What's your favorite all-in-one fertilizer and WHY it's your favorite?

[Firestorm]

Please share: What is your favorite all-in-one fertilizer and WHY it's your favorite? Thrive triggers GSA for me, so want to replace it with another, less algae-friendly fertilizer.

I am attaching a photo of my 40-gallon breeder today--March 1st--the first day of Spring in Europe and Russia! We've officially made it through the winter, everyone!

 

[Yugang]

This is an hotly debated question in our hobby, and you phrase it correctly as this very much depends on goals, and personal opinions.

The key word for commercial ferts is probably "convenience", and they help new hobbyists on the right track to success.

Many experienced hobbyists agree that ferts are part of success, but seldom a decisive factor. One may argue that they are overrated, as a lot of money can be made selling bottles with water to hobbyists who are made to believe just this magic potion with a secret recipe brings a good result. There are many different commercial ferts, and even more personal variations made by hobbyists mixing dry salts, but much less so evidence why one is better than another.

Years ago I used Sachem Flourish, with good results. Their successful marketing was probably the reason I used this product. It became a little expensive dosing EI on a 50 gallon tank, so I started mixing my own ferts at a negligible cost and 15 min work every 6 weeks. The ferts spreadsheets look a bit scary first time, but once I had figured out how many grams of each salt in 1800 ml distilled water all the complexity is gone, and nothing can go wrong repeating same procedure for years.

 

[Firestorm]

This is an hotly debated question in our hobby, and you phrase it correctly as this very much depends on goals, and personal opinions.

The key word for commercial ferts is probably "convenience", and they help new hobbyists on the right track to success.

Many experienced hobbyists agree that ferts are part of success, but seldom a decisive factor. One may argue that they are overrated, as a lot of money can be made selling bottles with water to hobbyists who are made to believe just this magic potion with a secret recipe brings a good result. There are many different commercial ferts, and even more personal variations made by hobbyists mixing dry salts, but much less so evidence why one is better than another.

Years ago I used Sachem Flourish, with good results. Their successful marketing was probably the reason I used this product. It became a little expensive dosing EI on a 50 gallon tank, so I started mixing my own ferts at a negligible cost and 15 min work every 6 weeks. The ferts spreadsheets look a bit scary first time, but once I had figured out how many grams of each salt in 1800 ml distilled water all the complexity is gone, and nothing can go wrong repeating same procedure for years.

Thank you so much! I do have Seachem Flourish. The problem is that I have just started injecting my tank with CO2 (for the very first time), about three months ago. And I was told that now--since CO2 is being injected--an all-in-one fertilizer is a must (and Flourish only has micros). Is it not the case? I do feed my fish quite heavily (once a day, but with a combo of frozen daphnea and bloodworms + flakes). Would this heavy feeding provide the macros, enough for an injected tank? Can I get away with dosing only micros (such as Flourish)? Thanks so much again!

 

[Yugang]

Yes, besides the micro's you need to dose Macro's as well (N, P and K, for which Seachem Flourish has separate bottles). Then, if your pH/KH are high and your tank is not doing well you may want to check your chelator for Fe, or when GH is really low you may want to add some Ca and Mg as well for both livestock and plants. But that's most of it, in a very short summary.

I do feed my fish quite heavily (once a day, but with a combo of frozen daphnea and bloodworms + flakes). Would this heavy feeding provide the macros, enough for an injected tank?

Don't feed more than is needed for your livestock, as you want to keep your organic waste in the tank as low as possible. So don't rely on fish food for your plants nutrients in a high tech tank. Organic waste is a more likely cause for your algae than your fertiliser.

I can't tell you which brand fertiliser would be best for you, I hope that others chime in with the options available in the US.

The differences between brands are over hyped so I wouldn't overthink the choice unless you aim to become a really specialised plant keeper. Plants need 3 macro's (NPK) and a bunch of micros that all come in dissolved form from ion's. The plant really does not care from which chemical compound the ion originated , or which brand. That one brand causes algae, or is really inferior to another brand is possible but not likely.

We are here on this forum to help, whether you just want to have a quick answer or perhaps more detailed discussion and advice on your tank. If you post more information, or start a journal, many of us would be more than happy to give suggestions.

 

[Firestorm]

The differences between brands are over hyped so I wouldn't overthink the choice unless you aim to become a really specialised plant keeper.

Thank you so much! I noticed that a lot of folks are having good results with 2Hr Aquarist APT 3 (link below) and speak highly of the product. I really want to try it, but my only reservation is that it is lacking calcium, for some strange reason . I do have shrimp and snails (assassins and one very old nerite), so am worried about a potential deficiency. Would Ca deficiency be a concern for hard water (I am in AZ, if it matters, and our water is hard).

2Hr Aquarist APT 3

The choice of award-winning aquascapers. Use this all-in-one fertilizer to tackle the most demanding plants, or just enjoy everyday magic in the simplest tank. The easiest way to unlock the true potential of your planted tank today.

www.2hraquarist.com

 

[Yugang]

lot of folks are having good results with 2Hr Aquarist APT 3 (link below) and speak highly of the product.

