Miracle gro?

[Albatross]

I am currently waiting on my fish. I have the system setup. I even planted some plants. I know it was premature but I was getting impatient. Lol. I was wondering if anyone has heard of using miracle gro in the water for the plants? And if anyone has heard whether the miracle gro will hurt the fish or not? I haven't put much in and my nitrates are between 0 and 20 ppm where as my nitrites are 0. I'm not sure what the ammonia levels are because my strips don't tell me. I am planning on purchasing the liquid test kit later on. I did also use house hold ammonia (detergent free) in the water for a few days. Then switched to miracle gro because the side says it has nitrates and nitrites. The only things that changed on my test was the ph went from 8.4+ to around 7.5ish. And the nitrates went up a little. Oh by the way I have an ibc system with a 150 gallon tank and about 60-70 gallon growbed. I am just trying not to kill the plants (that I prematurely planted) and not kill my fish (they should arrive in a few days). I am new to this and any feed back would be very helpful. Thanks.

[keith_r]

there are quite a few "miracle grow" products, i'd avoid them in an ap system ... if your plants look like they're lacking trace elements, maxicrop with iron is a tried and tested additive safe for fish

[Albatross]

Yah I'm trying to keep the plants alive until my fish get here. The levels are low and need to be brought up for the plants to thrive. But I don't have my fish yet. The company claimed they would be here like 2.5 weeks ago so I planned for them to come then and they never came. I hope they come soon.

[bsfman]

Rather than Miracle Grow, just add pee to your tank water. It will start the cycling and the plants will uptake the ammonia.

[keith_r]

just be aware that if you "pee" directly into the tank, you won't see ammonia for at least a couple of days

[bsfman]

just be aware that if you "pee" directly into the tank, you won't see ammonia for at least a couple of days

True, but it's still nitrogenous waste which will be immediately available for plant uptake, and it will definitely start the ammonia cycle in his system.

[Aloha Don]

Just go get some cheap "feeder" fish and put them in the tank until your mail order fish arrive...I did this while cycling my first experimental ap system. Seemed to work well then added my "real" fish after the system seemed stable.

[bcotton]

+1 feeder fish. I use minnows. In outdoor systems they also control mosquito larva

brian

[Albatross]

Thanks guys. My fish should be coming in soon. But my water turned green and my nitrites are really high!! I need to get them down before my fish get here. How do I do that. I quit using the miracle gro. An went back to ammonia and now I am producing nitrites and nitrates but they are too high. What do I do?

[keith_r]

partial water change, and cover your tank to kill the algae

[Albatross]

Yah the algae isn't bad yet but it's goo to know how to get rid of it. But I have another problem!! Aphids!! Those little boogers are on my okra bell peppers and cilantro. How the heck do I get rid of those?

[Bob Vento]

I put in a catfish and it cleans the tank very well. Don't seem to bother my tilapia either, plus the tilapia also eat the algae.

[keith_r]

i've read that quite a few people have had success with a hot pepper/galic spray, but i haven't had much luck with it..

you can get ladybugs or lacewing larvae, i'll take good bugs over chemical treatments any day..
with ladybugs, you can get quite a few for cheap.. if you do get ladybugs, release in the evening after giving your plants a nice watering.. the moisture will keep them close at first, and the aphids will keep them around

[davidstcldfl]

I try to just spray off the aphids, with city water using a hose sprayer. No, it doesn't kill them, it's more of a deterent.

We use a product called 'botnai gaurd', It's a 'fungus' and it safe around the fish.
But, It does come with 'price sticker shock'... :shock:

[Albatross]

Wow I didn't think it would be so hard to get rid of those little pests. Crap.

[Albatross]

Oh by the way I haven't thanked all of you for the help. Thank you all for the guidance.

[davidstcldfl]

Wow I didn't think it would be so hard to get rid of those little pests. Crap.
Aphids can be a pain. Plus, the ants like to farm them... :(

[badflash]

We use a product called 'botnai gaurd', It's a 'fungus' and it safe around the fish.
But, It does come with 'price sticker shock'... :shock:

Do you mean Botanigard Es? $90 a quart seem pretty stiff. How far does that go and how long does it stay effective?

[davidstcldfl]

Yes, Botanigard ES

A capful to a gallon.
Don't really know about how long it's effective....a few days maybe.

I try keep the aphids at bay, just by spraying them off the plants with city water. When they really get heavy, we break out the Botanigard

[Albatross]

Darn. I tried the garlic spray. Didn't work.

[Albatross]

I did find out that the fish LOVE the aphids. I will rub them off and rinse my hands in the tank and the fish go crazy. Lol. I even pulled one of the plants and rinsed the whole plant in the tank and put it back and the fish again went crazy. But I still can't get rid of them.