# Leaf zone plant food



## JMikeB83 (Feb 18, 2012)

the only way to get that is either drive to dallas or order online..Thanks for the info.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi JMikeB83,

API Leaf Zone is absolutely nothing like Seachem Flourish Comprehensive. API Leaf Zone contains only two nutrients: chelated iron and potassium



> Leaf Zone®
> 
> Plant Care
> 
> Promotes the lush, beautiful growth of aquatic plants. Leaf Zone is formulated for rapid absorption through plant leaves. Contains chelated iron and potassium essential for lush green leaves.


Whereas Seachem Flourish Comprehensive is a complete and balanced fertilizer with 15 of the most essential nutrients for proper plant growth.



> Guaranteed Analysis
> Total Nitrogen 0.07%
> Available Phosphate ( P2O5) 0.01%
> Soluble Potash 0.37%
> ...


Accept no substitutes; give your plants what they need! I used Seachem Flourish Comprehensive when I first started with the following results.


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## xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx (Jul 12, 2011)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi JMikeB83,
> 
> API Leaf Zone is absolutely nothing like Seachem Flourish Comprehensive. API Leaf Zone contains only two nutrients: chelated iron and potassium


API it contains more than just K and Fe - due to labeling regulations, not all the ingredients are listed.... Just like if you try to find the amount of ferts that API Pure Laterite contains you'll see that API does not have to disclose full information of what it's products contain because of the regulations that do NOT apply to them.


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## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx said:


> API it contains more than just K and Fe - due to labeling regulations, not all the ingredients are listed.... Just like if you try to find the amount of ferts that API Pure Laterite contains you'll see that API does not have to disclose full information of what it's products contain because of the regulations that do NOT apply to them.


can you prove this statement?


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

In a low tech tank, Leaf Zone was just what my plants were missing. Fish food provides lots of nutrients, but is more often lacking potassium and iron. Leaf Zone added just enough. Then I added Excel (carbon source) and Leaf Zone (plus heavy feeding, lots of fish) was still OK. 

Then I added more light, and Leaf Zone was no longer everything I needed for the plants to thrive. 

If you need more ferts you will probably have to order them. Do not pay for shipping water. Buy dry ferts. 
You can then custom mix what your plants need, and the ferts are cheap enough that over fertilizing is not going to cost you much. 

Another source of fertilizer is the nursery. Certain fertilizers for garden plants can work in an aquarium. Have a look for threads about using Osmocote in aquariums.


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## xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx (Jul 12, 2011)

happi said:


> can you prove this statement?



Go to this site, you'll notice that all products have no chemical information as to the compounds used in specific products. You will find MSDS related information relating to the use of the product.

http://aquariumpharm.com/products/msdss.aspx

and here is the full detail of every product API offers

API Aquarium Products Spec Sheet Jul 2011


You'll notice they only provide the descriptions of each product, nowhere do they list any of the products compounds, nor how much of the compounds are in their products. This is because they are exempt from the FDA & EPA guidelines that pertains to listing what compounds are in their products.


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx said:


> Go to this site, you'll notice that all products have no chemical information as to the compounds used in specific products. You will find MSDS related information relating to the use of the product.
> 
> http://aquariumpharm.com/products/msdss.aspx
> 
> ...


So the lack of ingredients from the API site...is your proof that there is more to Leaf Zone than chelated iron and potassium?

I don't know the answer to this. I'm not a chemist, and I'm not a biologist...but I am a thinker. If I'm trying to sell a product to a bunch of nerds growing plants in glass boxes I'm going to list every single beneficial thing I can think of, I might even make some stuff up, lol. I'm calling shenanigans. I'm also not sure I follow the exemption from FDA & EPA...I mean, if API (PA) is exempt then so is Seachem (GA). 


Be like me trying to selling a car to someone and not mentioning power windows, power locks, AC, new brakes, and the DVD player. Just don't make sense.


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## JMikeB83 (Feb 18, 2012)

Wow.. I appreciate the help.. would it hurt to use both until the plant food is gone.. dont want to waste my money.. Seachem and leafzone plantfood?


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

JMikeB83 said:


> Wow.. I appreciate the help.. would it hurt to use both until the plant food is gone.. dont want to waste my money.. Seachem and leafzone plantfood?


I use Leaf Zone all the time, nothing wrong with it. Just the other stuff seems to have more...stuff in it, lol.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx,

Actually, according to the first link you provided, the Leaf Zone only contains two compounds:


> Section 3 - COMPOSITION / INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
> NAME - CAS - RN %
> potassium sulfate - 7778-80-5 - 6.2
> EDTA iron sodium salt - 15708-41-5 - 1.2


Which confirms my original statement that it has only potassium and iron. 

