WHAT IS the right fertilizer for a planted aquarium

Dosing the right fertilizer for a planted aquarium

Introduction:

People who have an aquarium know the importance of keeping the water clean and healthy for their fish. Yes, the same attention is required of the plants too that live there.

Importance of fertilizer for planted aquariums:

Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to grow healthy and strong. Different combinations of fertilizers have been developed over time to deal with different growth issues with aquarium plants. Some fertilizers out there have a combination of macro (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) nutrients, and others as micro (other micronutrients or essential elements).

Types of fertilizers for planted aquariums:

There are different types of fertilizers available in the market for planted aquariums. These include fertilizers that have a combination of macro and micronutrients, fertilizers that have only macronutrients, and fertilizers that have only micronutrients. Some of these fertilizers are designed specifically for infant-planted tanks, while others are designed for aged or mature-planted tanks. There is yet another type of fertilizer that has a unique combination of both macro and micronutrients, commonly called an all-in-one fertilizer.

Factors to consider when choosing a fertilizer for a planted aquarium:

Whatever type of fertilizer is being used, this could be a major expense to maintain any planted tank. The different types of fertilizers in the market have their own pros and cons. The type of fertilizer chosen depends on how much time and money someone could invest in maintaining a tank and how much time could be spent doing it every day. You should consider using the available online tools and calculators to decide on the right dosing. There is yet another deciding factor to choose the right fertilizer for your planted tank, and that is based on the stage at which a planted tank is.

Planted tank life stages:

At a broader insight, planted tank stages are segregated into two stages, i.e.

Stage 1, or Infant Planted Tank: Less than 3 months of setup – This type of tank usually has growing plants. The plants there try to acclimatize to the tank’s environment. This stage is crucial for the next stage.  Being a growing stage plants need food that could provide high growth to the plants. This is mostly done by high doses of macronutrients, or by using fertilizers developed using the Estimated Index Method (EI Method).

Stage 2, or Mature Planted Tank: Over 3 months of setup – In these types of tanks plants are already grown. Usually, at this stage, the plants, especially the carpet plants, would need weekly trimming. At this stage, it is important to ensure the tank is well-balanced and stable. Plant growth no longer remains a focus here. A Matured Planted Tank should have comparatively less maintenance work than an Infant Plant Tank, though it is not completely unavoidable.

The right fertilizer for a matured planted aquarium:

Though most of the fertilizers on the market are developed for Infant Planted Tanks, almost impossible to find a pocket-friendly fertilizer that is designed only for Mature Planted Tanks. This has created a gap that made the aquarists and aquascapers continue using Infant Planted Tank Fertilizers in the Mature Planted Tank Fertilizer. The result of this is the poor performance of the tank and heavy growth of algae and other problems with your aquarium’s water quality in the tank.

As after 3 months, it is not good to use a fertilizer that is designed for plant growth, it will stimulate algae growth. Hence, it is important to use a fertilizer that adds stability to the planted tank, making it sustainable in the longer run. The best way to do this is by providing as much natural environment to the plants in the Mature Planted Tank. This could be possible by using humic acid and nutrient-fixing bacteria.

It can be more difficult to find the perfect balance between healthy and thriving plants than fast-growing plants for your tank. It can be difficult to find any fertilizer that is specifically designed for Mature Planted Tanks. And so, it can as well be difficult to find a fertilizer for aquarium plants that have humic acid and nutrient-fixing bacteria. This explains what are the eight fertilizers for planted aquariums.

Rightly designed for aged/ matured Planted Tank

It’s not easy to find a fertilizer that is specifically designed for well-established matured planted tanks since most fertilizers are aimed at promoting plant growth. The OZPOLISH Bio-Scape has been designed specifically for the Mature Planted Tanks, and it does have humic acid and nutrient-fixing bacteria along with micronutrients and a small number of macronutrients. That said, OZPOLISH Bio-Scape may not be enough to provide growth to a planted tank (there are already several options out there) but does excellent in balancing the environment inside a Planted Tanks at a later stage. OZPOLISH Bio-Scape helps a 3-plus months old Planted Tank to flourish and excel. It is also one of the favorite fertilizers for most aquascapers because it contains a unique proportion of nutrients and other organic compounds that is not harmful to any fish or invertebrates.

Vacation or Holiday Fertilizer for Matured Planted Tank

If you’re a plant enthusiast who loves to travel or take time off, you might worry about the condition of your planted tank while you’re away. However, with OZPOLISH Bio-Scape, you can rest easy knowing that your tank is in good hands. The nutrient-fixing and mobilizing bacteria in Bio-Scape continue to work even when you’re weeks away from your planted tank. This means that Bio-Scape is a potential vacation or holiday fertilizer for your matured planted tank, keeping it healthy and thriving even when you’re not around to care for it. With Bio-Scape, you can enjoy your time away without worrying about the state of your beloved planted tank.

What is the right fertilizer for a planted aquarium?

OZPOLISH Bio-Scape is the right fertilizer that is affordable and can make all the difference in any Mature Planted Tank. There are several other options for Infant Planted Tanks. Depending upon the need aquascapers could select the right fertilizer for a planted aquarium. What-so-ever, the regular maintenance could be reduced to a certain level but it cannot be stopped completely, as that could have a disastrous impact on that tank.

Conclusion:

Choosing the right fertilizer for a planted aquarium is important for the health and growth of the plants. The right fertilizer depends on the stage of the planted tank, the type of plants in the tank, and the amount of time and money that can be invested in maintaining the tank. OZPOLISH Bio-Scape is an affordable and effective fertilizer for mature planted tanks that can make all the difference in the sustainability and growth of plants.


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