AquaTechnic Pte Ltd

Contrary to tropical plant waters, our main's water has large nutrient deficiencies. Many important plant nutrients and trace elements are missing or extracted from the water during treatment at the waterworks. However, if a nutrient is missing, even if only temporarily, the plants' growth will be stunted or the plants perish. (Liebigs's law of minimums).

In order to ensure healthy plant growth in the aquarium, the nutrient deficiencies in the main's water have to be stocked up and supplemented, so that good "aquarium water" is derived from mains' water. For this purpose, it is decisive that the nutrients are in a very certain ratio to one another. Several "critical nutrients", in particular iron and a series of trace elements, present special problems in solving this task; they are required in only minute quantities. In larger doses their effect is poisonous. In aquariums they may not be administered for days and weeks in advance, eg. if the water is changed.

The situation is rendered more serious if various trace elements are not only being consumed by the plants but also being precipitated by chemical reactions. This has always presented plant fertilization in the aquarium with special problems.