Fertaliser Balls

[PENEJANE]

I have seen these on trade me and at the lfs. I was wanting to know what you guys think of them.

They are little balls that you insert into the gravel by the roots of the plants. You only have to do it once a year (apparently) I was wondering if they are any good of if they would upset the water balance.

What other form of plant growth stuff can I use that won't upset the water balance, i.e pH and ammonia.

I would like to have some nice lush plants like I have seen in so many tanks but my own

Cheers

[DubbieBoy]

Assuming you're talking about the JBL '7 Balls'; I use them and think they're a good idea if you're otherwise just using a plain ol' gravel substrate rather than a more plant-tailored substrate. They allow for localised fertilisation for those plants whose root systems may benefit from it, presumably swords and grasses. They don't appear to leach anything nasty if left undisturbed and stay pretty much where they're put. If you do uproot anything in the same area though, it does release a bit of a cloud but this seems to quickly settle again with no obvious side-effects.

I wouldn't worry about upsetting anything through using them.

Other than root fertilisers such as these clay balls, you also need to consider lighting intensity, CO2, macronutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) and trace elements (in that order of importance methinks).

-Dubb.

[PENEJANE]

well I got my home Co2 system working well (finaly) and for my 90 ltr tank I have a 15 watt fluro with FL6500KT8 written on it and I think the brand name is Degen.

I just don't seem to be able to get the nice bushy looking plants that most people seem to. My tank still looks like a load of cutings! Even the red stuff that was given to me from someone here (sorry can't remember who you were or what the plant is called) I got two very small bunches of it left

Time for some nice looking plants and not having to buy plants every month to keep ti looking nice

[jude]

Red plants need lots of light to thrive. I also have some aquatic clay in the base of my tanks and that seems to keep things growing beautifully. I also have co2 and I add a drop of chelated iron daily.

Like you, I don't have enough lighting for the red plants though.

Cheers

Jude

[steve slack]

i think if yoy want nicer looking plants you will need more light.you want .5 - 1 watt per litre

[DubbieBoy]

I agree; your lighting sounds too wimpy. You need to at least double, and preferably triple, it. The CO2 alone cannot act without sufficient light. Sounds like an appropriate bulb tho', although I suspect folks get overly hung up on colour spectra and K ratings when its light intensity that makes the most difference.

[PENEJANE]

well my hood only holds the one fluro bulb. For a 90ltr tank what should I be running? Rembering that my tank is 50cms High so its a little deeper than the average tank.

Cheers

[jude]

Grow low light plants

Anubias don't like much light and I think java fern would be ok too. There are others but I'm not sure of which ones. Ambulia will grow almost anywhere I think

Cheers

Jude

[Shilo]

Are you able to put another fitting into the hood? 2 x 32 watt bulbs will be a major improvement. 3 will put the plants into overdrive 8) (if the fertz and C02 keep up with it).

If the hood is too short for 3 foot long bulbs then you might be able to pack it out with 18watt energy saver bulbs (like what you use in the house to replace normal bulbs). Hardware stores sell normal screw in or bayonet fittings, and you (or an electrician friend) can fit them to the hood, wire them up and pop in the bulbs. The Rapid brand of bulb brand from Placemakers is a good one (6400k)

Long lanky plants means not enough light. The stronger the light the less they have to grow up to reach it and thus the bushier they get.

Also a deeper tank means more light is necessary.

[PENEJANE]

my hood is molded and will only hold the one light with out a lot of cutting and changing which I really don't want to do. My tank is only 2ft with an 18inch fluro. Its also the same light that was sold with the tank as a kit.

Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what plants would be better in this sort of light instead of changing a fluro thats not broken or physicly has anything wrong with it (seems like a waste to me) I like to make do with what I have so any suggestions on other plants would be awesome

What about reducing the hight of the water?? would that help??

Cheers

[Nilocagain]

Penejane, I also saw those JBL balls on trademe, $14.50 buynow? The same day I was in the LFS who had them for $12.95 for 20 or $7.95 for 7.

So do check your LFS first.

[Shilo]

The trademe posting starts off "Is your aquarium low in CO2?" yet its a fertilizer not a source of CO2. (do a google search - no mention of CO2 in other adverts for the product).

