Providing nutrients to the planted tank while maintaining low TDS

[aarhud]

Hello,

I'm trying my hand at a planted tank. The main plants are anubias, swords, cypts, and a few floaters. Will adding osmocate plus DIY root tabs increase my TDS? I read on PlantedTank.net that the root tabs leach into the water column with time.

The tank is a display tank, but I would still like breeding to occur. The fry won't make it, but I enjoy watching the process unfold. I'm keeping Apistogramma gibbiceps.

Water from the tap reads:
pH -6.5
kH and gH- 3
300 micros

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

The main plants are anubias, swords, cypts, and a few floaters.

With these plants you can just feed them via the "Duckweed Index". Details are toward the bottom of this thread <"http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/threads/daphnia.12707/">

Will adding osmocate plus DIY root tabs increase my TDS? I read on PlantedTank.net that the root tabs leach into the water column with time.....

Yes, the root tabs will leach ions into the water column. Even though they are slow, or controlled, release fertilisers the rate of nutrient release is quicker in warm wet conditions. This is fine for terrestrial plants where growth is quickest when warmth and water are available, but in our tanks it is warm and wet all the time.

Water from the tap reads:
pH -6.5
kH and gH- 3
300 micros

The water is quite "salty" all ready.

cheers Darrel

 

[ApistoJohn]

I use dirt and it doesn't seem to raise my TDS much at all.

 

[MickeM]

Hi ApistoJohn...+ all..
When you say "dirt"... Do you mean some soil-product bought from a store or "soil" from your/a garden ???
(Some people start planted tanks with "earth-soil" at the bottom..taken from nature/their garden..)

 

[ApistoJohn]

When I said dirt I meant miracle grow organic potting soil. If you use from a garden make sure it doesn't have fertilizers in it. Also to be clear I have the dirt capped with gravel. I do this because its for the plants and its not messy. Some people with a biotope style tank will have just soil on the bottom that's not what I'm referring to.