Good and Inexpensive Fert?

[Bluewind]

Hello to all! I am going to be buying my 1st fert tomorrow for my low tec tank with Anubias, Aponogeton, and Marimo Ball as well as some plants to be added to my 2 gallon. I have proper lighting and PFS substrate with smooth gravel on top. What is a good fert that wont break the bank? It would need to last a while and be cost effective as well as not hurt Betta, Shrimp, Snails, or Cory Cats. Also, how would I go about using it?
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[sandybottom]

diy osmocote and red clay balls. working good for me.

[Bluewind]

Will it affect pH or Hardness? And how often do I use it?
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[sandybottom]

it may lower your ph a bit.nominal. you need to put it as far into the soil as possible,and make sure its fully covered. i'd start out with just the red clay first. this helps to grow lovely red plants. i only add osmocote to my betta tank. it's under stocked. however, my goldfish tank is another story. just red clay in there. i really only use it once every couple of months. it helps to freeze the clay. flatten out ball,put into ice cube tray,fill with enough water to cover and freeze. this gives you a little more time to place it before it becomes mud.

[kfryman]

The cheapest ferts you will ever buy are dry ferts used for framing and stuff. You dose so little so you save tons of money. The problem is is you have to weigh out the ferts, so if you aren't good at algebra I wouldn't do it. Also you would need an accurate scale. The functional difference between liquid and dry is that liquid is just dry ferts watered down so you pay for water. Fine fore small tanks, but a bigger tank it would become pretty expensive.

[Bluewind]

Thanks for the info yall. Wish I could have bought one yall suggested, but they only had one in stock! Made by API, so I hope it's as good as their other products.
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[logisticsguy]

Seachem Flourish has done a great job for me and you have to add so little that it lasts a long time.

[aokashi]

flourish is primarily micro nutrients. you should also dose macro from time to time.

[carbonxxkidd]

Originally Posted by aokashi

flourish is primarily micro nutrients. you should also dose macro from time to time.

Is there an equivalent to Flourish for macro nutrients? Or do you have to buy them all separately? I only have Flourish for my tank and am wondering if I should be dosing with something else too?

[aokashi]

I think flourish sells macros(NPK). I'm not sure in what form... you will have to google that. I get mine from a member of the local aquarium society, who mixes his own from dry ferts.