I have not tried it, but some of the best and most experienced scapers use this brand successfully. Whether it is better than others, I really can't tell you, but the 2Hr Aquarist is a very well respected scaper.

I do have shrimp and snails (assassins and one very old nerite), so am worried about a potential deficiency. Would Ca deficiency be a concern for hard water (I am in AZ, if it matters, and our water is hard).

The best would be to check your local water report for Calcium. Calcium deficiency for plants is very rare, but indeed it could be a concern for critters. Ca and Mg are part of GH, and have nothing to do with KH (what's often referred to as hardness). My Hong Kong water is low on Calcium, I do supplement some CaCl to a total 15 ppm Ca target.

 

[Firestorm]

I have not tried it, but some of the best and most experienced scapers use this brand successfully. Whether it is better than others, I really can't tell you, but the 2Hr Aquarist is a very well respected scaper.


The best would be to check your local water report for Calcium. Calcium deficiency for plants is very rare, but indeed it could be a concern for critters. Ca and Mg are part of GH, and have nothing to do with KH (what's often referred to as hardness). My Hong Kong water is low on Calcium, I do supplement some CaCl to a total 15 ppm Ca target.

Thank you!

 

[GreggZ]

Like mentioned above there is no magic in any liquid fert. They are all a combination of macros providing some form of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium. Then some add micros to one degree or another. Any of them can be duplicated using dry salts at a small fraction of the cost.

Keep in mind when you purchase a $20 bottle of liquid fertilizer there is usually less than 1$ of actual nutrients in the bottle. You are paying mostly for water, packaging, advertising.......and convenience.

So the best thing is study up on macros (NPK) and micros and make your own.

And I highly doubt that Thrive is causing your GSA. At recommended dosing it provides 6ppm NO3, 1.1ppm PO4, 5ppm K, and 0.25ppm Fe, along with small amounts of other micros per dose. So multiply that by how many doses you supply between water changes to figure your totals.

Then you can compare that to other liquid fertilizers to see what the difference is. Or use that information to create your own and save a lot of money.

 

[Firestorm]

Like mentioned above there is no magic in any liquid fert. They are all a combination of macros providing some form of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium. Then some add micros to one degree or another. Any of them can be duplicated using dry salts at a small fraction of the cost.

Keep in mind when you purchase a $20 bottle of liquid fertilizer there is usually less than 1$ of actual nutrients in the bottle. You are paying mostly for water, packaging, advertising.......and convenience.

So the best thing is study up on macros (NPK) and micros and make your own.

And I highly doubt that Thrive is causing your GSA. At recommended dosing it provides 6ppm NO3, 1.1ppm PO4, 5ppm K, and 0.25ppm Fe, along with small amounts of other micros per dose. So multiply that by how many doses you supply between water changes to figure your totals.

Then you can compare that to other liquid fertilizers to see what the difference is. Or use that information to create your own and save a lot of money.

Thank you so much for such detailed reply! I really appreciate it!

 

[SingAlongWithTsing]

DIY cuz I can adjust to my tap water and save a stupid amount of money otherwise I would have to spend $51 USD every 40 days on APT3. My tank's too big for market options to be a good price point lol

 

[Yugang]

I believe we can make it a lot easier for beginners to start doing DIY ferts.

It is really not easy to figure our all ppm's, salts, recipes, and fertiser spreadsheets for a beginner. But this is an hurdle we could take away, and simplify the process for those who like to save some money but don't feel like making the hobby too complicated.

Can't we make a very simple prescription, perhaps we call it " @GreggZ soup recipe" that is an instruction how much of each ingredient to weigh into 4 500 ml bottles with distilled water, 3 macros and 1 micros, and then how much to dose from each into a 10 gallon tank with a weekly 50% water change? Newbies to DIY fertilising just follow the recipe, but don't need any further chemistry, calculations, or debate about different flavours of soup? The only calculation would be to scale the dosing for their tank volume, compared to our 10 gallon standard.

Would this be helpful?

 

[GreggZ]

I believe we can make it a lot easier for beginners to start doing DIY ferts.

It is really not easy to figure our all ppm's, salts, recipes, and fertiser spreadsheets for a beginner. But this is an hurdle we could take away, and simplify the process for those who like to save some money but don't feel like making the hobby too complicated.

Can't we make a very simple prescription, perhaps we call it " @GreggZ soup recipe" that is an instruction how much of each ingredient to weigh into 4 500 ml bottles with distilled water, 3 macros and 1 micros, and then how much to dose from each into a 10 gallon tank with a weekly 50% water change? Newbies to DIY fertilising just follow the recipe, but don't need any further chemistry, calculations, or debate about different flavours of soup? The only calculation would be to scale the dosing for their tank volume, compared to our 10 gallon standard.

Would this be helpful?

I've been meaning to do this for some time.

The tricky part is making it seem simple.

I remember when I got started in the hobby. Some of the things people said sounded like gibberish the first time I heard them. After some time they made perfect sense. So it does take some time and effort to understand no matter how simply it's broken down. Of course for those who do they can save a LOT of money on fertilization.

