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Liquid fertilisers - which is the best ?

AlexFeather

AlexFeather

Seedling
Joined
5 Jul 2021
Messages
5
Location
North Yorkshire
I am on the market for liquid fertiliser and was wondering what everyone uses/what everyone thinks is the best.

Up until now I have been using API leaf zone, I like the product as it is a weekly dose (which I can easily remember to do when I do a water change) which I prefer over a daily dose, However I recognise that the product only has a limited amount of nutrients (only iron and potassium) which may not be as effective as others on the market.

What’s everyone’s options on the subject ?
 
I assume you have a low tech (non-CO2 injected) tank? If so, TNC Complete is well regarded as a good all-in-one fert, and decent value. Another more recent option might be 2Hr Aquarist APT EI - it is designed for EI dosing, but you'd simply do a reduced dose on a low tech tank so it would last even longer.
 
What type of tank are you running? Is it CO2 injected etc?

I general you want to be using an all-round fert and they are all pretty much the same, tropical, TNC, 2hr aquarist are all good
 
None of my tanks are CO2 injected, all very heavily planted. Just after a good all round fert that gives me all the nutrients I need for the best plant growth
 
Any all in one will do the job, so you can take your pick.

Tropica Specialised or TNC Complete would be my choices, simply because I have used them.
 
If you have less than 100Litres of tanks in total then TNC complete is cheapest in UK - that's of the commercial ferts we have the data on, some we have no data so they are unknown value. In the USA it would be Thrive for best value.
If over 100L then well worth getting an APFUK starter kit takes a little effort to mix but for the cost of a litre of TNC the APFUK will last a long time - got my son a kit a few years ago and he is still using it.
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If using APFUK or Thrive in low tech just reduce the dose to suit
 
I run only one "planted tank" and for that I use TNC complete, I found much better results with TNC than Tropica specialised.

There was a journey of discovery with ferts; my water is high in nitrates and more. Also, very hard. I used Tropica for about 5 years and neevr really felt that my tanks succedded. Recently I switched to TNC complete and I saw much improved colour and growth. It could be that I switched ferts after plants were esatblished so they were in a better place for uptake; but I don't think so. Additionally, I use TNC within a Tropica bottle, and the dispeser gunks up quite quickly, which tells me there is more in that water than Tropicas.

However, I did have to add more to my water other than TNC, I also dose ADA Green Brighty Iron - about 4ml a week. I recognised there was deficiency as some of the leaves of my floaters were going pale, showing deficiency. That seems to have fixed the problem. I suspect, from some googling I could be deficient in Potassium too. Plants are growing so well, that I am dosing far more, than I ever have.

I don't think there is quite a one solution fits all, as every tank and it's requirements is different. For fine tuning, it's very expensive. I suspect I'll end up buying an ADA bottle of Potasium too; mixing dry ferts is a bit too muhc of a chore for me but almost certainly now would be cost efficient.
 
castle said:
I run only one "planted tank" and for that I use TNC complete, I found much better results with TNC than Tropica specialised.

There was a journey of discovery with ferts; my water is high in nitrates and more. Also, very hard. I used Tropica for about 5 years and neevr really felt that my tanks succedded. Recently I switched to TNC complete and I saw much improved colour and growth. It could be that I switched ferts after plants were esatblished so they were in a better place for uptake; but I don't think so. Additionally, I use TNC within a Tropica bottle, and the dispeser gunks up quite quickly, which tells me there is more in that water than Tropicas.

However, I did have to add more to my water other than TNC, I also dose ADA Green Brighty Iron - about 4ml a week. I recognised there was deficiency as some of the leaves of my floaters were going pale, showing deficiency. That seems to have fixed the problem. I suspect, from some googling I could be deficient in Potassium too. Plants are growing so well, that I am dosing far more, than I ever have.

I don't think there is quite a one solution fits all, as every tank and it's requirements is different. For fine tuning, it's very expensive. I suspect I'll end up buying an ADA bottle of Potasium too; mixing dry ferts is a bit too muhc of a chore for me but almost certainly now would be cost efficient.
Click to expand...

Seriously, don't waste your money on the ADA stuff. For Iron in hard water, just get the TNC Iron if you want it pre-mixed, as its DTPA chelated which breaks down slower in hard water, and dose it during lights out.

Amazon product ASIN B01GZUHQ6E
For potassium just get some potassium sulphate:

Amazon product ASIN B00AWUQ0AC
You can add it dry to your tank on water change, or mix up a solution if preferred.
 
I've got to agree with all the suggestions for TNC. I've been using their products for years and I cannot fault them.
 
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