At last a aquarist who tells you how it is! Not just 'look at my pretty tank'! I'm off to get some potassium now! ( I discovered iron by accident) Great video 💜

Potassium Glutanate is on my shopping list. Thanks Dr. Novak!

This is a great point . Keep in mind that if you have a lush full planted tank, you will need to add MORE but that's a long way off from a fresh new tank .

Very much helpful video, I accidentally stumbled upon it and I am lucky I did. ✌

Agreed! For my fert I only utilize iron, potassium and some trace.

So much to learn, thank you Doctor.

Thanks sir...much appreciated!!!

thanks for the clarification on potassium

I love your videos. You have deeply influenced my style as an aquarist. I look forward to your new videos. Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge.

Dr. Novak - Thank you for your videos which are extremely educational and a tremendous value for the aquarium hobbyists. I have recently purchased the Spring Valley Potassium and Pond Flourish Iron and I would like to get a better understanding of the size of the small bottle you mix the 2 ingredients in. From what I heard, you mix about 6 tablets with the Iron and drop about 10-15 drops in the sump of your 50 gallon so one could assume its about 1 drop / 3-5 gallons as a base line daily but the missing key is the size of the little bottle so others could so something similar. Could you share the bottle size in ounces? Keep producing this fabulous videos!

Thank you Doc! You rock !! 🤘🤨🎩

Dr. Novak Thank you for your very helpful videos. I have gotten into Bucephalandra propagation. Do you recommend the same dosing regimen as you recommend in this video?

That makes perfect sense!

On point! Great!

I was blind but now I see.

Really interesting work. I purchased some Potassium Gluconate tablets, but i've noticed they are very slow to dissolve(several days in fact), so judging how many to add into the 'system' is difficult, in order to avoid spikes. I suppose providing a 'lower than required constant background level' with the Tablets, then adding the liquid potassium at the peak photosynthesis period, to get the optimum level might work out ok? Will just have to experiment i guess. :-)

thank you sir

I've found the only supplement needed..and it works GREAT is Seachem Iron gluconate. I've never used fertilizer tablets..and yet my sword plant has exploded in growth since late Nov,and it's only half Jan. That sword would never get more than 4" and then have the melts...its now growing 10" long leaves. I think it's not done growing in size..that plant just clung to life for over a year,now its lush. I agree with what you said..why add nitrates and phosphates. I've found it's a good way to get plants that need Co2 to maybe do well in low tech plants. I have to try more than B.heudelotii to see,but I get the feeling more would respond.

just out of curiosity , have you tested same water same time one with api and one with lamont for nitrates

Thanks for the informative vid! Just wondering, in your video, next to the micranthemum there is a echinodorus looking plants which looks really unhealthy and full of holes. Is this an example of the deficiency in which you are trying to avoid?

Hi! Goodmorning. I just wanna ask about the routine that I will use. Monday: Flourish Tue:Potassium Wed:Iron Thur:Potassium Fri:Iron Sat:Flourish, Potassium Sun:Water change, Prime I have Flourish excel though but don't know when to insert it. Please guide us. Thank you. God bless!

Hello Dr. Novak! I want to make sure I understand you correctly. After you've added your daily dose of K and Fe, because you use carbon in your filter, the excess would be removed by your carbon filter during the night, and this will prevent algae growth?

Does the clarification basket consume or take up any potassium or iron?

Do you crush your potassium caplets or leave them whole?

Is there a percentage of nitrogen/phosphates in any particular fert that you should avoid or just Any fert w/ nitrogen/phosphates ie Flourish? Im assuming to just avoid it all together.

Hey Kevin, thanks for the video it was really informative. I hope you have the time to reply, what's your opinion on DIY gel capped osmocote plus tabs?

U mentioned the dosage of k-gluconate as 1-2 tabs per 20 gal per month.. what is the dosage of iron..and in what form? Can iron sulphate be used as a fertlizer?

Interesting, I dose a potassium nitrate solution and likely use purigen to remove the same nitrate ions

i agree with what your saying in this video, but let's make it real here. Some of the "companies" that make fertilizers are not making products for fish tanks.... they are making them for the planted aquarium enthusiast that do not have any animals in the enviroment to add their waste as an element to the cycle. So, your information is good... but it just doesn't apply to all. Thanks for another great video !

Great video, excellent for beginners and all in the hobby. Do you put the Spring Valley caplets in the soil or just throw it in the tank?

