Craig Matthews
Member
Do rooted plants like valisneria and saggitaria use nutrients dosed in the water column from liquid ferts as well as root tabs? How important is dosing liquid ferts to root feeders like Val and sag?
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Root feeders liquid fert
- Thread starter Craig Matthews
- Start date
Matt @ ScapeEasy
Member
All plants can absorb nutrients from the water and from their roots I believe but rooting plants like vallis and swords do have a preference for taking nutrients from their roots. I have vallis in two tanks... One has a simple sand and gravel mix for its substrate (and had a few roots tabs when first set up a few years ago) and recieves no nutrient dosing. The other has nutrient dosing and an inert planting substrate (volcano mineral). The vallis grows just as well in both tanks. But it will certainly benefit from nutrients dosing (as all plants do) especially if you have a planting substrate with a high CEC rating as this will absorb the nutrients from the waters column making it available to the plants at their roots.
Edvet
Member
I think this isn''t true. Plants wil and can absorb nutrients through their leaves and it wil be easier for them to use. They can and will absorb from the roots but it''s not preferred. The large rootsystems found in some plants have more to do with anchoring them or living in low food situations (like the whole amazon is a low food situation) and less with preferences of where to get their food from. IF there are plenty nutrients in the water column, this will always be the easiest way for them.
Matt @ ScapeEasy
Member
That makes sense thanks! I have wondered about the anchoring thing for a while!...
Whatever way you choose to fertilise plants in an aquarium - it will become a "liquid" form, available to roots or leaves whatever the plant may prefere. Roottabs just release the fertlisers to surrounding water in you bottom layer, slowly over time. Concentration will be somewhat higher around the roottabs, ofcourse.
- in conclusion it doesn't really matter in which way you fertilise - it matters that you fertilise enough of all.
- in conclusion it doesn't really matter in which way you fertilise - it matters that you fertilise enough of all.
Craig Matthews
Member
Words from Clive himself....
Yes, naturally. That is the whole point of being an aquatic species. Also, any aquatic plant not known as "root feeder" but that has roots, also feed from roots just as easily as those known as "`root feeders". The only plants that do not feed from roots are those plants that do not have roots, such as mosses. Folks get all wrapped around the axle fretting over "root-feeder". Aquatic plants feed from whatever nutrient source is available, however, feeding from the leaves is so much easier it makes sense to dose the water column. Ideally, a rich nutrient substrate such as ADA Aquasoil combined with water column dosing allows the plants to obtain nutrition from both locations. Rich substrates also allow you to miss water column dosing without penalty.
Yes, naturally. That is the whole point of being an aquatic species. Also, any aquatic plant not known as "root feeder" but that has roots, also feed from roots just as easily as those known as "`root feeders". The only plants that do not feed from roots are those plants that do not have roots, such as mosses. Folks get all wrapped around the axle fretting over "root-feeder". Aquatic plants feed from whatever nutrient source is available, however, feeding from the leaves is so much easier it makes sense to dose the water column. Ideally, a rich nutrient substrate such as ADA Aquasoil combined with water column dosing allows the plants to obtain nutrition from both locations. Rich substrates also allow you to miss water column dosing without penalty.
