Plant Fert, neccessary?

[Underwater]

I am starting my 20 gallon planted tank.

I have 65 W light and Nutrafin Co2 unit. The substrate will be 100 % Flourite.

Do I need to add ferts to this setup? Liquid fert or gravel stick?

[artw]

the only thing I do is add fishfood,  use some Big Als plant supplemement (it has trace, iron, and potassium)  and the plants seem to be doing great. I change about 50% of the water about every 2 weeks
now this all may change on June 30th (L day)

[BigDaddy]

You should be adding some type of fert suppliment.  You have moderate lighting and CO2 injection... the plants will be needing their NPK and traces.

Root tabs are great in that they are only available to plants, and not algae, but liquid ferts are convenient.

If you just recently planted the tank... wait a week before fert'ing.  The plants are going through transplant shock and won't use the ferts initially, but algae certainly will

[Underwater]

Thanks for replies, I haven't actually planted at all yet.  Just empty tank with water.

Do liquid ferts do the same job as tabs?  What about root feeders? Does Flourite provide enough minerals for them?

[PaleoFishGirl]

Underwater, you're going to have the nicest tank in the club when you finally get it all up and running!

[Underwater]

  Thanks PFG, but after looking at the homeshow video and the monthly photo contest, I doubt it.

Some amazing tanks in this club.

[artw]

UW it is my understanding that Flourite will provide all necessary substrate nutrients (Iron) but plants such as rubin swords etc. can and will benefit from added root tabs.

But as usual I will yield right-of-way to the Plant God

[BigDaddy]

Flourite has a good CEC value.. but it is not a substitute for a fert regiment in a medium or high light tank.

The use of a liquid fert or a root tab really depends on the plants you are going to keep.

If you have mostly root feeders (crypts and swords), by all means, go with root tabs.  But if you java fern or anubias tied to a piece of wood 6 inches above the substrate start looking bad... well there's your answer, they have no access to ferts

If you have floating plants or rhizhome plants (which tend to do more foliar feeding), then a liquid fert is probably better for them.  I would tend to think most of the stem plants do better with liquid ferts compared to root tabs too just from my personal experiences.

A plant can feed either through its roots, or through its leaves.  It may have a preference... but will usually do just fine in one or the other.

I personally use both.  I dose my ferts in the water column weekly, but I also use root tabs around my plants that prefer root feedings.