@ JMikeB83 Yes, you can use it in conjunction with Seachem Flourish comprehensive for additional potassium and iron. I would dose it a 1/4 whatever the recommended dosage is.


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## xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx (Jul 12, 2011)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx,
> 
> Actually, according to the first link you provided, the Leaf Zone only contains two compounds:
> 
> ...


No it doesn't confirm your "original" statement, trying to give you the information that API is NOT REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW to provide ALL of it's compound base in their products. Because they are exempt from providing detailed information on their products.

And as I SAID BEFORE, "API it contains more than just K and Fe" SEE HERE, it says "API it contains more than just K and Fe, but they are not required to list K and FE as compounds in their product, but they do so by choice, but because they are exempt, they're not required to give the full details of their product to the general public.


Now why they do it this way, I don't know as I don't work for their company lol.


And just because API is EXEMPT, does NOT mean so is SeaChem, you're trying to interpret that because one company is exempt on their product, that means that all companies who sell the same type of product must be exempt too. It just means that API filed for exemption with the FDA and EPA in order to not having to disclose specific elements and compounds their products consist of to the general public. Does this mean that these government agencies have no clue whats in the products, NO, because API is required by federal law to provide information relating to their line of products to regulating agencies who over see the environment (EPA), and because it's possible for someone to consume these products they also are required to submit information to the Food & Drug Association (FDA).


Now why would the FDA - Food & Drug Administration care what API's products contain; Well because as anyone with kids knows, that they get into everything, there for the FDA needs to know if ingested it will not cause bodily harm or kill them.

Now why would the EPA - Environmental Protection Agency - Simply put, they need to know what kind of impact API's products have on the environment if someone decides to dump the chemicals into the wilderness.



Now by assuming that because API is exempt, that SeaChem would be exempt to; But unlike API, SeaChem offers their products compounds freely because they want consumers to know exactly what they're using, and what the compounds provide with in their products like Flourish.


That's all it means, API has exemption from listing the amount and what type of compounds can be found in their products like First Layer Pure Laterite, Leaf Zone, etc.....


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

Logic would tell us that a business would list any potential beneficial information about its product in a readily accessible place, most likely on the product label. To not do this would be bad for business. I am sure this product contains many things that are not on the label, as they are not requried to list them. But i can reasonably assume that they do only contain those two elements that are beneficial to my aquarium, as labeled on the bottle as potassium sulfate and chelated iron.

Here are the total contents of all metals contained in API Leaf Zone, obtained from a link on the bottle's label: http://www.regulatory-info-api.com/PDF/LZ%20Metals%20mu%20sntzd.pdf

I hope this post has made all arguments invalid.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx said:


> Go to this site, you'll notice that all products have no chemical information as to the compounds used in specific products. You will find MSDS related information relating to the use of the product.
> 
> http://aquariumpharm.com/products/msdss.aspx
> 
> ...


The FDA and EPA aren't who regulates this. State and Federal Department of Agriculture do. The USDA and whatever state they happen to be registered in. 

It isn't a food. 
And if they aren't dumping it or waste associated with it, the EPA doesn't much care. 
First link provides this:


> NAME CAS RN %
> potassium sulfate 7778-80-5 6.2
> EDTA iron sodium sal





xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx said:


> API it contains more than just K and Fe - due to labeling regulations, not all the ingredients are listed.... Just like if you try to find the amount of ferts that API Pure Laterite contains you'll see that API does not have to disclose full information of what it's products contain because of the regulations that do NOT apply to them.


Why in the world would they put more into than they tell you? They would lose marketability. If it has things in it that are good for our plants, telling us would be good for business, wouldn't it?
Also, I tried really really hard to find any information that would say that API is somehow exempt and couldn't. How do you know they are exempt? I don't think that they are and can't think of a single reason they could be granted some sort of exemption. 

samamorgan's link will show you that the other metals it includes are in levels we'd expect with using ordinary tap water. A good find too, btw.


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## JMikeB83 (Feb 18, 2012)

lol ok cool.. use smaller doses of leaf zone in conjunction with seachem,I'll try that. bout how long will it take for my plants to really start thriving from all this?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi JMikeB83,

Typically you will start to see improvement of the new growth in a week or two. New leaves are the best indicator; leaves that have already matured may show some improvement but it is usually minimal.


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## mfskarphedin (Apr 14, 2012)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Which confirms my original statement that it has only potassium and iron.


No, it has a lot more.


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