Fertilisers For Aquatic Plants

The key to beautiful and healthy plants in your aquariums come down to three things, a good substrate, a quality and sufficient lighting, and nutrients.

Many beginner aquarists would have missed the part about nutrients and wonders why their plants are dying. Nutrients are like food for plants, if deprived of it, they will die. Just like any other living thing in this world, plants also need food to survive, and that food comes in the form of fertilisers.

There are two types of nutrients that plants need. Macronutrients are nutrients that plants consume in large quantities such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. Whereas Micronutrients are nutrients that plants need in small amounts like Iron.

Plants will start to deform and/or die off when they are lacking a specific nutrient. Here we will show which nutrients are needed for different deficiencies in your aquarium plants:

Nitrogen Deficiency

Plants with a nitrogen deficiency will visually start to have pale green or yellow leaves due to the absence of chlorophyll in the leaves. Adding a dose of JBL Proscape N Macroelements into the aquarium can help the plant produce chlorophyll again.

Phosphate Deficiency

Plants with a phosphorous deficiency will have leaves that start to yellow and brown. Parts of the plant will be reabsorbed, leaving dead patches and the leaves will fall off. Phosphates are needed by plants for the transportation of nutrients and a part of genetic reproduction. Without these functions, plant growth will be impaired. JBL Proscape P Macroelements provides phosphates for plants with these symptoms.

Potassium Deficiency

Plants with a potassium deficiency will start to have leaves that develop holes with yellow edges. Yellowing and curling of leaves are also possible. Potassium helps plants to regulate proteins and the opening and closing of stomata (pore on the leaves that exchange gasses and water). JBL Proscape K Macroelements provides Potassium for aquatic plants in your aquarium.

Magnesium Deficiency

One of the first signs of Magnesium deficiency is the yellowing of leaves in between its veins. The leaves’ veins will remain its green colouration but the other parts will turn a pale green or yellow. Magnesium is important for the plant to regulate its nutrient absorption, and for it to regulate sugars and starch. JBL Proscape Mg Macroelements will provide the plants with Magnesium in your aquarium.

Iron Deficiency

An Iron deficiency can be confused with a Nitrogen deficiency due to the same symptoms that occur with the leaves. An Iron deficiency in plants will start to have yellowing or whitening of leaves but only occur in new leaves only, whereas a Nitrogen deficiency occurs in older leaves. Iron is needed by all plants to work. Vital functions like chlorophyll production depend on Iron. Without it, chlorophyll production will decrease, causing the leaves to turn pale yellow or white. Plants only need a small amount of Iron, but that small amount is very important especially to plants that have red leaves. JBL Proscape Fe +Microelements can provide your plants with Iron in your aquarium.

 

Your aquarium is a small ecosystem that is constantly changing. Taking care of your plants in your aquarium is an overly satisfying thing to see and it is also rewarding for you and your inhabitants!

 

Note:

Note that overdosing fertilisers in your aquarium may cause algae to grow. Limit the dose of fertilisers to the number of plants in your aquarium, lighting, and CO2 supply. High lighting and CO2 injection can help plants grow faster, which in turn, need more nutrients.