depth of fertilizer

[plantee]

have set up a small planted tank and added the substrate nutrient (fertilizer) and found that the fertilizer is only about 1 cm deep. Is that enough for the fertilizer? (excluding the first and third layer of sand)

i heard that the fert is only the 'starting' point of planting in the tank..in the subsequent months liquid fertilizer have to be added...is that the right saying? in another words maybe I can add liquid fertilizer earlier then before if its not enough for the 'solid' fertilizer..(sorry for the demanding because I have already covered the fert with 2-3 inch of fine sand and it would be a bit of a trouble to undig the sand and adding the fert... )

thanks
plantee

[jhseah]

If you have more base fert, your planted tank can be maintained longer, don't have to redo.
With lesser base fert and if your plants are "fert hungry", once they absorb the base fert and finish the nutrients, you might find your plants lack of nutrients and not healthy.
Besides, liquid fertiliser not cheap and tends to promote algae growth easily when added in excess as compared to base fertiliser.

If you really find your base fert is too little, might want to redo and add more rather than the future when you have all the plants in and need to re-dig them out just to add more base fert.

[vinz]

Depends on what kind of tank you are doing. If you are doing a high-light + CO2 tank, then you're fine because you will have to dose the water column anyway.

If you are doing a low light, non-CO2 tank, IME, a richer substrate (i.e. thicker base fert) is needed. These tanks usually do not need much water fertilisation. In most of such tanks, liquid fert will cause more algae.

But all is not lost. You can insert substrate fertilisers every few months or so if needed. They come in solid form and are pretty easy to handle.

[plantee]

hi may i know what do you mean by dose the water column? you are right that i will be pumping co2 and high lighting. Aand what is the substrate fertilizer you mention? in 'gravel' form?...further more assuming the many years has passed ( even when base fertilizer is more than enough for a start) isnt it true supplment such as liquid fertilizer has to be added in?
thanks

[vinz]

Dosing the water column = adding liquid fertiliser to the water.

Substrate fertiliser = solid fertiliser (pellets, sticks, balls, etc) that you can insert into the substrate. E.g. Ocean Free Root Monster.

FOr a high light and CO2-rich tank, you need to start liquid fertilisers almost straight away. Some people start within the first week, some wait a few weeks. Current practice is to dose as least once a week. Some dose every 2 or 3 days.

[plantee]

hi thanks!