Who Gives A Fish Forums

I still have no idea what was up with my staurogyne, but I finally got fed up and decided to replace it. The roots were super healthy, and the stems were still green, but new leaf growth was nonexistent, or at least very slow. I went to the store and thought, why not try staurogyne again, but this time I picked up Dwarf Hair Grass instead. I've tried growing this in my 55-gallon before, but those corys and shrimp just wouldn't let it be – they kept uprooting it.

I still have a small clump of it struggling to grow, so I figured I'd try again in my 15-gallon. I've got CO2 and some bright lighting going on – MarineLand LED Light Strip, 7800 K – so I'm hoping it'll do well. I'm thinking of adding a fertilizer tab to the soil since my tank is about nine months old now, and the soil might be exhausted.

This time, I planted it a bit differently – I broke the clumps up into just a few blades of grass each and trimmed them down to about half an inch. I planted them close together, covering the entire bald spot in the front. No bottom dwellers to mess with this time, so I'm hoping for a nice lawn for my Scarlet Badis, Kylo.

Any advice would be appreciated – feel free to chime in and tell me what I'm doing wrong.

I'd recommend adding a base micro nutrient liquid to the tank to give your Dwarf Hair Grass a boost. I've had good luck with Aqueon plant food in my own tank, it seems to keep my plants healthy and thriving. Of course, every plant's different, so you might find that your grass does better with a fertilizer soil or some extra carbon. But a micro nutrient liquid could be just what it needs to take off.

I'm currently dosing a bunch of stuff - Flourish Comp, Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish, Trace, and API Leaf Zone. Planning to switch over to some dry ferts jag recommended soon. Since I'm already injecting CO2, I don't think I need a carbon supplement, especially with the crypts and vals in there - heard they don't take well to Excel and the like.
I'm more curious about using root tabs, though. My soil's about nine months old now, so it's probably exhausted.

I personally use Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish: Nitrogen, and I think these two fertilizers cover most of the essential nutrients for plants, except for phosphorus. Since you're feeding fish in the aquarium, phosphorus shouldn't be a concern. I'm a big fan of Seachem Flourish Comprehensive - I think it's one of the best micro fertilizers available. Flourish Nitrogen not only adds nitrogen but also potassium, so unless you're experiencing extremely rapid plant growth, you likely won't need to add phosphorus. With your CO2 and lighting in place, the plants should thrive, assuming your GH, KH, and pH levels are within their preferred range - although, I have to admit, there's limited information on the ideal levels for plants.

By the way, I noticed you're already using API Leaf Zone and Flourish Trace. If you want to simplify your fertilization routine, you could consider dropping the Trace and API, as they're mostly covered by the Comprehensive and Nitrogen fertilizers.

I think you meant to say Flourish Comprehensive, not Flourish Nitrogen, adds potassium.

I'm still puzzled about my staurogyne, though. Maybe it was the GH? I've had some changes in my tank, and I'm not sure if that affected it. Thankfully, my other plants are thriving. My cardinals and crypts are growing steadily, and my bacopa is reaching the surface every 2-3 weeks.

Regarding phosphorous, I'm a bit concerned since I barely feed my Scarlet Badis. He mostly eats micro crustaceans and nematodes in the tank, but I'm planning to start a culture of mosquito larvae or other small live food soon.

As for the fertilizers, I appreciate your input. However, I add Leaf Zone for extra iron and potassium, and some other micronutrients. I also use Trace as a precaution, since I've heard that trace elements can dissolve quickly, and I want to ensure my plants have a steady supply.

shakinStevens wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 3:44 am I personally use Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish: Nitrogen, and I think these two fertilizers cover most of the essential nutrients for plants, except for phosphorus. Since you're feeding fish in the aquarium, phosphorus shouldn't be a concern. I'm a big fan of Seachem Flourish Comprehensive - I think it's one of the best micro fertilizers available. Flourish Nitrogen not only adds nitrogen but also potassium, so unless you're experiencing extremely rapid plant growth, you likely won't need to add phosphorus. With your CO2 and lighting in place, the plants should thrive, assuming your GH, KH, and pH levels are within their preferred range - although, I have to admit, there's limited information on the ideal levels for plants.

By the way, I noticed you're already using API Leaf Zone and Flourish Trace. If you want to simplify your fertilization routine, you could consider dropping the Trace and API, as they're mostly covered by the Comprehensive and Nitrogen fertilizers.

I think you meant to say "Flourish Comprehensive added to Nitrogen". Yes, I agree that using both together is the way to go.

Regarding your point about phosphorous, I was thinking that might be a problem since I barely feed my badis and he mostly snacks on micro crustaceans and nematodes in the tank. But you're right, I should be keeping an eye on that. I've been considering getting a culture of mosquito larvae or some other small live food for him, which should help.