Someone might've already asked but what substrate is that in the video

What's the name of the other fertilizer do you use

what kind of substrate are you using

What's the substrate you use

How much Potassium per gallon? What do you do with potassium tablets? Grind up? add full to dissolve slower?

Hi Dr. Novak. I've been following your channel content and i feel that you deliver really good information. I have one question that i hope to get an answer. As you mentioned, we do not add nitrates to the aquarium as nitrates amount is abundant which comes from the organic waste decomposition. but you also recommend to use/add layers of clay to remove the nitrates from the water column through ion exchange in a system what you called anoxic filter. i find that is quite confusing. if the water column is absence of nitrates, don't it will affect the growth of the plants as they still need ammonia as their food through root denitrification? please enlighten me.

Dr. Novak, I watched a previous video where you put a couple caps of regular aquarium fertilizer in a misting bottle and diluted with water. A couple spritz a day - that's what I've been doing with my Co-Op Easy Green. Looking at the ingredients, it appears both phosphate and nitrogen are key substances in that fertilizer. Should I ditch this? My aquarium is just over a month old set up with slow plenum, kitty litter, generous layer of Flourite iron powder, more litter, and capped with smoother aquarium gravel as personal preference and easier on my cory cats and snails. Not even sure if I would need to add any iron to a spray bottle? Also, can you make a short video showing you mixing your fertilizer cocktail and how much you spray into a planted aquarium. Understanding everyone will may have more or less plants than your tank. But as always I keep learning more and more with ever one of your videos. Thanks!!

Thanks for the information. What if my shrimp are not making allot of ammonia, would I then need to add the nitrates?

That's true, i'm always limited by potassium really, when i test my water i get 0 ppm of everthing and nitrite 5 pmm

Hi Kevin. I'm having trouble balancing my co2 verses lighting vs iron and potassium. I'm not looking for ridiculous growth. 15ppm co2 would make me happy. My system is 225g so i can use alot of co2. But I have increased the co2 to 25ppm atm and I'm still getting algae growth on the plants rocks and glass daily. So my question is how to know to create the balance for say the aquarium you have and reduce algae growth? Do you or are you able to measure the residual levels of fertilizer in your tanks? A comparison of that nature may help me.

Dr. Novak, the quality of your videos is excellent. May I ask what camera are you using?

I dnt understand... I had the understanding that was the purpose of adding laterin from the very start when setting up the substrate, For the iron content ?

how much potassium per gallon

👍 Hi Kevin, and thank you for your very informative videos about the art of aquarium keeping 😊 I am not a chemist or biologist, I just want to set up a few planted aquariums in my property, enjoy the view, see the plants and fish thriving with minimum maintenance and cost. I liked your solution for creating LED lights using readily available LED higher output bulbs ( preferably around 6000K) and I also like your... much simplified fertilizing method of your aquarium plants….A way different from the ‘field farmer’ style fertilizing methods preached by many ‘experts’ in this aquarium hobby field, methods full of Magnesium sulfates, Potassium Nitrates, Potassium dihydrogen phosphates etc. etc. ALL THAT STUFF putting in their tanks…. 1. Could you, please, create a small list to follow in regards to what fertilizers (compounds, salts, supplements) I should purchase and to add to what is present in the tap water which I use in my aquarium(s) already? NOT DOSING WHAT IS NOT REALLY NEEDED 2. What should be the amount of Lumens/liter when it comes to the amount of the light (on average)? It used to be Watts/liter (but that, I guess, changed with the introduction of the LED lights). 3. Use of CO2 system; How much is really enough? Is it even needed, if weekly water changes are done anyways? Isn’t the amount of CO2 already dissolved in the freshwater just fine? (from the simple water tests, I have done_ PH level estimated at 7.5 and the KH hardness/ alkalinity to be about 8 deg = to the amount of CO2 in the water column which should be already (almost) at the level needed for the average aquarium plant >> with maybe a small amount to be added for the photosynthesis period, but not pumping to levels of 30 ppm. Gee…that’s a lot of CO2 what these “famous” aquarium websites recommend?! Anyways, without creating a book here, I would like to thank you for your time and possibly a reply with the information I and many other people, who want to have nice green aquariums to look at, would find to be very useful. Thank you ( dekuji)

Kevin, what concentration of iron are you targeting for a heavily planted tank vs leanly planted tank? Fluorish Iron says 0.1 ppm on their bottle - is this a good target?

