Freshwater plant fertilizer ?

[chris17]

I was wondering if anybody new how Amazon Sword plants took in their fertilizer/food? I am trying to figure this out b/c there is the root fertilizer and there is the substrate fertilizers that you can get for all plants. I dont have CO2, an i forget the kind/make of the substrate I have for the tank, but it is for planted aquariums. . ...any help would be great! :notsure:
Chris

 

[cathbad]

Any rooted plant will preferentially take up nutrients via the root system, but many, if not most, will also take nutrients through the leaves, but only in certain situations or to varying extents depending on the species. Save some money and use Jobe's fertilizer sticks. Bury 1/4 - 1/2 of a stick close to the roots. But be sure to buy the ones without phosphate.

 

[chris17]

Thanks for your reply, the tank has been set up planted for about a year.. . but the majority of my fish are not pet store fish. 1 blue gill some shiners and some minows. . .... all I have really done is feed the fish add water to the tank due to evap. and clean it out every once in a long while. I guess I have the exact amount of fish I can have in the tank b/c I have not added any kind of fertilizer in months and all my plants are really starting to grow. Thats all goin to change real soon, I am working on upgrading my lights and getting a 75g too. I know they are "wild" fish an some ppl may think they are ugly an so on but, they are definatly just as intertaining. If anybody has any more info please share.
Chris

 

[cathbad]

In my opinion you have the right idea. Don't add separate fertilizer if you don't have to. Checkout the the book Ecology of the Planted Aquarium - A Practical Manual and Scientific Treatise for the Home Aquarist by Diana Walstad. It may be dificult to find but worth the effort. She contends, against popular beleif and practice, thta by adding a small amount of soil under the gravel substrate and a little extra food at feeding time is more than enough for most plants to thrive.
Also, just because the fish are native species does not mean they are any less attractive or interesting. Many of our native species are in demand in Europe, including blue gills, pumpkin seed beam and certain minnows to name only a few.