Plant nutrients
From The Aquarium Wiki
Aquatic plants need food in order to grow. They get this in the form of chemical nutrients in the water via their leaves or from the substrate via their roots.
There are seventeen elements that all plants require.
| Elements | Nutrient Form | Quantity | Supplied via... |
| B (boron) | BO33- | Trace | Fish food, PMDD |
| Cl (chlorine) | Cl- | Trace | Fish food |
| Cu (copper) | Cu2+ | Trace | Fish food, PMDD |
| Fe (iron) | Fe2+,Fe3+ | Trace | Fish food, PMDD |
| Mn (manganese) | Mn2+ | Trace | Fish food, PMDD |
| M0 (molybdenum) | MoO42- | Trace | Fish food, PMDD |
| Ni (nickel) | Ni2+ | Trace | Fish food |
| Zn (zinc) | Zn2+ | Trace | Fish food, Fertiliser |
| C (carbon) | CO2,HCO3- | Major | decaying matter, CO2 injection |
| Ca (calcium) | Ca²+ | Major | Water hardness, substrate, shell fragments |
| H (hydrogen) | H2O | Major | Water |
| K (potassium) | K+ | Major | Fish food, Fertiliser |
| Mg (magnesium) | Mg2+ | Major | Fish food, Fertiliser |
| N (nitrogen) | NH3,NH4+,NO2-,NO3- | Major | decay of organic material, Fertiliser |
| O (oxygen) | CO2,H2O | Major | Water, air |
| P (phosphorus) | PO4- (Phosphate) | Major | Fish food, Fertiliser |
| S (sulphur) | SO42- | Major | Fertiliser |
'Fertiliser' is in the form of either commercial plant food or PMDD.
- See PMDD for a list of low cost fertiliser suppliers.
- With a Walstad tank adding fertilisers is usually not required.
Reference: Book by Diana Walstad - Ecology of the Planted Aquarium : Chapter 7. ISBN 0-9673773-1-5
Links
- Trace Elements by Timothy A. Hovanec, Ph.D. (archived link May 2007)
- Plant Deficiencies by Steve Hampton
- Plant Deficiencies by Aqua Essentials
