# What Ferts (high or lo-tech)do you use? and why?



## dfektor (1 Jul 2013)

After aimless flitting from one easy fert brand to another in my low tech tanks  I would like to find a product that works at reasonable cost and stick to it! 

And Im looking to get a co2 system in my main tank so a suitable product for a high tech setup too is needed also.

So what I would like to ask is the title^^ any advice is welcome.


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## BigTom (1 Jul 2013)

Dry ferts are the cheapest option.

Something like TNC's EI mix - TNC EI Kits : FluidsensorOnline.com, The Nutrient Solution

Just dose about 1/10th-1/5th of normal EI dosing for low tech (depending on your plant biomass and water change regime), then up it to full EI once you get CO2 set up.


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## tim (1 Jul 2013)

I use this 
James' Planted Tank - All In One Solution recipe 3 it's cheap to make covers high tech and low tech, salts can be purchased from apfuk or tnc forum sponsors.


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## oldbloke (1 Jul 2013)

I bought the starter pack from aquarium plant food on here and use 50% in my low tech.
It's probably overkill but at that price it hardly matters.
As far as I can see the results are ok.


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## dfektor (2 Jul 2013)

thanks guys interesting replies..... is the EI popular on here? its hard to equate the recipes to cost per dosage but they seem to be really cheap!
any more choices or votes?


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## aliclarke86 (2 Jul 2013)

I again dose EI its cheap and covers all bases plus you can adjust when needed

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


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## stu_ (2 Jul 2013)

dfektor said:


> thanks guys interesting replies..... is the EI popular on here?


Is the Pope a Catholic ? 
Depends on the size of tank as well i guess.
Whilst i have & use dry salts because they're cheap,on small tanks sometimes i use TNC complete, mainly through laziness.Just squeeze & pour.


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## dw1305 (3 Jul 2013)

Hi all,
Because I have very heavily planted tanks, which I only feed occasionally, I use the same fertiliser for both tank and house-plants, and this tends to be what ever left over soluble feed was cheap in Wilkinsons. I wouldn't recommend this approach in other circumstances.

cheers Darrel


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## Yo-han (3 Jul 2013)

I use my home made ADA rip-off. Made with dry ferts and profito as traces


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## dfektor (3 Jul 2013)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> Because I have very heavily planted tanks, which I only feed occasionally, I use the same fertiliser for both tank and house-plants, and this tends to be what ever left over soluble feed was cheap in Wilkinsons. I wouldn't recommend this approach in other circumstances.
> 
> cheers Darrel


 
when you got no fish you can use a wide variety... i believe i used these 
 25 Tablet Slow Release Plant Food Nutrient Feed All Purpose Fertilizer Cluster | eBay
with fish it would probably kill them i remember the water spikes like crazy



Yo-han said:


> I use my home made ADA rip-off. Made with dry ferts and profito as traces


you got a recipe or link? yohan 
PS finally found some vietnamese minnow and sewellia lineolata BTW


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## dw1305 (4 Jul 2013)

Hi all


dfektor said:


> when you got no fish you can use a wide variety... i believe i used these 25 Tablet Slow Release Plant Food Nutrient Feed All Purpose Fertilizer Cluster | eBay with fish it would probably kill them i remember the water spikes like crazy


The problem with most fertilisers, even "slow release" ones, is that the nitrogen component will go into solution fairly readily in tank water. Nearly all nitrates are highly soluble, and the one that gives you the "most bang for your buck" (35.5%N) is ammonium nitrate (NH3NO3). This is highly soluble and disassociates into NH3/NH4+ & NO3-.

A very robust system (high plant mass with floaters or emergents) and a lot of oxygenation may be able to deal with the sudden increase in ammonia, particularly if the pH is below pH7, but in other circumstances toxic levels of ammonia may result.

cheers Darrel


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## dfektor (7 Jul 2013)

ok nice break down!! any more votes or choicies on ferts?


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## dw1305 (12 Jul 2013)

Hi all,
I just happened to find myself at a loose end in Bridgewater shopping centre on Wednesday, and I popped into the local Wilkinsons. They have a "Wilko Every Day Value Plant Feed", where the nitrogen content is all urea (CO(NH2)2) and 46%N).

The urea will be converted to ammonia (by micro-organisms with the urease enzyme), but it is still a safer option for livestock than ammonium nitrate (NH3NO3) where all the ammonia will go into solution in one big hit.

If you did have the combination of a tank with a very large plant load, no aversion to risk and a severe shortage of money (£1.15 for 500ml), it might be a viable option as a fertiliser for the "Duckweed index", because you would need a very small amount to get a greening response.

cheers Darrel


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