If your are keeping a planted tank you probably use some sort of fertilizer. There are many types and brands of fertilizer out there which are all fairly similar but there are a few that rise above the rest. But to decide on which type you must find the needs of your tank.
Low Growth Tank
In a low growth tank there is low lighting at or under 1 watt per gallon and has no Co2. Growth will be slow and often quite weak although with the right plants it can still turn out to be a nice display. Nutrients in the water will be absorbed very slowly and there is not a high demand for them. For this type of tank the dissolved minerals in the tap water from water changes may be enough to supply the plants and if not a low dose of wide coverage fertilizer such as Seachem Flourish will be enough.
What you need: Wide Coverage Fertilizer
Medium Growth Tank
In this tank there is at least some source of Co2 such as yeast based Co2 and has between 1 and 2 watts per gallon. In this tank there is medium paced fairly thick growth and there is a stronger demand for nutrients. In this tank there is a greater chance that the nutrients will become unbalanced as there will be higher demand for some nutrients then others so I would recommend using some wide range fertilizer and a three different fertilizers for your macro nutrients.
What you need: Wide Coverge and Trace Fertilizer
High Growth Tank
A high growth tank there is over 2 watts per gallon, a high amount of Co2 and vigorous growth. In this tank there is a high possibility for the nutrients to become unbalanced so i would say to dose a wide range, separate macro nutrients and trace elements to keep thing s running smoothly. Things happen very quickly in this tank so it is important to keep a close eye in things.
What you need: Wide Coverage, Trace, and NPK Fertilizer
Note that watts per gallon is a very rough way of measuring light and Lumens per watt varies between T12 T8 and T5 bulbs.
Types of Fertiliser
Wide Coverage Fertilizer
These types of fertilizer such as Seachem Flourish cover all nutrients, both macro and micro in small amounts. Often the macro nutrients are only supplied in small amounts so that you can dose you NPK (Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium). This type of fertilizer works well in a low growth tank.
Trace Fertilizer
Supplies only the trace and micro nutrients. Can be used in a medium growth tank along with a wide coverage fertilizer.
NPK
Individual fertilizers for each of the three top nutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, so that you can precisely control levels of each fertilizer so that in a high growth tank you do not get a potentially toxic imbalance of nutrients that can cause algae blooms.
Low Growth Tank
In a low growth tank there is low lighting at or under 1 watt per gallon and has no Co2. Growth will be slow and often quite weak although with the right plants it can still turn out to be a nice display. Nutrients in the water will be absorbed very slowly and there is not a high demand for them. For this type of tank the dissolved minerals in the tap water from water changes may be enough to supply the plants and if not a low dose of wide coverage fertilizer such as Seachem Flourish will be enough.
What you need: Wide Coverage Fertilizer
Medium Growth Tank
In this tank there is at least some source of Co2 such as yeast based Co2 and has between 1 and 2 watts per gallon. In this tank there is medium paced fairly thick growth and there is a stronger demand for nutrients. In this tank there is a greater chance that the nutrients will become unbalanced as there will be higher demand for some nutrients then others so I would recommend using some wide range fertilizer and a three different fertilizers for your macro nutrients.
What you need: Wide Coverge and Trace Fertilizer
High Growth Tank
A high growth tank there is over 2 watts per gallon, a high amount of Co2 and vigorous growth. In this tank there is a high possibility for the nutrients to become unbalanced so i would say to dose a wide range, separate macro nutrients and trace elements to keep thing s running smoothly. Things happen very quickly in this tank so it is important to keep a close eye in things.
What you need: Wide Coverage, Trace, and NPK Fertilizer
Note that watts per gallon is a very rough way of measuring light and Lumens per watt varies between T12 T8 and T5 bulbs.
Types of Fertiliser
Wide Coverage Fertilizer
These types of fertilizer such as Seachem Flourish cover all nutrients, both macro and micro in small amounts. Often the macro nutrients are only supplied in small amounts so that you can dose you NPK (Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium). This type of fertilizer works well in a low growth tank.
Trace Fertilizer
Supplies only the trace and micro nutrients. Can be used in a medium growth tank along with a wide coverage fertilizer.
NPK
Individual fertilizers for each of the three top nutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, so that you can precisely control levels of each fertilizer so that in a high growth tank you do not get a potentially toxic imbalance of nutrients that can cause algae blooms.
