Do I need ferts in a overstocked tank?

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M00n3at3r

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Hey everyone, so the subject is the question. Do I? I have a 75g with 5 angels, 10 neons, 10 red phantoms, 8 harlequin rasboras, 2 cories, 2 algae eater, 1 pleco and 1 gourami, and I will be putting in 6 marbled hatchets. I only have swords and a couple of java ferns, but I was thinking maybe some Dwarf Hairgrass too. If my tank is so heavily stocked do I really need to add ferts? I have a UG filter running and the roots of the swords have grown down under and are absorbing the ferts under there. If I decrease the air input into the tank, will that increase the co2 from the fish so the plants absorb that as well?

Thanks guys!
 

M00n3at3r

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Yeah, I mean like the fish waste and fish food that gets down in the substrate.
 

OrionGirl

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Those are food. Ferts include iron, potassium, etc. So, yes. Root tabs might be an option, especially for the sword. The UGF is likely compromised by the root growth. Might want to consider alternate filtration options.

Reducing surface agitation will not make a significant difference to the available CO2 unless you're injecting CO2, in which case...yes.
 

M00n3at3r

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I do use root tabs occasionally because I can put them in the tube for my reverse UG, but for something more like hairgrass, will that be adequate or will the food and poo from the fish do enough above gravel? And with the filtration, I am running 2 canisters in addition to the powerheads with sponge filters that blow down under the UG.
 
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jpappy789

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Feb 18, 2007
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Asking whether you need ferts or not is a loaded question that can generate as many "yes" answers as "no" answers because every tank is different. Sometimes the plants are the best indicator of whether you need to add ferts or not, granted deficiencies can be difficult to spot when other factors such as light and CO2 are in limited supply as well.
 

M00n3at3r

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Asking whether you need ferts or not is a loaded question that can generate as many "yes" answers as "no" answers because every tank is different. Sometimes the plants are the best indicator of whether you need to add ferts or not, granted deficiencies can be difficult to spot when other factors such as light and CO2 are in limited supply as well.
How do I spot these then? My swords grow new leaves all the time, but they tend to stay short, like 4" they go out more then up.
 

MostlyHarmless

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Confused in this thread you start with a UGF, then you say it's a reversed UGF. Either case, UGF compromised from the plants. Reverse UGF waste not staying in the gravel, it would be pushed up into the water column. If you want plants, I would look at alternate filtering methods.

Either case, the plants you have now, don't really need ferts, that being said, a little dirt under the gravel would do wonders.
 

jpappy789

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How do I spot these then? My swords grow new leaves all the time, but they tend to stay short, like 4" they go out more then up.
Stunted growth, deformed or discolored leaves, pinholes in leaves etc.

There are tons of charts out there which have diagnosis for certain nutrient deficiencies. However, it seems most of these are based off of terrestrial agriculture/horticulture where we see different limiting resources than in aquariums. It's pretty easy to get enough CO2 to a land plant compared to one submerged, so sometimes nutrient deficiencies aren't as straightforward as the charts imply.
 
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