Danish plant experts Tropica has revamped and relaunched its fertiliser ranges, and added CO2 systems to its equipment portfolio.
The two liquid fertilisers remain, only this time repackaged and renamed Specialised, the one containing NPK and aimed at plant specialist growers with experience, and Premium - the original liquid plant fertiliser aimed at all aquariums containing plants and growers of all skill levels.
The liquids now come in more sophisticated packaging, in clear bottles with hand pumps instead of the measuring type bottles of old with basic labelling.
Plant Growth Substrate is exactly that and contains a mixture of clay and sphagnum. It looks more soil-like than the previous Tropica substrate, although it's still too fine to be used on its own and must be topped with gravel as before.
New to Tropica are two CO2 systems, a nano sized pressurised system called Plant Growth System Nano and an aerosol system called Plant Growth System 60. Plant Growth System Nano includes a 95g disposable bottle, regulator and 3-1 diffuser which I guess is diffuser, bubble counter and non-return valve all in one clear plastic housing.
I'm not really a fan of aerosol systems because you tend to get varying CO2 levels although they do carry a low, entry level price tag. Plant Growth System 60 is aimed at aquariums of 60 litre volumes and under and to be fair to Tropica, they do state that even small amounts of CO2 will make a positive difference to plants.
Are they any good? Put it this way, the Tropica plant displays at 2012's Interzoo had possibly the greenest and healthiest aquatic plants I've ever seen, and they had been planned, planted and grown on, and fed exclusively on Tropica.
And after using the Tropica Plant Nutrition Plus NPK fertiliser (now rebranded Specialised Fertiliser) on my own tanks for many years I reckon it's the best and most complete all-in-one liquid plant fertiliser on the market, and I recommend it.
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