# Do Root-Feeding Plants Benefit from Ferts in the Water Column?



## goodbytes (Aug 18, 2014)

I have a low tech setup with a large Java Fern, some Java Moss and a couple of Anubias. The rest are root feeders including a dozen Crypts, a large Cryptospiralis, a bunch of Water Sprite and a single Temple plant. I use Flourish root tabs on all of the rooted plants and I know that some of these nutrients make their way into the water. However, slight deficiencies are at the beginning stages of manifesting through small holes in the older Java Fern leaves so I will have to start dosing the water soon. 
Since the majority of my plants are root feeders will I be able to dose less of the Macro and Micro solutions? Do root feeders benefit from dosing ferts?


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Both sorts of plants need the same nutrients. 
Some plants seem to favor root uptake, and some leaf uptake of certain elements. Java fern is all leaf uptake. The roots are good at clinging to things, not good at taking in nutrients. 

If you are putting the tablets down deep then there should not be much leakage, and the deficiency in the Java fern is showing this. 

Holes in the leaves are most often potassium. 
Potassium, iron and calcium are in short supply in fish food, but most other elements are available in enough quantity for slow growing plants. 

I would start dosing potassium and iron. Simplest is Leaf Zone, a liquid. If you see good results then you know what the deficiency is and can decide if you want to go with dry ferts or continue with the liquid.


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Not sure if this info will contribute to what you want to know but I do know one person who has mostly Crypts in a sand only substrate tank and only uses dry ferts. No tabs
for the roots and they look just as good as any I've seen. On the other side of the fence I had some native hair grass which gained 3/4" in two days when I added Osmocote+ beads inserted with tweezers under them.


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## ylot77 (Feb 11, 2008)

For what it's worth, I dose potassium heavily in all my tanks. It's one of the quickest nutrients to disappear in a planted tank, it very possibly can't be overdosed (just wasted) and it doesn't have any toxic effects on anything I've ever heard of.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

ylot77 said:


> For what it's worth, I dose potassium heavily in all my tanks. It's one of the quickest nutrients to disappear in a planted tank, it very possibly can't be overdosed (just wasted) and it doesn't have any toxic effects on anything I've ever heard of.


when you say heavily, what do you mean exactly? what are your actualy dosing amounts for what size tanks?

i am currently dosing 6tsp over 6 days for my 75g. i have alot of hygros in there and potassium seems to vanish in my tank.

curious what amounts your dosing for what size tanks.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi goodbytes,

I agree with Diana that most plants are capable to some degree of nutrient uptake both through the roots and the leaves. However Microsorum pteropus (java ferns) do absorb nutrients through their roots.



> (Microsorum pteropus) grows as an epiphyte that's said to thrive out of water, as long as it's in a spray zone and constantly wet.





> From the rhizome also spring the copious brown thready roots, which act as as holdfasts for the plant as well as conduits for nutrients. Since much of Microsorum's nutritional uptake is through the roots, leaving them untrimmed on the robust form encourages mature, winged leaves up to 18 inches tall.


Which makes sense since the velamen layer of the roots is the common method of nutrient uptake for epiphytes.

That said, I dose ferts both ways; I dose the water column which benefits most species to some degree and for heavy root feeders like Crypts I use plant (root) tabs as well.

30 gallon with M.p. 'Windelov', M.p. 'Trident', C. wendtii 'Bronze'


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

philipraposo1982 said:


> when you say heavily, what do you mean exactly? what are your actualy dosing amounts for what size tanks?
> 
> i am currently dosing 6tsp over 6 days for my 75g. i have alot of hygros in there and potassium seems to vanish in my tank.
> 
> curious what amounts your dosing for what size tanks.


I do the same thing. I dose 2tsp K2SO4 every other day (macro day) which equates to 20ppm K in my 75 gallon. I got signs of deficiency when I only added 1tsp every other day so I upped it a lot.

I might even have to start adding more if I still see pinholes on more leaves...


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

You have a lot of hygros like me?

I was beginning to question my dose as it seems like a lot. Like you at 1 tsp every other day I still had significant pinholes.


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

I have a 20g with roughly 60+ crypts and had the same question not too long ago. I went ahead and ordered the full EI fert package with GH booster. I was told to dose 1/3 the recommended but I think I'm going to try the recommended 10g dose (1/2 the 20g recommended)


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## dpod (Sep 16, 2014)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> That said, I dose ferts both ways; I dose the water column which benefits most species to some degree and for heavy root feeders like Crypts I use plant (root) tabs as well.
> 
> 30 gallon with M.p. 'Windelov', M.p. 'Trident', C. wendtii 'Bronze'


omg that crypt is glorious :drool:


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## ylot77 (Feb 11, 2008)

I dose around 4x-5x what Seachem recommends for their dose, every other day. For example, I use about 23ml on my 40gal each time. It may be a bit wasteful for the plants that I currently have, but I don't worry about K deficiency.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

I notice that was not enough K not only do I get pinholes but some of my hygros and other plants literally stop growing.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

> ... as well as conduits for nutrients...


I stand (or sit) corrected!


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## goodbytes (Aug 18, 2014)

Thanks everyone for all your input. I'm planning on taking a total approach with some liquid NPK+M for now and skipping the GH booster because the water where I am is super hard from all the limestone. I'm also switching to the Osmocote root tabs but that's a real no-brainer when you look at the absurd savings. I'll probably start doing dry ferts after the liquid runs out but I'll figure all that out in time. 
Any additional thoughts?


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

Its fine to use flourish comprehensive as a replacement for micros for a short while but npk still need to be addressed.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I think you are on the right track. Good to get started with the full line of ferts, and monitor things. See how much the plants use. 
Once you have them dialed in you can switch over to dry, or you might decide that you are just using a little bit, so the liquids are OK. 

I like the dry because I can make a custom blend that suits my tanks, based on stocking levels (more fish = more fish food = less nitrogen needed.)


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