flourish XL in vivarium ?

[spoon]

im wondering if i dose flourish xl to my vivaruim water, would it have any positive effects on terrestial plants or marginal plants ?bearing in mind all plants are watered with the vivarium water one a day

also im assuming it would be safe for frogs at normal dosages , anybody know otherwise? im also considering using the flourish ferts , plants are broms, figs , ivy , spanish moss and a few others lighting is 1 26w exoterra 2.0 ubv cfl (around 8200k) and 1 powerglo 15w t8

[N1CK]

I don't think that terrestrial plants absorb CO2/ CO2 supplements though their roots so it would be of no use at all

[alanmin4304]

Frogs have very absorbing skin so it may not do the frogs any good either.

[Insect Direct]

why do you want to use ferts, are the plants enlongated or yellowing?

if theyre growing ok now but slow then i would be more inclined to up the lighting before adding ferts.

feed the frogs more = natures own fertiliser

[alanmin4304]

Frogs and strong light are not a good combination I would think.

[Insect Direct]

true, and the current lighting should be more than enough i suppose.

i can send you some cricket "doo" if you like, all natural fert. cant beat it just dont eat it :lol:

[spoon]

well could go the crickets the plants are growing ok but not great was kinda thinking as the broms are feature plants and they dont feed much from their roots but rather from the water collecting in their leaves and bugs etc drowning in it and leaves falling in it maybe that it would have an effect i understand the frogs absorb though thier skin easily and the fert i wouild be looking at would be nil nitogen weak kinda stuff with trace elements like flourish fert considering its safe for fish does anebody think it would be safe for frogs assuming a low dosage (theres less than 20l water anyway) im aware the light should be good enough now as both tubes are new the frogs also have plenty of shaded areas to retreat to and the uvb bulb is only 2%uvb but they have been a lot more active and colourful since i added it. i

just dont know the science of how the plants absorb co2 from the air and wether XL would help with extra carbon or not i guess there is nothing stoppping me from adding a few drops to the water in the broms once or twice a week see if it does any thing

[livingart]

depends if the broms you are using are shade ot light lovers

mine grow well in low light, frogs doing well as well, no ferts

well, just froggie ferts

you maybe surprised what amphibs absorb through their skin

[alanmin4304]

With newts and frogs I have set my terrariums up with potting mix then covered with gravel to keep the animals away from the ferts. The dividers are fully sealed so there is no connection between the water and land and the water therefore stays pretty free of ferts.

[spoon]

hmm perhaps i use a few rabbit pellets ive heard plant like those arent they the ultimate diy root tabs lol nice organic fertiliser

[HummingBird]

As others have said, terrestrial plants don't absorb co2 through their roots so you wouldn't be benefiting them by dosing with flourish excel, if you have any immersed plants it'd help them though. If you have water flowing through your substrate a normal aquatic fertilizer would be much better, something with iron, potassium and trace elements like normal Flourish or Plant Gro Iron. If you don't have any aquatic animals to produce nitrogen and phosphorus you could add something like Plant Gro NPK, just be careful of overdosing and causing an algae bloom!

I've recently set up a Paludarium for some whistling tree frog tadpoles with terrestrial and aquatic plants, I dose with flourish excel and alternatingly with Plant Gro Iron and Flourish. I've got a powerhead in an upside down plant basket underneath the gravel on the terrestrial side, which has a hose that pumps to the aquatic side. This ensures both the aquatic and terrestrial plants get nutrients delivered to them and the water being sucked through the gravel provides good mechanical and biological filtration, too.

Another fertilization option would be something like JBL 7 root balls, which you place directly under the plants and their roots grow through. That wouldn't be an option in a system like mine though, due to the high flow through the gravel.

[alanmin4304]

I would worry about what that does to the frogs as they have very absorbent skin.