API LEAF ZONE Freshwater Aquarium Plant Fertilizer 18-Ounce Bottle White

I have two planted aquariums I set up almost a year ago. I've been using less than the recommended dose of this fertilizer. I have cherry shrimp, pygmy corys, snails (mystery, Japanese trapdoor, ramshorn, bladder) and a betta fish, and none of them have shown distress from the fertilizer, even though the betta will get right under the dropper while I'm adding it to his tank. I wasn't using it in his tank for a while, but the valisneria started to die, and when I started fertilizing again (weakly weekly) it quickly started looking green and healthy. Other plants I have that are doing well include: anubius, bucephalandra, various cryptocorynes, salvinia, ludwigia, water wysteria, rotala, pearlweed, hairgrass, java moss. Also, this bottle is LARGE, and is going to take me years to get through.

As pictured and delivered on time

I was using another product that was twice the price and it ran out and I switched to my Leaf Zone as a backup at the time. I am noticing just as good or even better growth using Leaf Zone for several months now for half the price. I have mainly S. Repens and Dwarf Sag. Different plants, different needs, different outcomes. I inject CO2 so don't let the pictures fool you, but I had cut way back on dosing some time back, and my plants almost died. I did it to see just how important ferts were and it almost cost me my whole setup. I dose every time I can closer to when my light turns on for maximum uptake. Sometimes I dose several days in row, sometimes I go 3 to 4 days without it. I noticed my algae levels go down as well btw, maybe because it's not as strong. For the price, it is hard to beat as long as it fits your needs.

This helps my aquatic plants to thrive. It’s easy to use. Very important to me - there isn’t any copper. Shrimp and snails (my tank inhabitants) cannot handle copper! So this is great.

Wonderful freshwater fertilizer

When you use it like your supposed to if always gives your plants a boost. Ive used it here and there since I started keeping plants not as much as directed but I don't like a lot of extra nutrients in the water column so I use it less than recommended but never had any issues with plants growing just fine.

After researching didn't feel comfortable using this product.

Let me start by saying I am no expert on aquarium plants and am learning more every day. This product seems fine if you really do want one product that has both Iron and Potassium in it and want the convenience of a premixed liquid. But, with macro fertilizers similar to this one, many people also like to use a trace mineral combo like Seachem Flourish or use a dry trace combo like plantex when using the PPS Pro fertilizer system. This product could cause a problem if using a trace mineral fertilizer with this product. When I first got my plants I was using this product as well as some other liquid fertilizers. I realized my trace fertilizers also had iron in them so I was getting my iron levels way too high. So, I had to find a different potassium fertilizer without iron in it and quit using the rest of this bottle. For better control I'd suggest using separate fertilizers (for everything but your trace fertilizer) not a combo fertilizer like this. I was at first intimidated and tried liquid fertilizers like this, but many experienced aquarium keepers warned it would become expensive and to use dry fertilizers instead. After doing research I have finally taken the plunge to all dry fertilizers, I save a ton of money and have way more control over my PPS Pro mixture. It only takes me about 10 minutes to weigh, and mix my macro and trace bottles with distilled water, then they last about 3 months before its time to mix the bottles again. I spent about $50 total for all my macro and trace dry fertilizers plus $10 for a digital 100 gram scale in .01 increments. According to my math the dry fertilizers I purchased will last me three years for my size tanks. If I had continued using pre-manufactured liquid macro and trace fertilizers like this and the other necessary ones, I would have spent $400-600 over the three years. So, that's a pretty large savings. But, more so than the savings I like the control of the dry fertilizers. But, this product may be fine for beginners, just make sure none of your other trace fertilizers have iron in them as well and make sure to buy the other required macro liquid fertilizers as well(this one does not contain all Macro fertilizers). Or test to see if you need the others. After testing my water, I have high enough nitrates from fish waste that I don't add nitrogen to my fertilizer mix, but I do need Phosphorous as phosphates don't even register on my test for my tanks. PS. If you do decide to try dry fertilizers some day there are several reputable companies that sell these fertilizers. I did quite a bit of research myself but still had a lingering question. The company I used had great support, and responded to my emailed questions throughout the weekend, the guy knew his aquarium information so I ordered the following Monday. I have been very happy, but you do need to do some initial research. Unfortunately at the time of this posting amazon doesn't seem to sell these dry fertilizers, so you will have to use another company like I did.