From algae frustration to plant paradise - with Ferrdrakon & Eudrakon N

How I made my aquarium flourish with Ferrdrakon & Eudrakon N.

On 10.07.2004 I took the first photo of my aquarium - and to be honest, I was on the verge of giving up the hobby. Despite fertilising with Ferrdrakon and Eudrakon N fertilisers, nothing wanted to grow. The plants stagnated and the tank looked desolate.

I then pulled myself together one last time and presented my tank in various forums - including the DRAK forum. There I was confronted with water values that I had no idea about until then. So I went to the shop and got some droplet tests. The results were sobering: no iron despite Ferrdrakon, no nitrate despite Eudrakon N.

I realised that I had to change something. I wanted to finally get my water values under control. CO₂ was present, but that alone was not enough for healthy plant growth.

On 18.07.2004 I started to fertilise specifically and measure all the relevant values daily - iron, nitrate, pH, phosphate and nitrite. I also introduced fast-growing plants: Hygrophila polysperma, a Cabomba species and waterweed. The result was already on 25.07.2004 finally some movement in the tank!

But the algae returned along with the plant growth. I reacted by taking a 2-hour light break - and lo and behold: the algae slowly but surely receded. On 16.08.2004 my aquarium was almost algae-free, the plants were growing and I had found my ideal dosage: 40 ml Ferrdrakon and 10 ml Eudrakon N per week. Since then, my nitrate level has remained constant at 5-10 mg/litre.

On 13.10.2004 I put in a red tiger lotus - with just five leaves. Three weeks later it literally exploded: a new leaf was added every day! I'm not exaggerating - the growth was impressive.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped me - especially Andreas, who was always on hand with advice and patience in the forum. If you are struggling with your aquarium yourself, I highly recommend the thread "I can't get my plants to grow" in the DRAK support forum. That's where my path to success began.

My conclusion: Aquaristics is more than just buying plants and fish. Anyone who deals with water values and relies on high-quality products such as Ferrdrakon and Eudrakon N will be rewarded with a magnificent underwater paradise.

* originally posted 11/2004