# Best Overall Fertilizer?



## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

What do you guys recommend for a basic fertilizer? Seachem has so many!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I have low- and medium-light plants so I only use Seachem Flourish Comprehensive as it has everything those plants need. However, if a particular plant is having problems and it is due to a lack of a particular nutrient I would dose that, too. IME, terrestrial plants can suffer from over-fertilization so I assume aquatic plants are the same. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

For the substrate I use these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12157600370...49&var=420526540503&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

For red plants and Swords I buy Red Clay (Iron) tabs from www.bamaplants.com. I also dose Potash tabs from Bama Plants.


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

Thanks! I have low-med plants as well. At the moment my smaller tank is driving me up the wall, all the plants are looking brown and sad. Hope dosing flourish will help. Otherwise I will have somehow managed to kill a marimo.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

are you sure your lighting is the correct type? ive never had issues with most (not all) easy plants dying like that, unless its something with the lighting.

but yes I agree with the above, thats all I use for my low-medium light plants, and it seems to have always worked fabulously for me...goodluck!


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

Its a 6500k CFL in a desk lamp over my 3 gallon, it shouldn't be an issue. But my marimo, java moss, java fern and salvinia minmia are all turning brown and sad. Meanwhile my 10 gallon with 2 of the same CFLs is thriving.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

well I was kinda assuming youd have the correct type, just thought it was worth a shot lol!


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

haha hey no worries, I appreciate the help


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

That might be too bright or too hot that close to the tank. Java Moss will definitely turn brown and die in too much light. Current is important, too. A lot of people keep water movement in Betta tanks almost nil and this can adversely affect (or is it "effect"? I can never get that straight) plants. One site even refers to water movement as "The circulatory system of an aquarium."

I would move that light up several inches and see if that doesn't help. I'd also increase water flow.


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

yanno I was wondering about that. I'll move it up higher, thanks!


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## violettec (Jan 3, 2015)

Strawberry12 said:


> What do you guys recommend for a basic fertilizer? Seachem has so many!


I use Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish Excel. I add Comprehensive once a week and Excel every day (check the dosing on the Seachem website). Some of my plants are growing so fast I may have to start giving some away (I have marimo balls, java ferns, pennywort, and anubias). My tanks are both low-light, too (basic LEDs). No substrate. I second moving the lamp up a bit higher; the moss may not like the brightness. As mentioned, increasing water flow might help a bit, too.


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## bsb (Feb 21, 2015)

how many watts is the bulb?


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

oh jeez I forget, either 9 or 13 I think? That's probably way too high, thinking about it now. Do you/anyone else have any recommendations for bulbs I could use for a smaller tank like that? I added a few books underneath the desk lamp today, it kicked it up about 3" above the lid of the tank.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

When and if you can treat yourself to these lights. They are amazing for my low-to-medium light plants and what the Finnex CS person recommended when I gave him a list of my plants.

http://www.aquavibrant.com/lighting/finnex-tri-color-stingray.html


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

I've had my eye on that light for a while  


is Excel shrimp safe?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I've read on too many invert forums that Excel is not _reliably_ shrimp safe. I haven't found it necessary to get good, healthy growth from the plants I have. Plus I have dwarf and filter feeding shrimp and crays. If I killed Larry the Vampire Shrimp I'd never forgive myself.

I'm sure that there are people who use it with shrimp with no issues and Seachem claims it is safe; I just won't take a chance.

BTW, when I was in the market for LEDs I asked the Finnex person about the Planted+ and he said they were too much for the depth of my tanks (10" from substrate to top of tank) and the plants I grow.


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

ahh makes sense, I won't risk it. Vampire shrimp are the COOLEST THINGS EVER. I want one.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I have a credit so I'm getting three Vampire and three Bamboo from http://www.aquaticarts.com/ when they get in more Vampire. 

They are really neat but filter feeders need a mature tank. They are extremely peaceful and don't have claws. YouTube them feeding.


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