Above: a colorful bouquet grown The 2Hr Way using APTe

Do we really need fertilizers for a planted aquarium?

If you want an ecosystem with thriving plants, the answer is yes.

This is because aquatic plants require a full range of nutrients to thrive (unsurprisingly) and the aquarium ecosystem is incomplete. Fish waste and decaying matter can provide some nitrogen and phosphates, but woefully inadequate amounts of potassium, iron and other minerals. The use of soil (the real organic stuff) provides a source of food that can last for a few months, but it get depleted. The depletion rate in low tech aquariums is slow. However, in CO2 injected aquariums where growth rates are fast, nutrients are quickly drained.

There is a tendency to compare our aquarium to 'nature', forgetting that the tiny world we have created is only a tiny selective slice of nature and is far from 'self-balancing'. And while we try to replicate nature, what we really want is a particular (and often unnatural) instance of nature. We want lush, thriving plants and a vibrant, algae-free animal population in crystal-clear water......crammed into a tiny, high-density space. Such environments do occur naturally in the wild, but often only at certain times of the year and under certain circumstances, whereas we want the same instance to be constant and never changing in our planted tank!

What fertilizer should I use?

Aquatic plants can uptake nutrients directly through their leaves. At 2hr Aquarist, we offer liquid fertilizers that are designed to be dosed into the water column. By dosing a controlled amount of fertilizer into the water column each day, we can provide necessary nutrients for plant growth without causing unstable spikes in nutrient levels that can trigger algae.

APT 1

APT 1 contains all nutrients necessary for plant growth except nitrates and phosphates and it is designed for aquariums with heavy fish load that already face an excess of nitrates in the water column. It can also be used in aquariums where plant mass is sparse, and there is enough nitrogen produced by the substrate or livestock.

APT 1 is also used in Iwagumi setups where the carpet is fed mainly through the substrate. Draining the water column of nitrate/phosphate prevents the hardscape from getting green algae.

Here are some examples of aquariums grown with APT 1:

This lightly planted setup has mostly slow growers that do not demand high nutrient levels.

Mosses have very low nutrient draw. The small amounts of nitrogen released by the substrate and shrimps are sufficient to maintain their growth in this low tech shrimp tank.

Carpeting plants in Iwagumi setups are root fed through the substrate. Keeping the water column lean reduces algae on hardscape. APT 1 paired with APT Feast is ideal in Iwagumi setups.

APT 3

APT 3 is our balanced formula that contains all nutrients necessary for plant growth. It can be used in a wide range of tanks from Nature style aquariums to plant focused layouts. The slight nitrate limiting formula induces deeper reds in some plant species.

For optimal long term growth of demanding species, most of these aquariums below are also paired with APT Feast aquasoil. Feeding plants from both angles gives a boost to growth form and coloration compared to just using water column dosing. The ammonia enriched aquasoil counter-balances the slight nitrate limiting formula of APT3.

The aquariums below are all grown using APT 3:

Well planted nature style aquariums are well suited for APT3.

Plant focused layouts that focus on growing red plants are our specialty.

The nitrate limiting formula of APT3 brings out strong red tones for species that respond to nitrate limitation. In densely planted aquariums, rich aquasoil is used to balance the plants nitrogen needs.

To read more on how nitrate limitation works click here.

APTe

APTe is our formula that contains a heavier amount of nitrates/phosphates compared to APT3. It is designed specifically for aquariums that target higher nitrate levels in order to propagate picky or difficult species. In sparsely planted aquariums, or in aquariums where maintenance is slack, maintaining high water column nutrient levels with high light levels can exacerbate algae issues. 

It can be tricky balancing aquariums with high levels of nutrients in the water column. Unstable nutrient levels trigger algae blooms easily. This articleexplains how to keep water column nutrients stable when using APTe.

Choosing between APT3 and APTe

If you are not confident about managing algae issues in the planted aquarium, APT3 is a more forgiving formula. APT3 is nitrate limiting, which brings out better reds in some plant species.

 APTe will give the fastest growth rates due to the high amount of nitrogen available in the formula. The higher nitrogen approach makes propagating certain demanding/picky species easier. Folks that collect exotic and difficult species have find an advantage using APTe.

Here are some aquariums grown using APTe:

This aquarium uses Rotala florida as the focal point.

What nutrients do plants need?

We cover this subject in detail in this article.