# Osmocote Fertilizer



## bluetip (May 18, 2004)

Hi guys,

Was just curious..is it ok to have a few beads of this time released fertilizer in the tank? no frogs yet...

I read from a post that fertilizers are not exactly a total no-no...was thinking of burying them under the gravel so when the water runs on the wall of my viv, it will be diluted?

thanks,

bluetip


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2004)

I think the general rule is to keep the fertilizer organic.


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

stitch said:


> I think the general rule is to keep the fertilizer organic.


I agree with that statement. In addition to keeping it organic, If you plan on putting any frogs in there within 3 months, I would reccomend diluting it more than the package states, try 1/4 strength, if it is a liquid fertilizer.
I've used earthworm castings and rock phospate in my vivs and it seems to work ok in all respects.
If you put osmocote in there, (haven't looked at their line-up lately) being that it is slow release, if you put a little too much in, you're stuck with it for who knows how long. I've used osmocote on outdoor plants, and it worked ok, but I prefer organics for everything nowdays.
If you really want to play it safe, don't use any fertilizer at all, and if a particular plant shows a deficiency, try putting a very small amount of fertilizer around the particular plant.


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## bluetip (May 18, 2004)

Ok guys,

thanks for the tip...I was playing with the idea of putting a couple of small guppies in the viv to get them to fertilize the tank while I still don't have my frogs...

thanks

Blueitp


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## Mike1239 (May 15, 2012)

I know this is old thread but I have been reading on a planted fish tank forum people are using osmocote in the dirt under te gravel so Im wondering if anyone has tried it in the vivarium


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

im sure i have a few granules of time release fertilizer in my large viv somewhere but have not intentionally added them to my viv. however i have been regularly fertilizing my viv with 5 different liquid fertilizers with no ill effects noted on any of the animals in the viv for about 6 months. i do agree that weak fertilzer weekly applied is probably the best way to go. also my viv has an external drain and probably rinses around 8 gallons of water a day through it so any fertilizer is very unlikely to build up over time. most of the time release fertilizers will tell you how long it takes for them to give up their fertilizer at what temperatures. i would go for one with a slow release at high temps if i decided to go that route.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I personally wouldn't add any time release fertilizer to a fish or frog tank. When the granules are too close to plant roots they can burn them, and that's easy to do in a terrarium with shallow substrate - and just imagine what that does to a digging fish or a frog.

I stick with a mix of substrate additives supplimented with liquid fertilizers if needed, based around the idea of adding stuff like compost, mineralized soil, worm castings, worm tea, and organic natural fertilizer that is a mix of a few types of plants and a bit of fish meal. I also have a hydroponics fertilizer I put in there occasionally in low doses, particularly in cases where trace elements may be causing deficiencies. The key typically is to amend the soil with natural stuff that takes a while to break down and not have to rely on additional fertilizers for the tank. In small tanks the bioload vs. plant load can be more easily balanced so additional fertilizer isn't needed (especially if you've got leaf litter all over the tank). Access to drainage layer pond allows me to check the water quality in the tank to make sure nothing crazy is going on. I tend to mostly fertilize with liquids only in larger tanks where the bioload isn't enough to feed the plants long term, particularly with epiphytes that aren't getting detritus build up to feed on like they do in the wild.


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