# Miracle gro fertilizer?



## pmcarbrey

I was recently told that it is possible to use miracle gro to dose a planted tank, is this correct? I was told that it would not harm any of the fish and that it would be an easy alternative to ordering fertilizers to dose with :icon_ques


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## UDGags

Probably no

Most contain urea (listed on back as ammonical nitrogen sometimes), which breaks down into ammonia. 

And a good portion contain heavy metals, which are toxic as well. Check the contents of the one you want to buy here

http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilizers/FertDB/Product1.aspx?ltr=M


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## happi

urea is not the problem if ph is 7< but i think Miracle gro isn't balanced fertilizer for planted tanks.


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## pmcarbrey

happi said:


> urea is not the problem if ph is 7< but i think Miracle gro isn't balanced fertilizer for planted tanks.


Ph out of the tap is 8.6, so no worries there, I'll go ahead and check the box I have lying around and see if it's any good!


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## UDGags

I'd personally be worried more about the heavy metals in most Miracle Gro if I had fish/inverts in the tank that are sensitive.


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## ronnie6989

I seen somebody use (miracle grow organic) up on the internet.....I WOULD NOT USE IT. You really got to watch what additives are in it and how it is going to affect ur ph.

Ronnie


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## steven p

I use gro-fine, a more balanced knock-off.


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## In.a.Box

I use the All purpose plant food no problem.
Just dose small amount at a time. My is run on a auto fert dose-er ^^

I know a guy who been using it for yrs with snail, shrimp, fish, plant etc.


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## pmcarbrey

In.a.Box said:


> I use the All purpose plant food no problem.
> Just dose small amount at a time. My is run on a auto fert dose-er ^^
> 
> I know a guy who been using it for yrs with snail, shrimp, fish, plant etc.


How much do you dose? The all purpose is what I have


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## happi

pmcarbrey said:


> Ph out of the tap is 8.6, so no worries there, I'll go ahead and check the box I have lying around and see if it's any good!


i meant to say urea or ammonium based fert become problem if Ph is higher than 7. yours is already high enough to convert ammonium or urea into ammonia within seconds after adding to the water. i wouldn't suggest adding this fert in that parameter.


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## UDGags

pmcarbrey said:


> How much do you dose? The all purpose is what I have


Which all purpose? like full name exact....


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## pmcarbrey

UDGags said:


> This one?
> http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilizers/FertDB/prodinfo.aspx?pname=2069


Yep, that's it


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## happi

pmcarbrey said:


> Yep, that's it


N and P looks ok but K+ is low, which can be added separated through K2SO4, but there are so many other metals at higher rate which might not be suitable for planted tank.


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## UDGags

pmcarbrey said:


> Yep, that's it


The metals are so high...you better be careful.

I think 3% of the N is urea, which will be ammonia within seconds at your pH. Keep this in mind if you are going to dose with it.


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## Darkblade48

As people have already mentioned, I would highly recommend you not using any (terrestrial) fertilizer that uses ammonical nitrogen (urea) as its nitrogen source, since it will become ammonia in your aquarium (at a pH of 8.6, there will essentially be no ammonium anion formation).

There have been people that have successfully dosed with urea, but I do not think they ever dosed when there was livestock in the aquarium.


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## danielt

Your pH is not good for Urea. It is good for those heavy metals as they will stay in the water and not your creatures. Higher pH with heavy metals like Copper, Zinc, Lead is safer than acid pH which will ionize part of them and make them soluble in water. Plants will uptake those up until some point but they will be affected also. Long before your shrimp have died of Copper poisoning.

I did put Urea in my planted tank. But it is something like 0,5g in a HEAVILY planted 300L tank. No side effects.

I bought mine from the pharmacy as a white salt. Looks like Magnesium Sulfate (aka Epsom salt).


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## happi

Darkblade48 said:


> As people have already mentioned, I would highly recommend you not using any (terrestrial) fertilizer that uses ammonical nitrogen (urea) as its nitrogen source, since it will become ammonia in your aquarium (at a pH of 8.6, there will essentially be no ammonium anion formation).
> 
> There have been people that have successfully dosed with urea, but I do not think they ever dosed when there was livestock in the aquarium.


 
i dose urea and NH4 with german blue rams in the tank, they also bread many times in the same tank. plant also grew better with urea and nitrate combination.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=179668


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## Seattle_Aquarist

UDGags said:


> Probably no
> 
> Most contain urea (listed on back as ammonical nitrogen sometimes), which breaks down into ammonia.
> 
> And a good portion contain heavy metals, which are toxic as well. Check the contents of the one you want to buy here
> 
> http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilizers/FertDB/Product1.aspx?ltr=M


Hi All,

UDGags is absolutely correct regarding the heavy metals. 

I use Miracle Grow Water Soluble General Purpose for my emersed growth plants but I will not use the product in my aquariums because it contains: Arsenic, Cadmium, Cobalt, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Lead, and Cobalt (Co). I value my fish (or invertebrates) too much to do that.


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## pmcarbrey

Well I guess I can't just be lazy and use what I have on hand. I'll have to go out and buy a bottle of excel I suppose


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## danielt

As far as my knowledge goes, excel is organic carbon. Not a fertilizer mix as it adds one Macro nutrient: Carbon


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## kochman

I have used in past with no ill effects to livestock. i only stopped using it as i am now using a combination of organic hydroponic ferts and iron. I bought a jug and i dilute like crazy and all is fine.


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## Darkblade48

happi said:


> i dose urea and NH4 with german blue rams in the tank, they also bread many times in the same tank. plant also grew better with urea and nitrate combination.
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=179668


Glad that it worked out for you.

As I mentioned, some people have used urea successfully with no problems. It is a balancing game in the end.

Plants do uptake ammonia faster than nitrates, as that is their preferred nitrogen source. Theoretically, you could dose ammonia directly for even faster plant growth.


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