BRUCE BOGMAN

DWalstad said to use fish food for plant fertilizer for a soil substrate.Does anybody just use fish food to feed fish and as fert ?If so what do you use and how much each day.I could not find info on that part.I figure it won't supply all ferts needed until I see a deficency and go from there.Any info please needed,I would like to try this method ,my other tank is EI dosing.This mts soil tank is amazing so far 1 1/2 months no ferts added and plants look amazing ,75 gallon 40 fish neons,rummynose,sae,Amano shrimps and a ton of plants.posted in EI also...

Michael

I do as Walstad suggests, no fertilizer and "feed the fish generously". I interpret this to mean give the fish a little more food than they need, but not more than the snails can take care of in a few hours. The snails are an important component. They process any uneaten food (and other debris) into a form that can be quickly metabolized by bacteria without causing an ammonia spike.

The other essential component is the soil, with its high CEC, ability to absorb excess nutrients from the water, and release them to plant roots later.

For fish food I use a good quality flake or pellet depending on the fish, one or two kinds of frozen food, and fresh vegetables. The most popular veggie is blanched zuchinni. I would give the tank veggies even if all the fish are strictly carnivorous; remember you are feeding the snails that feed the soil that feeds the plants.

BRUCE BOGMAN

Thanks micheal,what kind of snails do you have?how are your plants doing with fish food as fert and how long has your tank been running this way?

Michael

I have ramshorn and pond snails--yes, the most despised species. My oldest tank using this method has been running for 2 years, and I have to trim the vallisneria every week. The 40 gallon I set up over a year ago needs to be trimmed about every two weeks.

I do not have CO2, but I do have high flow (~10X the tank volume per hour) and the filters are filled with 100% lava rock for lots of biofiltration.