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Tropica specialized on RO water.

Mike87

Member
Joined
7 Feb 2022
Messages
41
Location
Poland
Hello all.
I got a question,
want to start with tropica specialized fertilizer.
Now im dosing all separately and I am not happy.
Question is:
If I mineralize RO Water like I always do to 35CA and 9MG, the ratio of K (from tropica) will be much less than it should be to (9MG and 35CA) mineralized RO water.

Should I add K to proper ratio to achieve CA, MG, K: 35,9,20? Than start fertilizing with Tropica specialized? It is not following the all in one rule when I have to add something separately or if I am wrong correct me..

Im Just tired of EI and constantly testing evrything... I need to know how to start with tropica specialized fertilizer after 50% water change (to remove current ferts) with mineralized RO to for example 35CA and 9MG...
 
Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS,
want to start with tropica specialized fertilizer.
That should be fine. It is <"an expensive option">, but other than that there aren't any issues.
If I mineralize RO Water like I always do to 35CA and 9MG, the ratio of K (from tropica) will be much less than it should be to (9MG and 35CA) mineralized RO water.

Should I add K to proper ratio to achieve CA, MG, K: 35,9,20? Than start fertilizing with Tropica specialized? It is not following the all in one rule when I have to add something separately or if I am wrong correct me..
Yes, just ignore the ratio, personally I'm not convinced it has much relevance to plant growth. Have a look at <"About making liquid gh booster"> and <"Latest insights on.....">

Because you are adding the fertiliser that will act as your remineraliser to some degree. If you want to add some extra dKH and dGH, the details are at <"James' Planted Tank">.
Im Just tired of EI and constantly testing evrything... I need to know how to start with tropica specialized fertilizer after 50% water change (to remove current ferts) with mineralized RO to for example 35CA and 9MG...
I have access to <"lab. analytical kit">, but I don't test the tank water, it is too time consuming to do it properly, and it usually doesn't tell you anything very useful.

I'd advise just <"watching plant growth">.

cheers Darrel
 
Why are you constantly having to test everything, and why would that be different when using tropics specialised?

Whe you say you are not happy dosing separately, why are you not happy?
Because I like to complicate easy things. The answer is due to issues with green dust algae since 2 years no matter how much Po4 I have in water column 0 or 3ppm and no matter the micro Im adding and how much (tried like 5 micro brands ) always got GDA. CO2 is yellow, circulation is Perfect due to power head pushing CO2 anyway always getting GDA after few days and plants are growing (jumpy) like one week they grow as crazy than other week they stop and stay. This is complicated to explain but mostly using EI with modifications so constant testing was neccesery and now I want to try lean/medium method...
 
Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS,

That should be fine. It is <"an expensive option">, but other than that there aren't any issues.

Yes, just ignore the ratio, personally I'm not convinced it has much relevance to plant growth. Have a look at <"About making liquid gh booster"> and <"Latest insights on.....">

Because you are adding the fertiliser that will act as your remineraliser to some degree. If you want to add some extra dKH and dGH, the details are at <"James' Planted Tank">.

I have access to <"lab. analytical kit">, but I don't test the tank water, it is too time consuming to do it properly, and it usually doesn't tell you anything very useful.

I'd advise just <"watching plant growth">.

cheers Darrel
Wow, such an accurate answer. Thanks, so now I have to Read all that stuff ^_^ wondering how plants will react to change from EI to tropica. 🤔✌️😆
 
Because I like to complicate easy things. The answer is due to issues with green dust algae since 2 years no matter how much Po4 I have in water column 0 or 3ppm and no matter the micro Im adding and how much (tried like 5 micro brands ) always got GDA. CO2 is yellow, circulation is Perfect due to power head pushing CO2 anyway always getting GDA after few days and plants are growing (jumpy) like one week they grow as crazy than other week they stop and stay. This is complicated to explain but mostly using EI with modifications so constant testing was neccesery and now I want to try lean/medium method...
OK. So what you might want to try us using the excellent fertiliser calculator we have here with you can use to clone the Tropica using the salts you used for EI. That way you'll know exactly what you've put in and won't have to resort to measuring your water.
 
OK. So what you might want to try us using the excellent fertiliser calculator we have here with you can use to clone the Tropica using the salts you used for EI. That way you'll know exactly what you've put in and won't have to resort to measuring your water.
it probably won't work. csm+b kh2po4, and kno3 will not get you the same ppms as tropica and will not give you good growth. as far as I know, tropica uses nh4no3 or/and urea as N source, it won't work well with chemicals such as kno3.
 
if you are constantly testing then you are not dosing EI, you defeat the purpose of EI dosing. there is no problem using Tropica over EI, in fact I highly recommend it. far as the GH goes, it should work fine under those scenario as well even if you don't add K as part of your GH. booster.
 
if you are constantly testing then you are not dosing EI, you defeat the purpose of EI dosing. there is no problem using Tropica over EI, in fact I highly recommend it. far as the GH goes, it should work fine under those scenario as well even if you don't add K as part of your GH. booster.
Ye, I was curious due to my Mineralizer don't have K.
 
