# adding nutrients to manado



## glenn farrar (13 Sep 2014)

Hi all
I have just finished hardscaping my first tank using JBL manado as the substrate I got slightly excited and proceeded to fill my tank. After speaking to the young chap in my local MA I was informed that the manado already had nutrients in it but after installing it all i decided to read the packet and found that it actually doesn't! I haven't ordered my plants yet and was wondering what the best way of getting some nutrients into the substrate would be? I will be water column dosing with dry ferts from aquarium plant food UK. I was thinking of filling the tank and running it for a while whilst adding the nutrients but thought this would probably just lead to algae issues? 
Any tips would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance

Glenn


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## EnderUK (13 Sep 2014)

You're dry ferts will be fine, you don't need anything else.

Looks like the mando will absorb some of the ferts once you start dosing straight after planting. The substrate should then act as a buffer.


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## AlanB (13 Sep 2014)

I prefer to only use Manado with no soil layer under it and add fertilizer tablets into the substrate. Renew the tabs every 4 months or so.


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## glenn farrar (13 Sep 2014)

@EnderUK thanks for the reply I am hoping that will be the case I was thinking that if there were ferts already in the substrate It might give the plants more of a chance as I am going kinda low tech with low light and no co2 I suppose time will tell

@AlanB how do you find planting in the manado? As I said this is my first tank and I have never planted an aquatic plant in my life! It seems very light to me and shifts around easily. Would I need to add the fertiliser tablets if I am using dry ferts?


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## AlanB (14 Sep 2014)

Provided you have a thick enough layer - say 8cm - the plants stay put. 
If the current is aimed at the substrate it will slowly move but I have not found this to be a problem providing currents are not aimed at it. 
Manado is meant to be used as the top layer over JBL Aquabasis, their nutrient rich substrate. I have done this in the past but changed after problems with cloudy water when the Aquabasis comes through the Manado layer when removing plants.
You need to use the substrate fertilizer tabs as well as regular fertilizers in the water as most plants take in nutrients through the leaves and the roots. I do not know about dry ferts but guess they would be the same as liquid ferts in the water.


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## EnderUK (14 Sep 2014)

AlanB said:


> Provided you have a thick enough layer - say 8cm - the plants stay put.
> You need to use the substrate fertilizer tabs as well as regular fertilizers in the water as most plants take in nutrients through the leaves and the roots. I do not know about dry ferts but guess they would be the same as liquid ferts in the water.



That's a very high substrate height, very expensive if using unnecessary commercial substrate. Depending on the plants you are using you'll get away with something between 2-4 cm usually sloped towards the back. You don't need any extra root ferts since you're dosing EI that's enough for any tank. If you want a neutrient rich substrate then use dirt, tesco's non clumping cat litter or Akadama both have high CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) values with will absorb excess nutrients in the water column so root feeding and acting as a buffer in a low tech tank.

Please read....

barrreport -Non-CO2-methods That whole section is worth a read as well as maybe looking into liquid carbon.
How to Setup a Low-tech Planted Tank: Planted Aquarium Guide I don't agree with some of the substrate choice but a good read. On the right is another blog on excel/liquid carbon tank which is a good read.

Please also check that you're in the low light category,




 

Best of luck.


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## glenn farrar (15 Sep 2014)

@AlanB thanks for the reply at the moment in the dry stage the substrate is about 4cm at the shallowest so we shall see how we go!

@EnderUK thanks for the in depth reply and the links the setup guide is actually the article that made up my mind to set up a tank! If I am understanding the PAR graph my lighting is indeed low, some of the stuff in the bar report non co2 link is at the moment a bit beyond my knowledge! I have much to learn it seems.

Thanks again

Glenn


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## AlanB (16 Sep 2014)

Hi Glen.
My 8cm, as EnderUK says, is excessive. I have looked at the packet which recommends 4cm to 8cm for a single layer of Manado with no other substrate layer. Your minimum 4cm sounds fine. 
Happy planting.


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