However, I'm also concerned that with my bright lighting and CO2, I might not have enough phosphorous to keep the plants healthy. I'll definitely look into getting a phosphorous test kit to monitor it. Thanks for the advice!

I understand what you're saying about Leaf Zone, but I've found it to be helpful in adding extra iron and potassium to my tank. I also add Trace as a precaution, since I've heard that trace elements can dissolve quickly. But I appreciate your insight, and I'll definitely keep it in mind.

I'm glad to hear that you've had success with Comprehensive and nitrogen in your own tank. I've been thinking of switching to those fertilizers myself. It's interesting to hear about your experience with RO water and how you've had to adjust your fertilization accordingly.

I'm also curious about your experience with adding calcium and magnesium carbonate to your tank. I've heard that those can be beneficial for shrimp, but I've never tried it myself. Maybe I'll look into that in the future.

shakinStevens wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 3:44 am I personally use Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish: Nitrogen, and I think these two fertilizers cover most of the essential nutrients for plants, except for phosphorus. Since you're feeding fish in the aquarium, phosphorus shouldn't be a concern. I'm a big fan of Seachem Flourish Comprehensive - I think it's one of the best micro fertilizers available. Flourish Nitrogen not only adds nitrogen but also potassium, so unless you're experiencing extremely rapid plant growth, you likely won't need to add phosphorus. With your CO2 and lighting in place, the plants should thrive, assuming your GH, KH, and pH levels are within their preferred range - although, I have to admit, there's limited information on the ideal levels for plants.

By the way, I noticed you're already using API Leaf Zone and Flourish Trace. If you want to simplify your fertilization routine, you could consider dropping the Trace and API, as they're mostly covered by the Comprehensive and Nitrogen fertilizers.

I've been adding calcium and magnesium carbonate to my aquarium, as my first attempts at keeping shrimp failed due to the water being too soft. I also add iodine, which I've found to be essential for the shrimp's activity levels. Initially, they were becoming less active, but now they're always on the move. Although Comprehensive and API micro fertilizers do contain calcium and magnesium, it wasn't enough for my shrimp, and they weren't molting. Now, they molt at least once a month.

I've been wondering about the water hardness and its impact on shrimp. I had a failed attempt at keeping cherry shrimp in my 15-gallon tank, and I thought it was the CO2 that killed them. However, my water is moderately soft, around 4-5 dKH (80-90 ppm). It makes sense now that shrimp need hard water to thrive. I always thought that feeding them calcium-rich food would provide the necessary calcium for molting, not that they could get it directly from the water column.

I tend to underdose fertilizers, not by much, but I prefer not to follow the recommended dosing instructions. I recently checked my phosphate levels, and they're around 0.5 ppm. They might have been higher before I started dosing Nitrogen, but I've noticed that the brown algae isn't growing as rapidly as it used to.

I've been wondering why my cherry shrimp didn't make it in my 15-gallon tank, and now it all clicks - I assumed it was the CO2, but it turns out my water's just moderately soft, around 4-5 dKH or 80-90 ppm.

shakinStevens wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 3:44 am I personally use Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish: Nitrogen, and I think these two fertilizers cover most of the essential nutrients for plants, except for phosphorus. Since you're feeding fish in the aquarium, phosphorus shouldn't be a concern. I'm a big fan of Seachem Flourish Comprehensive - I think it's one of the best micro fertilizers available. Flourish Nitrogen not only adds nitrogen but also potassium, so unless you're experiencing extremely rapid plant growth, you likely won't need to add phosphorus. With your CO2 and lighting in place, the plants should thrive, assuming your GH, KH, and pH levels are within their preferred range - although, I have to admit, there's limited information on the ideal levels for plants.

By the way, I noticed you're already using API Leaf Zone and Flourish Trace. If you want to simplify your fertilization routine, you could consider dropping the Trace and API, as they're mostly covered by the Comprehensive and Nitrogen fertilizers.

Shrimp can't withstand soft water? That's a new one for me. I tried keeping cherry shrimp in my 15 gallon, and I thought the CO2 was the culprit, but my water is moderately soft - about 4-5 dKH/ 80-90 ppm.

It isn't hard water they need, just Calcium and Magnesium. I'd love to know more about the supplements you use. I'm guessing it's something for corals, as I've never seen calcium or magnesium supplements specifically for freshwater use. Most plant nutrients cover a range of nutrients, not just one.

My water's still soft, even with the calcium and magnesium additions. I've got a moderate level of KH - around 50ppm. Hard water's not just about calcium and magnesium, is it? I thought that was a factor in water hardness, but I guess not.

I'm curious about the calcium and magnesium supplement you use. I did some research on Zorchzon.com and found that Calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate are commonly sold as a dietary supplement. When purchasing, make sure to get the pure material and buy the smallest amount possible, as a little goes a long way due to its low solubility.