Hello all.
I got a question,
want to start with tropica specialized fertilizer.
Now im dosing all separately and I am not happy.
Question is:
If I mineralize RO Water like I always do to 35CA and 9MG, the ratio of K (from tropica) will be much less than it should be to (9MG and 35CA) mineralized RO water.

Should I add K to proper ratio to achieve CA, MG, K: 35,9,20? Than start fertilizing with Tropica specialized? It is not following the all in one rule when I have to add something separately or if I am wrong correct me..

Im Just tired of EI and constantly testing evrything... I need to know how to start with tropica specialized fertilizer after 50% water change (to remove current ferts) with mineralized RO to for example 35CA and 9MG...
As mentioned by Happi, dosing EI inherently means that there is no need for testing.
Additionally, trying to micromanage ratios of nutrients is probably the cause of unhappiness.
You should simply dose the suggested amounts and forget about ratios. Ratios really does not help to grow better plants.

Cheers,
 
if you are constantly testing then you are not dosing EI, you defeat the purpose of EI dosing. there is no problem using Tropica over EI, in fact I highly recommend it. far as the GH goes, it should work fine under those scenario as well even if you don't add K as part of your GH. booster.
Just wondering why you recommend tropica over EI? I am considering moving to EI as I have just purchased a 100 litre tank and I want to bring cost down
 
it probably won't work. csm+b kh2po4, and kno3 will not get you the same ppms as tropica and will not give you good growth. as far as I know, tropica uses nh4no3 or/and urea as N source, it won't work well with chemicals such as kno3.
You can replicate the Tropica macro ppms. You cannot replicate the trace elements because they are not fully detailed.

Several liquid fertilisers use a mix of Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Sulfate, and Urea, together with other NO3 sources. On the other hand, not many people using dry salts are using Ammonium or Urea in their salt mix, regardless of whether they are using EI or cloning some other fertiliser. Are you saying that using KNO3 as a nitrate source will not give good growth? If that were the case, then fertilising with dry salts would not work for an overwhelming majority, which is not the case.
 
Just wondering why you recommend tropica over EI? I am considering moving to EI as I have just purchased a 100 litre tank and I want to bring cost down
I can only speak based on my personal experience and those who use both systems and it seems that they rather prefer Tropica when it comes to plant growth. for lower cost you can choose to go with dry salts. you can literally clone the tropica and any name brand if you are willing to put some effort into it, the cost to clone them with dry chemicals are 100+ times lower.
 
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Just wondering why you recommend tropica over EI? I am considering moving to EI as I have just purchased a 100 litre tank and I want to bring cost down
Tropica water column fertilisers are lean and need to be complemented with a rich substrate and root tabs, according to Tropica's very own guidelines.

EI is on the opposite end of the fertilisation spectrum, where the water column is dosed with excess nutrients. So, it is the opposite of Tropica's.

Comparing these two models is comparing apples and oranges. First, you need to decide which type of fertilisation regime you actually want. After that, you do the maths and calculate the cost of using liquid fertilisers or replacing them with dry salts. You do not need dry salts to have EI, and you can use dry salts without EI. They are independent.
 
KNO3 as a nitrate source will not give good growth?
no, i'm not saying that. I'm saying trying to replicate tropica macro ppms with basic chemicals will not work well in my experience. I tried a few times and it did not work. and as for not being able to clone micros? i don't see why not, tropica lists the amounts of each micro on the back of the bottle. though not the specific chemicals.
 
You can replicate the Tropica macro ppms. You cannot replicate the trace elements because they are not fully detailed.

Several liquid fertilisers use a mix of Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Sulfate, and Urea, together with other NO3 sources. On the other hand, not many people using dry salts are using Ammonium or Urea in their salt mix, regardless of whether they are using EI or cloning some other fertiliser. Are you saying that using KNO3 as a nitrate source will not give good growth? If that were the case, then fertilising with dry salts would not work for an overwhelming majority, which is not the case.
 

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I can only speak based on my personal experience and those who use both systems and it seems that they rather prefer Tropica when it comes to plant growth. for lower cost you can choose to go with dry salts. you can literally clone the tropica and any name brand if you are willing to put some effort into it, the cost is almost same as buying the dry salts.
750 ml of Tropica Specialized costs 20 EUR here. How can the costs be similar? The cost of Tropica is at least 10x more if we use Tropica's dosage, and will be higher if the dosage is increased because of CO2 injection and light.
 
no, i'm not saying that. I'm saying trying to replicate tropica macro ppms with basic chemicals will not work well in my experience. I tried a few times and it did not work.
Why not?
and as for not being able to clone micros? i don't see why not, tropica lists the amounts of each micro on the back of the bottle. though not the specific chemicals.
Micros are more complicated because of the chelators, even if you know the ppm of each element.
 
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