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How often would I need to change my water if I were to rely on tap water for a source of micros in a ten gallon planted liberally with glosso and anubias nana, with some moss tossed in here and there as well? If that's not a viable option then what other methods would I be able to dose K in particular without having to purchase conventional ferts?

Anubias and moss are low requirement, so it'll probably do well no matter what your regime is. I can't speak for Glosso as I've never had it. It sounds like a low maintenance tank ? Just change whatever water is necessary for your fish depending on stocking. The fish food will provide K, fish waste will provide other goodies, and your regular water change will provide minerals etc..

If you discover plants are lacking K, feed a little more fish food or purchase some cheap inconventional hydroponic Potassium Sulphate

It sounds like a nice plant tank you have there, needing little fuss so you can enjoy it more.

The Amazon Nut...

It really depends on how much light you have. The more light you have, the greater is the demand for additional nutrients (both macros & micros AND CO2) since the plants will grow faster and use up nutrients more rapidly.

The anubias & moss (I'm assuming java moss? If other moss, it depends) shouldn't be a problem in low light - they'll do fine using the nutrients from your tap and fish/food waste. Glosso, however, will be trickier. It's a high light plant and likes good levels of CO2, nitrate, phosphate and micros (esp. iron) to do well. If you insist on the glosso, then I'd recommend doing the full EI route with high light, CO2 injection, and regular fert addition. Or if you want a truly no-fuss planted tank, go with low light and select a less demanding foreground plant like anubias nana petite, crypts, or even dwarf sag.

-P

For Potassium you can use Potassium Chloride. Easily available in supermarket as Mortons Nu-Salt or in garden centers as muriate of potash.

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Any recs for how much to add/how to add it? I only ask as a few glosso leaves have been exhibiting minute holes in them, and I'd like to stop the degeeration ASAP.

Any other takers?

In the mean time, I'll continue to dose PMDDs as I do with my other tanks, but I was kind of hoping to keep this tank nearly maintainence free.

Cup,

I don't know anything about this form of Potassium, so I cannot give you a dosing advice, sorry .

But I would say that Glosso, when growing healthy, and almost maintainence free don't mix, in particular in a small tank. I think you are at least occasionally peaking into my log (thanks for the input, BTW) and somewhere in the middle you can see what happens if this plant is not constantly pruned. It basically overgrew itself 5fold and the botton rotted away. Not to mention that it invaded the rest of the tank.

Also, I tried to grow Glosso in my 20G Long low maintenance tank, with 40W of light. Didn't work out, the new leaves came in really small (which is actually kind of cute) but then no new growth followed.

I hope this helps a little,

Ingo

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