# Best Liquid Fert?



## jbvamos (Mar 18, 2018)

My favorite is buying separate compounds and mixing my own that’s tailored to my tanks


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## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

JMCMark said:


> What's the best liquid fertilizer out there that you guys have used?


What's the best depends a lot on what the target for that aquarium is, what is the goal of the aquarist, their experience level, even what plants are cultivated. Think about these aspects before deciding what is the best path forward. 

In general concentrated is better than diluted. One of the many fertilizers targeting EI levels is a good starting point. They also come with instructions for dosing in lower light , non CO2 aquariums. If you are seeking for the cheapest way, learning about dosing and buying dry salts is the best, especially in large aquariums.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

Not the most cost-effective, but for micros i do believe Seachem flourish is the most complete compared to some of the dry micros being sold.


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## swarley (Apr 12, 2018)

Seachem Flourish is expensive water. Has very low percentages of any nutrients. The Plantex CSM+B micro dry ferts is a much better investment.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

swarley said:


> Seachem Flourish is expensive water. Has very low percentages of any nutrients. The Plantex CSM+B micro dry ferts is a much better investment.


I said it’s not the most cost-effective. Did I not say that, but it’s more complete in what it does have compared to CSM+B. Just compare the ingredients.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

As a beginner to growing aquarium plants/dosing fertilizers in the aquarium, I can tell you what I felt/feel more comfortable using-- Liquid fertilizers. "Best" for me was what gave me piece of mind. Whether that "piece of mind" was warranted or not is a different matter; I felt more comfortable, therefore, it "was best." The Seachem line offers accessible ( as in i can understand it) instructions for dosing on the back of the bottle. It was my entry level into fertilizing and I chose it because in my mind I felt like I would have less chance of inadvertently harming my fish.

The factor that complicates fertilizer dosing for me ( besides my ignorance of the subject) and makes me very nervous about dosing fertilizers in aquarium is that I have 3 tanks of wild, sensitive fish. 

As all of you experienced in dosing fertilizers in the aquarium already know, liquid dosing ( like i am doing) is very expensive, --- especially when you are dosing these liquids on a 180 g, a 30g, and a 60 g tank.

Now what is best for me will be a dry or concentrated liquid that still meets my needs of simple, clear instructions and sensitive fish.


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## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

asteriod said:


> I said it’s not the most cost-effective. Did I not say that, but it’s more complete in what it does have compared to CSM+B. Just compare the ingredients.


As long as you realize it's expensive water , lol. :wink2:

I really wonder if those are really necessary for aquatic plants or were just copied from some terrestrial fertilizer. Cobalt for example is more important for N-fixing bacteria found in the root nodules of legumes. It seems to play a role in seed development. It is for sure important in crop plants as our source of cobalt. But not much to do with aquarium plants, still warrants some more research. There is also the argument that tap water and fish food also may contain enough trace elements to cover some of the very trace elements needed by the aquarium.

I have another problem with CSM+B and some other dry microfertilizer mixes to some extent... their lack of homogeneity. This is even more important when you take only a small amount from the bag. You are likely to under dosed X with this mix and when you mix again you will notice Y is underdosed.


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## madcrafted (Dec 23, 2017)

dukydaf said:


> I have another problem with CSM+B and some other dry microfertilizer mixes to some extent... their lack of homogeneity. This is even more important when you take only a small amount from the bag. You are likely to under dosed X with this mix and when you mix again you will notice Y is underdosed.


While I use CSM+B in a solution, I've often wondered about this. Too many nutrients/minerals in one bag is likely to have inconsistencies from one scoop to another. I may even go back to using Flourish myself, since I have mostly nano tanks and use PPS dosings. Not really breaking the bank here. For macros, I still prefer dry based diy solutions.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

KJE said:


> THRIVE Hands Down.
> 
> Person Asked for the best Liquid Fert
> 
> Seachem Products are overpriced for what is in them




I think this might be where I go next? This is more of an all in one fertilizer isn’t it? Would you still need to add anything with Thrive? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## fishfood!! (Jun 9, 2018)

JMCMark said:


> What's the best liquid fertilizer out there that you guys have used?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I just use all Seachem and dose accordingly. I try not to get too caught up in the whole fertilizers as I find that takes away the enjoyment for me in having a planted tank.

I try to get the macros right and let the rest adjust on its own.

If a certain plant isn’t doing well in my tank, I rather pull that plant out and put something easier in its spot than to pull my hair out trying to figure it out. I find it too stressful to have to get every little thing right on the dot.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## swarley (Apr 12, 2018)

@Discusluv Thrive is definitely a great fert and can't really go wrong with it. It's something I'd recommend to anyone who just wants healthy plants without worrying about missing something.


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

The question of which fertilizer works best is really dependent on what is in your source water. Some have soft to very software with very low levels of some minerals. People with hard water will have higher levels of some minerals. So what works well for you may not work for someone else mainly because the water is different.

