Advice on simple fertlizing routine

[glo]

I have a planted 4 x 18 x 18 discus tank. No CO2, standard twin fluro tubes (I have another twin fluro but do not want to use this until I get more plants and work out a fertilizing routine as don't want an algae problem) and 29-30C.

I am growing swords, crypts, java fern, and want to add more of the same plus apotongen, and hopefully tiger lotus, maybe some vall or some other form of bunch plants.

I want to keep this low tech for the moment, so am focusing on low and med light and low difficulty plants. I will buy some substrate (not sure what brand) and have been looking at the seachem range of ferts but there are so many diff types! Can I get away with just using Flourish on the plants listed? If not just Flourish, then excel, iron and trace and no others? In other words, what should I be able to get away with for my list of easy care plants? I want to keep my phosphate low as I already feed high protein food to my discus. Should I stick to Seachem, or is there another cheaper alternative that I can buy that will be fine for the plants I have listed?

Also, anyone know where I can buy "fern spikes"? I heard this is a cheap way of getting ferts into the substrate and am looking for some form of cheap fert tabs. I also heard that excel rots val. Has anyone had this experience?

Any advice would be appreciated before I spend more money as I have had bad algae experiences in the past when I have increased light and ferts - must not have got the balance right.

[duck]

Depending on how many discus you have you might not have to add any ferts or least very small amounts every now an then like once a week.
IMO,i wouldn't put a sword in,it wont do well.

If you want substrate ferts i would use aquasonic i found them good,But why would want to add fert if you are going to buy planted substrate?Since i changed to Eco-Complete i have never added any substrate fert.

[aussieorchid]

I have a 4x18x20 planted discus tank with twin T5 lights no CO2 and I use Seachem excel and flourish and the rest are DIY eg Iron, magnesium etc. I have to admit I do not add the recommended doses of excel. Maybe twice a week I add 5mL but not every day. I just keep an eye on the plants and if anything starts looking poor I add a little more ferts. I can PM you my fert regime if you are interested.

[Erk]

aussieorchid, I may be interested in your fert routine if you dont mind? I also use the eco-complete, and I just follow the recommend dosing chart from seachems website, except for the nitrogen. I also use plant sticks, and the flourish fert tabs

Thanks a lot

[glo]

thanks duck and aussieorchid for the reply.

with the substrate, i thought you still had to add a fert, but if you don't then happy days.

aussieorchid, would love to have a copy of your fert routine.

[aussieorchid]

Sorry I did not reply sooner have been so busy with work.
The ferts I use are as followed

This is for a 250L tank

Seachem Flourish 10mL
Seachem Excel 35mL
Iron 30mL (38.45g chelated iron in 500mL water for stock solution)
Potassium 20mL (Potassium Sulfate 25g in 500mL water for stock solution)

Magnesium 1g (Epsom Salts)
Calcium (One Human Calcium Tablet per week) or you could make a calcium solution and mix it with the rest.


This is 1 weeks dose so I mix the above quantities in an empty bottle on sunday and then dose through the week. I have been working on a drip system where I setup an IV bag and mix the above mentioned solutions into 2L of water and have it drip into the tank at a rate so that by day 6 or 7 the bag is empty. And I do not have to worry about remembering to dose the ferts.

[Erk]

wow thats a great idea! Thanks for the tip on the dosing routine! I will have to try a few things out and see what works

Thanks!

[aussieorchid]

Just one tip if you want to try the drip method ask the local chemist for a gastronasal feeding bag if you ask for an IV bag you get some very strange looks and questions.

[Erk]

Hahaha! I would imagine you would get some strange looks and questions! Thanks for the tip! :lol:

[glo]

Thanks AussieOrchid for the tips