Gravel on top of flourite?

[timwag2001]

they also make flourish which kinda has it all http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Flourish.html

dosing ferts depends on how your tank is set up. high lights and co2 injection is gonna make your plants use more ferts. if thats the case, buying seachem can get expensive. and a lot of people buy dry ferts and mix them up yourself.

if you have low lights (under 2wpg) and arent injecting co2, then seachem will prob be good enough for you.

also do a little research about which plants your going to use excel with. it will kill some plants

 

[Paintballer99]

ah ok, my tank is 2wpg and DIY co2. do you think i still need ferts?

 

[Paintballer99]

Cause I see some iron and flourish at petsmart for $7....

 

[timwag2001]

yup. you should get some test kits for nitrate and phosphate. just to see where you are with those parameters. you wouldnt want to add N or P if it was already high from either your bioload or even coming from your tap water

 

[timwag2001]

you dont need to go crazy with iron but it is imprtant

 

[Paintballer99]

Ok I'll test my water when it cycling and post here(?) What they are to see if I need flourish and iron

 

[timwag2001]

you want to see if you have nitrate or phosphate in your tank or your tap water. N (nitrate) should be 10-20ppm and P (phosphate) and should be 1-2ppm. if your parameters are already there you wouldnt want to add more. too much, or unbalanced ferts can cause algae.
so if your nitrates are at 20ppm i wouldnt use flourish because then you would be putting more in. my tap water has nitrates over 40ppm so i never add it. instead i add phosphate, potassium, iron, and trace nutrients individually

 

[Sarahann31190]

I mixed flourite with small gravel when I had a 20 long. Worked out really well actually.

 

[jpappy789]

Dry ferts from www.aquariumfertilizer.com and dose the EI method. No testing required.

 

[dundadundun]

api makes root tabs. i don't like them as much as others myself. i noticed once they get a little old they break down into a mess in my tank... hard to explain. seachem makes the flourish line root tabs. either of these can get expensive fast. seachem makes the root tabs for ponds also. same exact ingredients and levels according to the label. i have read of others who have broken them into smaller pieces for tanks to save some money compared to the aquarium tabs. the couple people i've come across doing so have reported success without issues. the pond root tabs are quite a bit more expensive due to a much bigger package. simply looking at the packages gives you a good idea that you're getting a lot more for your money though.

then there's diy... http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169591&highlight=diy+root+tabs ... i find not only are they much cheaper but i've had a much better outcome with them also. you can also mix them slightly different to suit your setup. for instance if you stock on the high side with fish you might want to back down on your nitrate and phosphate in your mix... i did and added extra iron. i am happy with it and i have not had to buy root tabs since. so far i have probably saved about $100 or more easily.

it is true that they may not be necessary... but to quote tom barr (kinda)... "a clever monkey"... something about dosing both the water column and the substrate. you are starting off on the right foot with a plant substrate but they get used up over time.

just to add another option for ferts... http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html

estimative index for dummies (like me, hah hah)... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/fertilizing/15225-estimative-index-dosing-guide.html

you will find that dry ferts are much cheaper in the long run. IMO they work better too, but that's just my opinion.