An alternative are Jobes plant food spikes for ferns and palms. $4.95 for 30 spikes. These also last a year. No micronutrients in these spikes though, but thats easier enough to add to the water.

[DubbieBoy]

Unfortunately, most (all ?) of the moulded, pre-fabricated tanks and hoods are just plain unsuitable for decent plant growth. They often accommodate just a single flouro bulb which provides enough light to see your fish by but that's about it, they just don't have the space to add more tubes and the reflectors are naff. So you can either chuck your hood altogether and beef up your lighting or, as suggested, tailor your plant species to make the best of what you've got...

I suspect your Riccia's not going so well...

[PENEJANE]

with the floating riccia I have only had about a 20cent piece die off. The rest of it is still there and doing fine. With the light being so poor would the floating riccia be the cause of my other plants not doing so well?

[DiverJohn]

Hi PeneJane.

Your red plants will definatly need alot more light. I am running 6x30W tubes (180W) on a 250L tank. And the red plants are RED.

The comment about K rating v intensity I would have to slightly disagree on. But only is so far as if you dont have a balance of K AND intensity you will have difficult growing much other than algae.

On a 90l tank between 45W and 60W would be about right.

As your lighting is so low. anything at the surface will have a significant effect on the amount light reaching plants planted in the substrate. I woudl suggest you try to keep you ricca confined to one area so as not to obstruct the other plants.

Good luck

John

[MRSkz]

so I have to ask if ur running one light on a standerd 3 foot tank what kinda light should u b running and for how many hours of the day. I don't want to desturb my fishys or have algy take over so....

[DiverJohn]

What is the actual litreage of your tank? About 200L ? Depends what you want to accomplish? I have read that if you get into you plants, the fish become a secondary consideration! Certainly with lights, CO2, fertilizer etc... its getting a bit that way in my tank!

As has been said elsewhere on this forum there is no hard & fast rule as each circumstance is different. But if you work on rule of thumb you will "probably" be ok... So... IMO...

less than 0.3 Watts per liter would be "low light"

between 0.3W - 0.75W per litre is "medium"

Over 0.75W per litre is "high"

So if your tank was 200l,

2x30W (60W/200l = 0.3W/l) would what i woud describe as "low"

4x30W (120W/200l= 0.6W/l) is medium.

5x30W (150W/200l = .75W/l) is high.

And my tank @ 180/250 = .72W/l so I would describe my lighting as "medium high" And my fishies are fine, none wear oakleys!! 8)

Just like to re-iterate this is what i reckon, and seems to work for me.

Hope that helps.

John

[PENEJANE]

Well there is no way I can get a 40watt bulb for my tank as I discovered today I need to get a huge 4ft light to hold a bulb that runs at 40watts. My hood only holds the one bulb and its 18inches long not two foot. So I am going to give these in tank fert sticks a go. They are like the balls but are in sticks instead and have been told that they work pretty well. Its called Plant Gro Aquatic Plant Fertilizer by Nutrafin. So since I can't get my lighting right I have no choice but to give these a try. I shall let you know how I go.

[Plantman]

Well there is no way I can get a 40watt bulb for my tank as I discovered today I need to get a huge 4ft light to hold a bulb that runs at 40watts. My hood only holds the one bulb and its 18inches long not two foot. So I am going to give these in tank fert sticks a go.

Basically, your tank is not suited for regular plant other than low light demanding plant. it cannot hold too many plants too.

unless you lose the hood.

some lfs sell lights that is using PL light which has a distinct U-shape tube. FL light is the normal typical straight tube.

the good thing about PL light is that it offer high watt using little space. it come with a fitting for 2 feet tank. the tube is running 36 watt and the tube itself is about 18 inches long. with the fitting, it is about 2 feet long. it normally comes with a stand (2pcs, one on each end). tube replacement various from lighting shops to lighting shops. some sell as high as $40 and others $28.

if you take out the hood and replace it with this PL light fitting, your plant will do well. as your tank are about 18 inches, it not exact fitting for the two feet pl light but it will look nice.

