What's your experience with crypto?

[ooblek]

I recently redid my aquascape, pulling out some struggling plants two days ago.
I replaced them with a nice bunch of Cryptocoryne Pectii, splitting it at the roots and placing it towards the back of the tank.
So far, I haven't used any fertilizers, and I thought it'd be wise to seek your advice before adding any.
I have Flourish root tabs and liquid fertilizer on hand, but I've been cautious due to a past algae outbreak.
To combat this, I lowered the lighting and did a thorough tank cleaning.
I'm looking for advice on how to proceed with fertilizing my tank, so any input would be appreciated.

[ooblek]

Here's the tank

[littleking]

Since most crypts are heavy root feeders, root tabs will be essential in keeping them at their best. I'd recommend using the flourish root tabs you have, as they'll provide the necessary nutrients for the Cryptocoryne Petcii. Given that these tabs are buried under the substrate, it's unlikely they'll cause an algae outbreak, so you don't have to worry about overbalancing the nutrients in the water column.

[ooblek]

Thanks for the confirmation, littleking.
I had a part-time LFS employee tell me that using ferts with Crypts is a no-go, and would likely do more harm than good.
Needless to say, I won't be taking their advice anymore.
Guess that's what I get for trusting someone who thinks Otocinclus can't be kept in groups.
But I'm glad I found this community - it's been a huge help.
I'll be using those root tabs, and I'm looking forward to seeing the positive impact they'll have on my tank.

[littleking]

I've had good results with Seachem Flourish Root tabs for my crypts, but I'll admit, it's a bit pricey. Key thing is to find root tabs that contain both micro and macro nutrients - that's essential for healthy growth.

Some people make their own DIY osmocote root tabs, filling them into dissolvable sacs. I looked into it, but never got around to trying it out - too much effort, I suppose.

I completely agree with you on LFS advice - it's best to take it with a grain of salt. More often than not, they're just trying to make a sale, and that's not exactly the best approach. Still, if you know what you're looking for and have done your research, you can still shop there - just be cautious of their advice.

[ooblek]

"the big pinch of salt" - love it. I've got Flourish Comprehensive root tabs and I'll be adding a couple to the tank. I attempted the Osmocote DIY route, but it ended in disaster. I froze those little balls in ice cubes, planted them, and the next day my Ammonia and Nitrate levels skyrocketed. Initially, I thought it was due to switching to a sponge filter and air pump, but boomer kindly pointed me in the right direction - those Osmocote balls were the culprits. I had to dig them out, do a 60% water change, and then another two water changes later, plus some serious gravel cleaning, before things finally settled down. I feel lucky my Betta survived that ordeal. Another tough lesson learned the hard way.

[boomer]

ooblek, I'm glad I could prevent a repeat of the osmocote disaster. When littleking mentioned it, I was about to caution against it, but you'd already learned that lesson the hard way.

I agree with littleking that Seachem Flourish Root Tabs are a top-notch choice for plant fertilizers. While I can't vouch for Seachem's claim that these tabs won't release excess nutrients into the water column, I can share my own experience. In a couple of my tanks, switching from liquid fertilizers to just the tabs resolved algae issues and improved plant health.

I now replace the tabs every two months, which is a bit more frequent than Seachem recommends. This approach has been working well for me, allowing me to reduce the amount of liquid additives and create a healthier environment for my fish.

Regarding the fish store's advice on fertilizers killing crypts, it's partially true but misleading. Crypts are indeed sensitive plants prone to crypt melt, which can be triggered by various environmental changes, including light intensity, water chemistry, temperature fluctuations, or even changes in fertilizers. However, this doesn't mean that fertilizers are inherently bad for crypts; it's all about finding the right balance.

In my experience, liquid additives are more of a concern than root tabs. I use Seachem Flourish Tabs with my crypts, and I've seen no adverse effects. I also add other Seachem products, like Flourish Comprehensive, Flourish Trace, and Flourish Iron, but in smaller doses than recommended. This approach has worked well for me, even in a larger tank where the balance can be delicate.

[ooblek]

Thanks boomer, your detailed explanations are always super helpful.
Decided to play it safe with the first batch of Flourish tabs, so I split a couple of them up. Had to use a bit of force with my steak knife, as they're pretty hard. Placed half a tab in three spots towards the back, near the roots of the plants.
Noticed a bit of melting along the edges of a couple of leaves yesterday, but it seems to have stopped today. Fingers crossed that the plants will adapt to the new setup.
The inhabitants of the tank seem to be doing just fine so far.

[littleking]

Melting leaves on crypts isn't unusual, especially when they're moved - a lot of root plants just don't like being disturbed, so it's to be expected. You'll likely start seeing new growth from the roots, it just takes a bit of time sometimes.

[ooblek]

Thanks littleking, I figured as much about the melting leaves, and I did try to handle them gently when I planted them, didn't even rinse them before putting them in the tank, which might've been a mistake, who knows. Anyway, I got a little surprise this afternoon - a teeny tiny snail making its way across the glass, it's about 1/8 by 3/16, way too small to ID. Called the LFS, mostly just to see if they could tell me what it was, but the guy said there were no snails in their Crypto tank, so either I got a little gift or one of my Nerites decided to have a baby, haha.