Plant requirements

Plants need elements as nutrients in order to grow, stay healthy and keep algae under control.

Macro nutrients:

• carbon C, atmospheric CO2 equilibrium by aeration for lower light intensity or CO2 injection for higher light intensity at 10 - 20 ppm

• nitrogen N, fish waste, plants excretion, tap, KNO3, 5 – 10 ppm NO3

• phosphorus P, fish waste, plants excretion, tap, KH2PO4, 0.1 – 1 ppm PO4

• potassium K, K2SO4, KNO3, KH2PO4, 5 – 20 ppm K

• magnesium Mg, tap, substrate, MgSO4, 2 – 5 ppm Mg

• calcium Ca, tap, substrate, CaSO4, 20 – 30 ppm

• sulfur S, tap, MgSO4, CaSO4, deficiency is very rare

Micro nutrients:

• iron Fe

• manganese Mn

• boron B

• zinc Zn

• molybdenum Mo

• copper Cu

• nickel Ni, optional with Urea fertilizer

Please see Trace Elements for more info

FAQ

How lightly stocked should planted aquarium be?

It is all about balance between nitrogen N and phosphorus P suppliers and removals. Suppliers are fish, snails and fertilizer additions. Removals are plants, biological filtration and water changes. In practical terms, if you test for NH4, NO3 and PO4 you will see how well the ecosystem is balanced. Both extremes are bad, without N or P plants will suffer, and with a lot of N or P fish will suffer. Once adjusted, it works well because plants are very flexible in terms of nutrients needs.

What is the difference between Water column levels and Daily dosing levels? Is it the same thing?

It is not the same thing. Water column levels are what plants live in. These levels can be relatively high.

Daily dosing levels are levels dosed by PPS. These are designed to maintain stable environment where nutrient levels are not going to get out of control.

For example water column level of 10 ppm of NO3 while adding 1 or 2 ppm of NO3 daily is what keeps the aquarium stable and healthy.

Do plants need vitamins?

No, plants do not use vitamins.

Is more fertilizer going to grow plants faster?

They can grow faster, however, the gain may not be worth the complication.

Some plant fertilizers contain more elements, can plants use them?

Plants can uptake many elements, including unusual and rare even when they don’t benefit from them, for example,

metal elements,

aluminium Al, antimony Sb, arsenic As, cadmium Cd, chromium Cr, gold Au, lead Pb, lithium Li, mercury Hg, silver Ag, thallium Tl, tin Sn, titanium Ti,

rare elements,

cerium Ce, dysprosium Dy, erbium Er, europium Eu, gadolinium Gd, holmium Ho, lanthanum La, lutetium Lu, neodymium Nd, praseodymium Pr, samarium Sm, scandium Sc, terbium Tb, thulium Tm, ytterbium Yb, yttrium Y,

Determination of Forty-Six Elements in Different Organs of Orychophragmus violaceus