They are like the balls but are in sticks instead and have been told that they work pretty well. Its called Plant Gro Aquatic Plant Fertilizer by Nutrafin. So since I can't get my lighting right I have no choice but to give these a try. I shall let you know how I go.

dosing fertiliser (or ball fertiliser) will encourage your algae to thrive as the plants are not healthy enought to compete for the food source.

if you want to know more about PL light, PM me. i will let you know who supply them locally. i import my PL light as i use a lot of them (high elec. bills, here i come ).

[DubbieBoy]

I agree, you want to be careful about adding any kind of fertiliser until you remedy the lighting situation. Best case scenario - no benefit to the plants as they simply haven't enought light to use it; worst case scenario (and probably the more likely) - algae heaven. Just adding fertiliser, or indeed CO2, will not compensate for poor lighting just as putting on huge amounts of light won't help if there's a CO2 or fertiliser shortage; it's all a question of balance.

I'd be inclined to investigate the 36W power compact tubes - the U-shaped tubes mentioned. I use three 55W power compacts on my tank - these really put out a lot of light. You might be able to fit a 36W in the space you have available...?

[PENEJANE]

If that is possible and for a reasonable price (can get a specialised plant growing light for my size from my LFS for around $40) then I will consider it. I am also getting a few more plants and I am wanting to keep them alive which is why I am going to give these sticks ago. It says a stick per plant but I am going to put one stick in and have about 3-4 plants around it so its not all going to one plant. Since my bristlenose I haven't had a problem with algae at all. I don't even use the magnetic glass cleaner no more (used it like 3 times since buying the tank) and the tank looks soo clean from no algae that my BN looks bored! hahaha not that I am wanting to grow algae as thats just silly but I am able to handle a bit more. Its a normal fluro just short. Fitting included its 18inches long and I can only buy 15watts in this size from local trade stores.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

cheers

[Shilo]

(can get a specialised plant growing light for my size from my LFS for around $40)

It will have the appropriate Kelvin rating that the plants will like, but is it any stronger wattage? If its a straight "bar" shaped fluro thats the same thickness as your existing one then it most likely won't be any more powerful then the one you got in there already. Plantmans PL (Power Compact?) will double the wattage but still fit on top of the tank. Watt's = Brightness, Kelvin= Colour Spectrum. Plants need both.

In my opinion you shouldn't fear algae from the fert sticks if they are shoved an inch or so under the gravel. At this depth the plants can access it via their roots but none will leach out into the water column for algae to use.

I also found that my Bristlenose was great as a glass cleaner but not the best for cleaning the plants. For this Siamese Algae Eaters excelled!

A slice of blanched (to make it sink) Zucchini thrown into the tank once a week or so will have your B/N hopping out of the tank to give you a hug

[PENEJANE]

HAHAHA my Bristlenose would get shitty if he doesn't get his Courgette every day! I cut a 1cm slice off then cut that in half again so he gets like a half moon shaped of it. Seeds included and he eats the lot! as well as the sinking pellets and any algae he can find. My plants don't show one sign of algae from what I can see and neither do any of my ordaments. The only place that starts to show any form of algae is the piece of driftwood which he bearly visits as he is to busy in his rock cave and shooing off any fish that come near his courgette.

Is there any chance of getting a picture of this so called U shaped light? Just so I know what I am looking for or so I can get my husband to keep an eye otu for it and will they fit into the normal fluro fittings? or do I have to get special plugs for all this?

Cheers

[Plantman]

Is there any chance of getting a picture of this so called U shaped light? Just so I know what I am looking for or so I can get my husband to keep an eye otu for it and will they fit into the normal fluro fittings? or do I have to get special plugs for all this?

it require PL Light fitting and not the normal fluro one. some LFS will sell the whole fitting.

55 watt tube for the top and 36 watt tube for the bottom

both have 6,500 K (day light) to simulate sunlight.

the four pin are similar to the fluro who has two pin on both end. they have different fitting.

[PENEJANE]

WOW !! Never seen that sort of light before. Where could I get one and the fitting for it? and at what price would I expect to pay for the setup? Would it be hard to wire that up to the wiring from the single fluro?