if the macros are out of balance they can take in the other nutrients that your plants arent. hope i explained that without confusing you more than i did myself.
 
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