Planted Tank - Filtration and Plant Nutrition

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A

adamrp

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 24, 2013
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I have a planted tank and have 4 questions related to its filtration:

1. I have been using submersible filter without air bubbles mostly because I was told by the pet shop owners that air bubbles could create more oxygen within the tank that might not be good for the plants. However, I use air bubble filtration for about a day after the weekly water change. Is this the right way for the filtration of planted tanks? I mean, what sort of filter would be the ideal fit for my tank?

2. I add powdered kind of plant nutrition/food (for the healthy growth of plants - they may call it in different names in different places) mixed with a bit of water twice in a week. Is the right to use the filter when I add the plant food in the water? Because, I guess the filter might absorb the plant food and retain it in its sponge like thing(inside filter)

3. How frequently do you add plant food? and How many days after the water change?

3. Is it true that the constant water movements/currents caused by the submersible filter help the tank keeping away from algae in the glass and other tank interiors?


My tank size is 3ft long, 1.5ft wide and 1.5ft ht
 
I have a planted tank and have 4 questions related to its filtration:

1. I have been using submersible filter without air bubbles mostly because I was told by the pet shop owners that air bubbles could create more oxygen within the tank that might not be good for the plants. However, I use air bubble filtration for about a day after the weekly water change. Is this the right way for the filtration of planted tanks? I mean, what sort of filter would be the ideal fit for my tank?

A: the amount of air does not bother plants. air bubbles are only bad if you are injecting co2 because it gasses off co2, but if you aren't injecting co2 it doesn't make a difference.

2. I add powdered kind of plant nutrition/food (for the healthy growth of plants - they may call it in different names in different places) mixed with a bit of water twice in a week. Is the right to use the filter when I add the plant food in the water? Because, I guess the filter might absorb the plant food and retain it in its sponge like thing(inside filter)

A: You can dose a tank with a filter in it, however, you might not be dosing the right stuff.


3. How frequently do you add plant food? and How many days after the water change?

A: Depends on your lighting and what you are dosing and how you are dosing.

4. Is it true that the constant water movements/currents caused by the submersible filter help the tank keeping away from algae in the glass and other tank interiors?

A: You don't want any dead spots in the water, diatoms and some algae thrive in low flow areas.

My tank size is 3ft long, 1.5ft wide and 1.5ft ht

A: What light do you have, what plants, what substrate, ect. We need to know the exact light you have, the brand, the kind of bulbs, the color of the bulbs, ect.
 
I can help out a little bit with your questions but we need more info on your setup.
First: plants still need oxygen. Maybe not as much as co2 but is still needed
Second: depending on the plant, root tab fertilizers are your best bet. Once a week is usually good. Have to see how plant is doing
Third: algae is always going to be an issue in some way.

We still need more info to help out further

Sent from my DROID4 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Good, carbon will remove any ferts you put in as well as any algae killer. I just wanted to mention that for #2. HybridHerp and burbon44s already answered it. Oh, they do have phosphate removers that look like carbon. You should add some of that to keep algae down.
 
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