Discus tank plant fertilizer safe?

[julian]

I've got a 75 gallon planted tank with 6 Discus, all around 4 inches. Been using Seachem Flourish but worried it might mess with their sensitive nature. Anyone got experience with this? My water's at 84F, pH 6.8, and I do 30% changes twice a week.

[Swiftsea]

Flourish is generally safe if dosed correctly. I've used it in my 120 gallon with Discus for years. Key is to start with half the recommended dose and monitor their behavior. Any signs of stress, like clamped fins or hiding, cut it back. What's your substrate? Root tabs can be a safer alternative for heavy root feeders.

[Veloce]

Agree with Swiftsea. Also, check your nitrates. If they're above 20ppm, skip the ferts until your next water change. Overdosing is the real risk here.

[theGorilla]

My Discus are chill with Flourish, but I only dose once a week. Tank's got Amazon swords and Java fern, so they don't need much. How often are you feeding them? Overfeeding plus ferts can spike nitrates fast.

[julian]

Thanks for the tips, y'all. I'll try halving the dose and keep an eye on 'em. Substrate is Eco-Complete, and I feed twice daily, mostly frozen bloodworms and pellets.

[cadence]

Flourish is generally safe if dosed correctly. I've used it in my 120 gallon with Discus for years. Key is to start with half the recommended dose and monitor their behavior. Any signs of stress, like clamped fins or hiding, cut it back. What's your substrate? Root tabs can be a safer alternative for heavy root feeders.

This. Also, if your plants are thriving, no need to push the ferts. Less is more with Discus, ya know?

[Blazer]

I've had bad luck with liquid ferts. Switched to root tabs and my Discus are way happier. Less algae too. Maybe worth a shot if you're seeing issues.

[Spark]

What's your lighting schedule? High light plus ferts can cause algae blooms, which stress Discus. I run mine 6 hours a day, no CO2, and keep nitrates under 10ppm.

[Swiftsea]

What's your lighting schedule? High light plus ferts can cause algae blooms, which stress Discus. I run mine 6 hours a day, no CO2, and keep nitrates under 10ppm.

Good point. Julian, if you're running high light, dial it back or reduce ferts. Algae isn't just ugly, it competes with plants for nutrients.

[theGorilla]

Also, what's your filter situation? A good canister filter helps keep things stable. I run a Fluval FX6 with purigen to keep the water crystal clear.