As to Sachem Flourish comprehensive if you follow the manufactured dose you will get:
MACROS
N	0.01541
P	0.00097
K	0.06758
Ca	0.03082
Mg	0.02422
S	0.06105

Micro
B	0.00198
Cl	0.25316
Co	0.00009
Cu	0.00002
Fe	0.07045
Mn	0.0026
Mo	0.0002
Na	0.02862
Zn	0.00015

all numbers are in parts per million. Macro nutrients (N, K, Ca, Mg, P), Sare generally needed by plants the 1ppm level or higher. And are typically generally found in tap water at levels higher than 1ppm. None are dosed at 1ppm. All the macros are available at 0.06ppm or lower. Many people have macro deficiency issues with flourish comprehensive. 

Micro fertilizers are generally needed by plants at levels above 0.001 ppm. Copper and Zinc are only available at part per trillion levels. My tap water 0.050ppm of copper in it. The US government says 1ppm copper is safe for people. Based on the amounts found in plants Flourish comprehensive should have about 0.015ppm of zinc and boron. Both are well below that level. And it should have about 0.006ppm of copper. There is also no nickel in the fertilizer, Sodium and Cobalt are not plant nutrients, they are However bacteria, animal and possibly algae nutrients.Most plants don't need these nutrients to grow.

Flourish is poorly balanced, costly (it is mostly water), and may not work in tanks filled with distilled or RO water and an inert substrate. Many people like Thrive because it has more realistic levels of macro nutrients . And EI dosing generally use levels much higher than in Flourish. Unfortunately most fertilizer have no calcium, very little sulfur, many "Shrimp safe" fertilizers have no copper at all. and most don't have nickel. If all fertilizers were properly balanced many of the deficiency and plant problems threads on this site would not be needed.


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## madcrafted (Dec 23, 2017)

Surf said:


> Flourish is poorly balanced, costly (it is mostly water), and may not work in tanks filled with distilled or RO water and an inert substrate. Many people like Thrive because it has more realistic levels of macro nutrients . And EI dosing generally use levels much higher than in Flourish. Unfortunately most fertilizer have no calcium, very little sulfur, many "Shrimp safe" fertilizers have no copper at all. and most don't have nickel. If all fertilizers were properly balanced many of the deficiency and plant problems threads on this site would not be needed.


All liquid solutions are mostly water, I don't see your point here. Maybe Thrive has a better balance of nutrients if you were using only r/o water, but as soon as you add remineralizer and livestock, the water isn't pure anymore. I don't have anything against Thrive, don't get me wrong, but it isn't the best choice in all situations. Most people will find that Flourish is sufficient enough as a micro supplement, whereas others, especially with high tech tanks, will need more of certain traces... hence the roll your own method of micro dosing. 

The biggest issue I have with "all in one" ferts is they aren't accounting for nutrients that are being provided by the fish and the foods we feed them. This might not be as much of an issue with EI dosing and high tech tanks but not everyone goes that route. I find PPS a better method for dosing my tanks. I find it much easier to control macro levels when they can be dosed independently of one another. I rarely ever use KNO3 or K2SO4 because they're simply not needed in my tanks. I have to actually reduce nitrates with water changes and my remineralizer has sufficient potassium for most of the plants I keep, so I don't dose that. So it really just depends on the particular tank in question. There is no universal fertilizer that works in all situations.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

Even though this isnt my post, this conversation is very informative for beginners like me-- Im learning a lot.
Thanks for your views.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

madcrafted said:


> Surf said:
> 
> 
> > Flourish is poorly balanced, costly (it is mostly water), and may not work in tanks filled with distilled or RO water and an inert substrate. Many people like Thrive because it has more realistic levels of macro nutrients . And EI dosing generally use levels much higher than in Flourish. Unfortunately most fertilizer have no calcium, very little sulfur, many "Shrimp safe" fertilizers have no copper at all. and most don't have nickel. If all fertilizers were properly balanced many of the deficiency and plant problems threads on this site would not be needed.
> ...


Yeah exactly, how many people are going to say Flourish is mostly water. No kidding as is every liquid fert as you mentoned.

I do agree with @dukydaf that many of the micros needed are found in the water and/or possibly the substrate. Point I was making the Flourish covers more micros this way you know there differently there even if they’re night be some elsewhere. BTW @Surf no one is saying Flourish is complete. Most use it for just micro dosing in the same way they would use CSM+B


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## evil8 (Aug 7, 2018)

I've been using NilocG Macros and Micros alternate days. I have a low tech 30 gal tank with a bio-load of between 50% - 60%.


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## ustabefast (Jan 24, 2017)

KJE said:


> THRIVE Hands Down.
> Person Asked for the best Liquid Fert
> Seachem Products are overpriced for what is in them


I use Thrive + and love it. I have fewer algae issues now than I did with Flourish or even when I mixed dry ferts.


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