To use fertilizer or not?

Is fertilizer necessary for aquarium plants?

  • Yup

    Votes: 5 20.0%
  • Nope

    Votes: 5 20.0%
  • not needed but useful

    Votes: 11 44.0%
  • no idea

    Votes: 4 16.0%

  • Total voters
    25

aviva90

AC Members
Jun 19, 2010
978
0
16
34
San Francisco, CA
Real Name
Aviva
I'm just wondering what people think. Is plant fertilizer necessary for healthy plant growth in the tank or no? My plants seem to be doing fine without, but I only have 7 plants. :dance2:
 
depends on the type of plants, lighting, co2, etc. I recommend co2 before ferts in any case.
 
depends on the type of plants, lighting, co2, etc. I recommend co2 before ferts in any case.

I agree. Some plants are more demanding in their lighting and nutrient requirements. Plants such as java fern, anubias, water sprite and the like are lower maintenance. I personally never use ferts and my plants grow well. Granted, some of them produce leggy growth, but I'm ok with that...for now. :)
 
the plants need it to be provided one way or the other. either it's in your source water, provided by feeding or you have to put it there. some people are lucky and never have to fert their plants. i am not. my gh and kh are <2 out of the tap while nitrates and ammo are present... as well as the source is chloraminated (i may have just made that word up... but you get the point). so, i get extra ammo/trates and not much of anything else.

you find out fast when you have to reconstitute your water from scratch that it doesn't take much, but it does take everything, just in small quantities.
 
If the plants are showing signs of deficiency, then yes they would benefit from ferts.
 
may not always need them but they always love them!
 
Too many variables to just say yes or no or any other option.

I Agree. :iagree:

If low light, no CO2==NO.

High light, CO2==YES!!!!
 
I find that artificial ferts are totally unnecessary. Instead I have been following the suggestions of Diana Walstad and use a natural planted tank, NPT, approach. With an appropriate substrate and decent lighting I have had this result over a bit of time.

XenotaeniaCrop.jpg
 
I find that artificial ferts are totally unnecessary. Instead I have been following the suggestions of Diana Walstad and use a natural planted tank, NPT, approach. With an appropriate substrate and decent lighting I have had this result over a bit of time.

XenotaeniaCrop.jpg

I have a question. Doesn't DW use mineralized top soil? Wouldn't that count as a fertilizer? I got some googling to do and maybe try it out someday.
 
AquariaCentral.com