Nutritional Needs of Plants part 1.

Aquarium talk 101 by Geekzeke. we will talk about Nutritional Needs of Plants part 1. Now that you have your tank setup with a good substrate and good lighting you need to supply your plants with a balanced diet of nutrients to begin growing a beautiful planted tank for your fish. First of all, the stronger the lighting you have, the "hungrier" your plants will be. If they lack any specific nu...trients you may find yellowing leaves, stunted growth, spindly stems, etc., all of which are signs of a nutrient deficiency. The key is to find a good balance between lighting and nutrients to get the optimal growth from your plants without being overcome with algae. Algae will normally appear when we ignore an important piece of the nutrient plan. When should I start fertilizing my tank? It is common practice to allow the plants to get established in your tank for about 4 weeks or so before they show a need for fertilizers. This time could be longer in a lower lighted tank or sooner in a higher watt situation. The only way to know when to start is by watching the plants health. Growth rate is normally slow in a new tank but plant health is easily determined.