# Does dirt run out of nutirents?



## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

Hello everyone,

I have a dirted tank with Organic Miracle Grow, capped with the normal gravel. The tank was set up in May 2015 and was having very good plant growth.
I am noticing that plant growth has declined in my tank.

The tank has 2 t5 HO and 2 t5 NO lights with pressurize CO2.

Can I fertilize a dirted tank? if so what fertilizer should I use which is safe for the fish.


Thanks


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Yes, as with a regular garden, dirt/soil will eventually become depleted of its plant-growing nutrients and must be fertilized occasionally to promote continued plant growth.


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## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> Yes, as with a regular garden, dirt/soil will eventually become depleted of its plant-growing nutrients and must be fertilized occasionally to promote continued plant growth.


Thanks for the quick response, so what are the safe options to provide nutrients to the plants ?


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## Mick2016 (Jun 16, 2016)

My plants are doing well with FLOURISH TABS by SeaChem . . . planted in sand (not soil or gravel). This is all that is added (no C02, either). Water is room temperature because no heater is used in my tank of community freshwater fishes.


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## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

Mick2016 said:


> My plants are doing well with FLOURISH TABS by SeaChem . . . planted in sand (not soil or gravel). This is all that is added (no C02, either). Water is room temperature because no heater is used in my tank of community freshwater fishes.


Thanks for the response. I used three tabs in my tank so far and like to know how much they improve the plant growth.

So the tropical fish could survive without a heater? Like tetras?


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## Mick2016 (Jun 16, 2016)

In a word: Apparently. 

I have Glowlights, Rummy-nose, Guppies, Corys, and Otos in the tank which has been running for two years without a heater. The room - and water - temperature stays at 23-24 degrees in winter (and a degree or so warmer in the summer).


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

23-24 C is about 73 F. This is what some people actually set their heaters to. If you keep your house much cooler than this, a heater is advisable unless you select species that don't mind the low temps. My house gets cooler, but I have Guppies with no heater. Not advisable with warmth loving fish.


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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

It will deplete of nutrients. Dirt has a high CEC so dosing water column fertilizer would be my choice, the dirt will hold excess nutrients from your dosing. 
I don't go for root tabs personally, they cost a lot and I'd have to use alot of them, and they release slowly which makes it unavailable to plants 24/7 unlike liquid fertilizer. Just my opinion on the subject.


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## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

troutsniffer said:


> It will deplete of nutrients. Dirt has a high CEC so dosing water column fertilizer would be my choice, the dirt will hold excess nutrients from your dosing.
> I don't go for root tabs personally, they cost a lot and I'd have to use alot of them, and they release slowly which makes it unavailable to plants 24/7 unlike liquid fertilizer. Just my opinion on the subject.


What about those Osmocote fertilizer? People use it as a DIY root tabs.


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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

Osmocote Plus leaves yellow shells behind. And they're annoying to stick in the substrate if you use the gel cap method. It's been known to cause ammonia spikes but I've never experienced it. It's probably better than flourish tabs. Those never really did much for me.


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## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

troutsniffer said:


> Osmocote Plus leaves yellow shells behind. And they're annoying to stick in the substrate if you use the gel cap method. It's been known to cause ammonia spikes but I've never experienced it. It's probably better than flourish tabs. Those never really did much for me.


I think its better to stick with the aquarium safe products, I planted a couple flourish tabs and also dose with the flourish compound liquid. Still waiting to see a boost in the plant growth. What Root tabs do you prefer to use?


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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

When I need them, osmocote. 

It's aquarium safe. The problem is that people go ape with them. If you over do it and there's not enough plants, you will run into problems. Same thing as over feeding your fish pretty much.


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## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

troutsniffer said:


> Osmocote Plus leaves yellow shells behind. And they're annoying to stick in the substrate if you use the gel cap method. It's been known to cause ammonia spikes but I've never experienced it. It's probably better than flourish tabs. Those never really did much for me.


So do I need the Macro nutrients more than Micro nutrients?


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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

You need both. But over time you can tweak each one depending if you start seeing signs of imbalance, like too much algae. Or if you do 50% water changes weekly, you can try the EI method. Which is basically just making nutrients a non-limiting factor by overdosing, and resetting every week with a water change.


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## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

is there any all in one fertilizer to use with the aquatic plants? I am dosing with Flourish but i think it only provides Micro nutrients.


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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

Regular flourish has micros and macros. If you want to spend less money, nilocg sells good products called thrive and thrive+
You can get those from various online retailers like 'theplantguy' or SKA shrimps on facebook.


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## Shary (Nov 6, 2014)

troutsniffer said:


> Regular flourish has micros and macros. If you want to spend less money, nilocg sells good products called thrive and thrive+
> You can get those from various online retailers like 'theplantguy' or SKA shrimps on facebook.


Sure i will try thrive as i heard good thing about Thrive fertilizer.


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## Steveston (Apr 23, 2018)

What about red non toxic pottery clay? I mixed it in with my top soil, just putting together a dirted tank, you could roll it into pellets and let it dry a little should be easy enough then to shove under your substrate


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

Steveston said:


> What about red non toxic pottery clay? I mixed it in with my top soil, just putting together a dirted tank, you could roll it into pellets and let it dry a little should be easy enough then to shove under your substrate


Pottery Clay shouldn't provide nutrients directly. Clay itself doesn't breakdown into nutrients. But certain type of clay does have a high Cation exchange capacity, which means they can hold Cation elements to allow the plant have access over time. Even then, you have to provide the Anion side of elements (NO3, PO4, SO4, some trace, etc) if there is no organic matter to slowly feed the plant.

Cations and Cation Exchange Capacity | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

A terrestrial garden will run out of nutrients if the soil / clay / whatever substrate doesn't get replenish over time with organic and or inorganic fertilizer. The only different is organic is slow release and require organisms to breakdown to usable form and liquid inorganic is instant and leech out into ground water with rain / irrigation if they didn't get bind by CEC

There is a different forum with a sub forum specifically for el natural tank. Diana W visit that forum regularly. You can ask her directly what she does to create the cycle.


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