Hey buddy!. I find your video very nice and very wrong at the same time. Personally i make my own fertilizers for my 350L high-tech dutchstyle aquarium... Using "KCL" powder as main "Potassium" source, "KNO3" powder as secondary "Potassium" and main "Nitrate" and "KH2PO4" powder as main "Phosphates" also using "Iron Chelate" and "Plantex CSM+B" as trace and iron supplements! Now you said its ridiculous buying fertilizers with Nitrates or Phosphates but its not..., if you don't provide your plants those nutrients you'll end up killing them- Yes.., Some low-tech tanks don't really need high quantities but the majority does... Your tank does generate Nitrates and Phosphates from fish waste and decaying foods but not nearly enough for healthy plant growth You also said those fertilizers used for terrestrial plant not for aquatic , That's wrong..., N-P-K consumed by all the plants - Aquatic and terrestrial...., Although some forms of Potassium for example are more delicate then others or more difficult to consume but they still available for your plants... Its true that Nitrates and Phosphates combined with too much/too strong light are the number one cause for algae but its all about balance..., For example if i had 50L low-tech with lots of fish and few anubias i won't need to add any,. But if i had 50L high-tech with plants like Myriophyllum or Rotala-sp i would have to add NPK.... That's brings me to Fertilization method...., There are tons of methods like EI, PMDD,PPS and much more ..., You need to chose your fertilization based on your tank and your preferences, That way you avoid algae and provide everything needed... .For example if you can provide CO2 and do 50% water change weekly then EI method would be the best, You'll dose excess nutrients to provide more then enough for super healthy growth... - The CO2 would encourage the plants to consume more fertilizers and the 50% water change every week would balance the tank back so the algae won't bloom! In conclusion, Everything is really individual for your specific tank , Depending on many factors like CO2,Lights,Plants,Fish-Stocking,Substrate,Fertilizers,Fertilization methods and many many more factors.....

What amount of those two elements would you recommend to mix into 1liter of water as a ready-to-use solution? I have Fe-EDTA 13,3% and Potassium Gluconate pure powder at my disposal. I would appreciate some help here. Dosing into tank is another matter, that I can do by trial method later on.

U didn't explain how to use the potassium gluconate.

Very informational! Are there any sources of amonia if I don’t have fish in the tank? Would it be OK to add a small dose of NH3?

How do you control algae in your tanks?

I found laterite! but it is a raw form, and powder not granular. Will raw powder laterite work or does it need to be hydrated and then baked or put in a kiln? If so do you know how long to bake laterite, time and temperature?

How much iron to the 6 pills? I would like to try this fert in my tanks.

what about KCl

That true u don't need dose more nitrate and phophate because fish waste and fish food already produce it.

is there a way to identify when i have peak photosynthesis in my tank? I there a minimum concentration of potassium i should have in the tank? Thanks

Hi I have a liquid fert contain s potassium, magnesium and calcium. Whenever I open it and doze my tank I feel some discomfort like burn feel in my hand and face etc. Is this things are allergic or dangerous to health ?? Any suggestions ??

this is so hard to master, im trying and trying, but plants just die, i have Co2 and some Kno3, but i orderd a whole lot more chemicals, but i probably mess it up :/

Seems so obvious to feed during photosynthesis. I feel like a d%$*&. Been wasting a lot of fertilizer. I'm using RODI water, so the question that begs is, what are your thoughts on using equilibrium? Do you use any of the Flourish Excel (even though you're injecting CO2) or do you consider that to be an OxyMoron with regard to CO2?

Those fat Siamese Algae Eaters: “I can tell you about why there’s no algae in this tank.”

what if i grow plants in an aquarium with no fish? i need nitrogen? i grow plants. fish can be a nuisance.

But what’s the A&W for?

I think thats wrong i had tank that is planted heavily with ada amazonia soil that is packed with nutrients after 2 month the plants started to slow down and i was dosing only potassium daily and iron twice weekly with trace tested my water and nitrates are zero once nitrates are added plants exploded with growth

Plz make this video in Hindi

Co2 it’s a fertilizer it’s a gas

Or you can buy house plant miracle grow 😂

Talking about poison and he's got diet root beer just sitting there!

It’s unfortunate that people will hear you introduce yourself as doctor and will assume that you must be delivering factual information when in reality you’re just offering more misinformation.

Dear lord what an awful video