Ferts in water get to roots?

[|squee|]

Let's say I have a tank that has a completely sterile substrate. Is it right to say that I can dose all my ferts through the water, and any type of plant will be able to take them up?

Also, does some of the dissolved fert get into the substrate where it can also be taken up by roots?

Just widening my knowledge. Thanks!

[PeterGwee]

Shorter pathway of uptake through leaves than roots and less issues. You do not need the roots for a start even.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[cs_sg]

Shorter pathway of uptake through leaves than roots and less issues. You do not need the roots for a start even.

Regards
Peter Gwee

Interesting.

Currently I'm using just lapis sand and root monsters inserted about 10cm apart.
So does that mean that if I dose just liquid fert weekly (Dr Mallick's aqua & micro), my plants will get sufficient fertilization?
Majority of plants are: Crypt (dwarf), Vals, B. japonica, E.tennellus, hairgrass, MM.

Cheers.

[PeterGwee]

Interesting.

Currently I'm using just lapis sand and root monsters inserted about 10cm apart.
So does that mean that if I dose just liquid fert weekly (Dr Mallick's aqua & micro), my plants will get sufficient fertilization?
Majority of plants are: Crypt (dwarf), Vals, B. japonica, E.tennellus, hairgrass, MM.

Cheers.

Yes. But you need to add in KH2PO4 and perharps some source of Ca/Mg to cover things up pretty good.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[barmby]

The easiest uptake from a plant point of view is thru water, followed by roots. But having fertilizers in the substrates do not hurt because there bound to be some plants who will not do well as they lose out in competition of food thru' water.

You may want to insert fertilizers tablets near some heavy root feeder such as crypt and echinodorus

[|squee|]

Shorter pathway of uptake through leaves than roots and less issues. You do not need the roots for a start even.

Regards
Peter Gwee

So is that true for all the plants we commonly keep in this hobby? How about crypts/echindorous speices? Has Tom Barr found this to be true in them too, as in they can do well with leaf intake of nutrients only?

[PeterGwee]

Competition isn't an issue with EI since there is plenty to go around for all. Some plants do better with lower KH though (Tom mention a handful I think). You can do the water column and still do well with all the plants. CO2 is the biggest problem and will always be for both new and old timers in the hobby no doubt.

Regards
Peter Gwee