is this all you need to feed your plants?

No u need 1/co booster which is food u have 2/fertilizer an depending on ur plants u may need 3/iron and 4/potassium

Do we have to shake before using it?

Yes. I believe the instructions state to shake before use.

Do you need this when using a dirt substrate? Thanks.

I dont use it in my 2 dirted tanks only use seachems excell in them. But I do use it in my wifes tank which is not dirted'

I have a filter that uses activated carbon. Should i shut the filter off before adding this so the plants can absorb the nutrients?

The entire purpose of “activating” the activated charcoal is to increase its adsorptive capacity by increasing its effective surface area and increasing its surface area to volume ratio dramatically. The question shouldn’t be if the plants absorb what you put in the water fast enough so that the maximal quantity that can be absorbed by the plant in a given period of time IS absorbed while the rest is taken up by the activated charcoal and written off. The question should be why does anyone want to keep the activated charcoal in the filter all the time. In a healthy planted aquarium, the water changes should be more than sufficient to address any untoward smells and, when they do occur, the smells should be limited to a kind of “river smell” rather than a “lake smell” because, among other things, no hydrogen sulfide should be produced in that healthy planted aquarium. My first suggestion is that adding a large quantity of anything is not as good as adding a smaller amount more frequently. The idea is to minimize the amplitude of the changes to the aquarium environment. The use of a larger surface area filtration system and land plants within the filter (do not use “marginal plants” they will need soil to grow in and they will produce unpleasant smells) is one thing that can be done to enhance the quality of the water for all concerned. Unless you have an active CO2 system, an aerated filter (water wheel or ceramic “tubes”) will also improve the quality of the water significantly. Into that quasi stable system, chemicals that are beneficial to the aquatic plants are introduced. Aquatic plants will absorb the nutrients in these mixtures and the land plants will take up the excess nitrogen without a problem. I use water polishing batting material almost exclusively and, once the aquarium is stable, I take the water wheel out of the freezer to keep the bacterial population healthy by running the wheel for a few days with some stresszyme added daily during that period. As I do not have experience with very large (>60 gal) aquariums, I cannot guarantee that a system that large could be made metastable without ever using charcoal; however, I can say that a healthy philodendron can take up a considerable amount of nitrogen and phosphorus on the the strength of the light that spills over from an aquarium lamp that is not closed on to the aquarium. OP, take the charcoal out and put it in a ziplock bag and give the plants half the dose now and half the dose later or give the plants a reason to absorb the nutrients (like CO2 or other aquatic plant friendly carbon sources) in a given period of time but the activated charcoal has got to go. It needs to be pointed out that aerating the water will eventually result in the equalization of the partial pressure of gasses (CO2 and Oxygen in particular) with the room the aquarium is in. This will affect the rate of growth of the plants (the fish will sleep better LOL!) potentially negatively. That is to say that the growth will not necessarily be as rapid (the aquatic plant friendly carbon sources do not leave the water through aeration) as it could be. The land plant fills this niche by consuming the excess nitrogen that the bacteria made accessible at a rate that is interdependent with but not dependent on the conditions in the tank. The charcoal (AFAIK) also absorbs the other carbon sources as well as the trace elements that the aquarium plants need so, at best, the need for the charcoal is suggestive of a problem in the aquarium environment more than an effective solution in its own right.

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Reviews

J**I

Plant food for your planted tanks

This product is to help your aquatic plants grow and thrive. Very nice product that is much cheaper than some alternatives but highly rated in the community. Easy to use plants are thriving.

26.10.2025

P**A

Get it if you want your water propagation plants to speed the growth!

This stuff is good! It really speed the roots and growth of the plants in water.

22.12.2025

R**U

Put This In Your Leaf Zone

I apllied this to MY leaf zone......Get it? Otherwise, this is my goto when it comes to aquarium ferts. With the API name behind it you have the guarantee of quiliaty and precise measurements. Works wonderfully, plants are super healthy and I could see them green up a bit within a week. Came sealed as with all API products and had that good smell of quality assurance.

28.01.2026

A**E

Plants seem to let me it

Product arrived on time and very well packaged, no leaking bottles! This a very good product and good value!i use several fertilizers but if I had to choose the most beneficial I'd say it's this one .my plants are thriving!

19.04.2024

E**3

Works great, use less than directed

Has been wonderful for my aquarium plants! I do advise using it less often and a lesser amount than directed, just because otherwise your plants will become expectant of it and if you say - leave for 2 weeks and they don’t get their dose, they’ll start throwing a fit and turning some leaves brown. Always leave em guessing. Take it easy on the plant roids. Good product lol

9.01.2026

B**E

Thriving plants

Love these! Makes my plants thrive

5.01.2026

M**S

Excellent Product

Highly Recommended.

1.02.2026

S**N

Aquarium plant food

Aquarium plants will stay healthy

19.01.2026

M**S

Superb product. API is one of my resources for many of my aquarium essentials. Never had any problem with any of there items. Great value for money, with many products giving you size options for what you need. All products from medicated to water parameters and plant care. These products are made with an ease of understanding for what that purpose is and will help you on your fish keeping journey.

23.02.2026

C**N

Aquarium plants grow well with that one

12.07.2025

M**N

Rigtig godt produkt

5.03.2024

D**N

Great product, good price, prompt postage. Will definitely purchase again

8.03.2025

A**N

My Anubias and Java Fern were growing at a much slower pace since my tank setup is pretty new. I started dosing 5ml-7ml weekly once for my 2*2 ft tank— seeing great improvements in my plants and good number of new leaves already — after 1.5 months of usage

8.07.2023

ASIN	B0002DJN76
ASIN	B0002DJN76
Best Sellers Rank	#6,579 in Pet Supplies ( See Top 100 in Pet Supplies ) #48 in Aquarium Water Treatments
Brand	API
Brand Name	API
Color	Whites & Tans
Customer Reviews	4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,699)
Date First Available	June 15, 2004
Date First Available	June 15, 2004
Department	Unisex-Adult
Department	Unisex-Adult
Directions	Dose your aquarium weekly with 5 ml of API LEAF ZONE per 10 US gallons of aquarium water.
Global Trade Identification Number	00317163075760
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer	No
Item Dimensions LxWxH	1 x 1 x 6 inches
Item Form	Liquid
Item Package Dimensions L x W x H	7.64 x 1.73 x 1.69 inches
Item Weight	4.8 ounces
Item model number	576G
Item model number	576G
Liquid Volume	8 Fluid Ounces
Manufacturer	Mars Fishcare
Manufacturer	Mars Fishcare
Material	cotton
Model Name	LEAF ZONE, 8 OZ
Number of Items	1
Product Dimensions	1 x 1 x 6 inches; 4.8 ounces
Size	8 oz
Specific Uses For Product	Plant Food
Style	Aquarium Treatment
Target Audience Keyword	fish
UPC	317163075760 700580019538
Unit Count	8.0 Fluid Ounces

API LEAF ZONE Freshwater Aquarium Plant Fertilizer 8-Ounce Bottle

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