# need advice for my Nano fertilizers



## BlackPaperPlane (12 Oct 2013)

Hello, guys. I have a 25l nano that I started up about two months ago.

The flora in the tank is Taiwan moss, Anubias nana, Ceratophyllum demersum, some Marimo balls and Staurogyne repens, it's all under a cheap eBay 12W LED that's been good to me in the terms of growth and algae (the tank dimensions make it pretty shallow), except the diatoma that's cleared by now. Fauna currently consists of around 20 Red Cherry shrimps, but I'm going to add a school of Rasbora espei soon. I know that Anubias and moss don't really need too much to grow, but I added S. repens yesterday and I would like to keep it as healthy as I can, so I need some advice on how to fertilize the tank. I do not have any substrate underneath my gravel, since I initially did not plan to actually plant anything in it (moss is on the rocks/driftwood, Anubias also, C. demersum is floating).

So far, I used around 0.5ml of EasyCarbo daily and around 5ml of PlantaMin every other week during water changes, which I do every week. My question is, do I need macro nutrients? I was thinking about buying PPS mix (K2SO4, KNO3, KH2PO4) and dose that along with EasyCarbo. I read somewhere that micro nutrients (PlantaMin) are not really necessary and that the plants can use them from fish/food, so would it be ok just to dose the macros with EC?


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## aliclarke86 (12 Oct 2013)

If it ain't broke ......... are your plants showing any signs of struggling?

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## BlackPaperPlane (12 Oct 2013)

No, not really. But I'm afraid S. repens will, since it's a bit more demanding and not so hardy as Anubias and moss.


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## aliclarke86 (12 Oct 2013)

You could consider the tropica range of fertalizers http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/tropica-specialised-fertiliser-125ml-p-6293.html?cPath=544_208 they are very good. Or you could make your own and only add a small amount of n and p to your mix 

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## BlackPaperPlane (12 Oct 2013)

I'm not from UK, so unfortunately the shipping will cost me more than the product itself.

Would it be OK to dose Profito for micro, EC for CO2 and home made macro mix for such a small tank?


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## ceg4048 (12 Oct 2013)

So what? It's 100X cheaper to use than Profito, so even if it cost you double all that means is that it's only 50X cheaper to use.

Cheers,


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## aliclarke86 (12 Oct 2013)

Yeah but if you just buy all the salts make up micro and macro you will save a tone of money then just easy carbo to pay for. The great thing about EI is you can adjust it to suit. 

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## BlackPaperPlane (12 Oct 2013)

Hm, it's not really cheaper. It would be somewhat affordable only if I find a web-shop that ships for free.

125ml of Tropica is 7£ + 12£ international shipping equals 19£.
250ml of Profito is 5,50 Euros, which is around 5£.


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## aliclarke86 (12 Oct 2013)

EI DOSING USING DRY SALTS | UK Aquatic Plant Society have a read of that thread. I didn't realise you where not in uk .

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## BlackPaperPlane (12 Oct 2013)

Ah, great. Thanks


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## Lauris (12 Oct 2013)

I purchased EI about 6months ago. cost me a starter kit price + postage. never did feel sorry about. cheapest ever what I could get for the money if you think about it in long term. and best ever thing for my plants. 

erutangiS klatapaT now Free


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## ceg4048 (13 Oct 2013)

Unless you live in remote place like Republic of Congo, like zanguli, there should be no difficulty whatsoever finding these dry salts at any garden center. Any nation that has a farming infrastructure uses these and similar salts.

Cheers,


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## BlackPaperPlane (13 Oct 2013)

I don't have problems getting cheap salts here. In the meantime I found a shop here that sells Tropica products, however, EasyLife products are still cheaper.
But I think I'm gonna go with salts + EC.


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## aliclarke86 (13 Oct 2013)

Good plan. It works out soo much cheaper plus you can adjust your mix if you need too.

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