I'll have to find some time to put something together.......unless someone wants to beat me to it!!

 

[Firestorm]

I believe we can make it a lot easier for beginners to start doing DIY ferts.

It is really not easy to figure our all ppm's, salts, recipes, and fertiser spreadsheets for a beginner. But this is an hurdle we could take away, and simplify the process for those who like to save some money but don't feel like making the hobby too complicated.

Can't we make a very simple prescription, perhaps we call it " @GreggZ soup recipe" that is an instruction how much of each ingredient to weigh into 4 500 ml bottles with distilled water, 3 macros and 1 micros, and then how much to dose from each into a 10 gallon tank with a weekly 50% water change? Newbies to DIY fertilising just follow the recipe, but don't need any further chemistry, calculations, or debate about different flavours of soup? The only calculation would be to scale the dosing for their tank volume, compared to our 10 gallon standard.

Would this be helpful?

Thank you! That sounds like an excellent idea.

Normally, I do not mind complexity. Science and math are my friends. But I've been going through the hardest year of my life, and my aquarium is my way of self-care, my island of healing and sanity. So, I am actively making a point to avoid turning this into a science lab because I feel like I'd be running for the hills (in the form of rehoming the tank for free, just so the burden is gone/lifted NOW) if I complicate things any further. I am emotionally worn out--I have nothing to give--and that applies to the aquarium, too. So, other than a few water tests when I was going through a rollercoaster of suddenly highly symptomatic fish (turned out the water conditioner, Hikari Ultimate was the issue), I try to keep it as 'old school' as possible.

 

[Firestorm]

I've been meaning to do this for some time.

The tricky part is making it seem simple.

I remember when I got started in the hobby. Some of the things people said sounded like gibberish the first time I heard them. After some time they made perfect sense. So it does take some time and effort to understand no matter how simply it's broken down. Of course for those who do they can save a LOT of money on fertilization.

I'll have to find some time to put something together.......unless someone wants to beat me to it!!

Or you could premix it, and sell the mix in the 500 ml bottle (just the powder) for a better price (just add distilled water kind of thing). And then you can sell refill packs, each for 500 mL bottle

 

[Yugang]

I've been meaning to do this for some time.

I hope that you, or any of the other very respected scapers on this forum could take the lead. I could list what I am doing (close to your tank @GreggZ ), but I don't have the credibility that you and some others have. What is important is that we have @GreggZ 's soup as a 'middle of the road' recipe, so that we avoid the experts debate about all the different flavours that could do this or do that.

Once we have your soup recipe, we quite likely have 4 items to purchase, 3 for the Macros and 1 Micro Mix. We could reach out to some vendors (I usually buy from Julia Adkins), and ask them to sell 1 or 2 pound DIY packages for @GreggZ 's soup, than contain the 4 components in roughly the correct relative quantities.

 

[Firestorm]

I hope that you, or any of the other very respected scapers on this forum could take the lead. I could list what I am doing (close to your tank @GreggZ ), but I don't have the credibility that you and some others have. What is important is that we have @GreggZ 's soup as a 'middle of the road' recipe, so that we avoid the experts debate about all the different flavours that could do this or do that.

Once we have your soup recipe, we quite likely have 4 items to purchase, 3 for the Macros and 1 Micro Mix. We could reach out to some vendors (I usually buy from Julia Adkins), and ask them to sell 1 or 2 pound packages for @GreggZ 's soup, than contain the 4 components in roughly the correct relative quantities.

And while we are at it, can someone please please invent a root tab inserter??

 

[Yugang]

And while we are at it, can someone please please invent a root tab inserter??

When you dose the water column correctly, it is unlikely that you really need root tabs to begin with.

 

[Firestorm]

When you dose the water column correctly, it is unlikely that you really need root tabs to begin with.

I have inert substrate, so I use 000 empty capsules to make my DIY root tabs with Osmocote Plus, Calcium Phosphate dibasic, Muriate of potash, organic bone meal and crashed Indian almond leaf (I figured the decomposition will release some small amounts of CO2).

 

[Firestorm]

When you dose the water column correctly, it is unlikely that you really need root tabs to begin with.

I have some heavy root feeders. Plus, I usually dose liquid ferts very conservatively d/t them consistently triggering GSA issue. Currently, I only dose for the water that I change. My tank is 40 gallon breeder (with thick substrate), and at the moment, I do 10-gallon water changes 3x/ week (MWF). So, I dose 1 pump of Thrive and a tiny amount of Seachem Flourish 3x/ week (I figured, fish poop will also provide some macros, and adding a tiny extra of micros will somewhat help with the limiting ingredient issue).

 

[toofewfish]

I for one would appreciate a sound, proven dry mix recipe for DIY mixing. I have been running my 150 gal since I started it last May on Thrive just because of the coveince. My intent when I was planning my system , which is highly automated - auto water change, dosing of minerals & fertilizer, pH controller, etc. , was to switch to DIY ferts because it just makes sense. Well with daily life of work, a horse farm, and home, I haven't the window of time to research and trial a recipe from scratch.
I've been very successful with Thrive but know I'm paying for a lot of water.