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  1. Ady34

    Will APFUK starter kit suit my needs?? 4 Month update with pics

    Just read the thread, some great forum member advice and help and I’m pleased it has had a positive impact on your tank which is looking great. Far more knowledgeable people than me, I just keep adding more standard mixed EI recipie until the plants are happy :lol: Thanks also for the positive...
  2. Ady34

    APF UK dry salts - out of stock?

    Thanks Darrel, just saw your posts in another thread which answered the question. Just the Epsom salts which say 100% Epsom salts so should be good.
  3. Ady34

    MgSO4

    Ah, this has answered a query for me on another thread. Cool.
  4. Ady34

    APF UK dry salts - out of stock?

    I had the same issue. Wanted to order more salts but out of stock. I have bought salts from eBay. I’ve been meaning to ask if the salt is just the salt and if it will be aquarium safe. I got mgso4 as Epsom salts and kno3 potassium nitrate (saltpetre) as a food grade salt. Hoping to ensure all...
  5. Ady34

    Old open tropica fertilisers

    Thanks @alto, tank is looking great so it’s working well :thumbup: Lowering lighting intensity is best to reduce growth as it dictates the rate, as for the trimming, not a bad problem to have :D Cheerio
  6. Ady34

    Old open tropica fertilisers

    Mick.Md, sorry while I have your attention would you recommend 2x or 3x dosage on the bottle and only the specialised rather than alternate specialised/premium? Tank is mainly epiphytes, co2 injected, no soil just sand substrate, lighting level is low as it’s a new system but will get more...
  7. Ady34

    Old open tropica fertilisers

    Only thing that really concerned me was that they weren’t sealed.
  8. Ady34

    Old open tropica fertilisers

    Thanks Mick.Dk, they seem clear, no curtain and have been in a garage in a box so should be ok from what you have said :thumbup: Thanks again.
  9. Ady34

    Old open tropica fertilisers

    Hi, I think I’m confident in saying fertilisers have a pretty indefinite shelf life, however it has come to my attention that my several year old tropica fertilisers are not sealed :nailbiting: The top should have a pump button but they don’t so the tube leaves an open highway direct to the...
  10. Ady34

    EI dosing + water change - Initial schedule

    Sounds good, I’m presuming dosing after water changes?
  11. Ady34

    Excel or Glutaradehyde

    you may find this a good read: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/glutaraldehyde.22296/
  12. Ady34

    Some Help Please..

    Hi, i think you will need to at least double or treble dose liquid carbon with this lighting which is in the higher range imo. If there is livestock present try double dosing first and increase slowly. You can start with half ei dosage, but you may need to increase this slightly also...
  13. Ady34

    Anyone dose throught their top-up?

    Are you using the auto top up to actually top up or are you putting it onto an on/off timer to pump an amount of ferts in? I only ask as if using as a top up your rates of evaporation could greatly vary and this will effect dosing. You'd really need a fairly constant measureable rate of top up...
  14. Ady34

    Help With Ei Dosing regime!

    Hi, just add the ferts as per the dosing quantities advised by apf. If you need to keep tds low for sensitive shrimp etc then you could halve the dose for the 54l tank as this has low lighting. Start lighting at 5 to 6 hours maximum photoperiod. If all is well after say 6 weeks you can slowly...
  15. Ady34

    ADA Step vs EI

    Hi, KCO3 is potassium carbonate, an alternative potassium source to your potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate (which also supply your nitrate and phosphates) ADA step 1 is only trace elements also so using those you are only adding trace and potassium.....not nitrogen and phosphates. The EI...
  16. Ady34

    new nano/pico dosing

    Sounds good, if theres a shortfall (seen in plants), you can easily just start dosing premium on a friday and specialised on a saturday as well...but im sure youll be fine with your regime above :) 5 hr photoperiod to start is well advised, increasing slowly after 3-4 weeks to around 8hrs if...
  17. Ady34

    detailed description effects of N, P and K

    Very informative article, confirms the facts that co2 is the most contributory factor in plant growth, but also surprisingly shows that even with very low co2, increasing light from the lcp can infact enhance mass as one limiting factor is removed therefore the plant can adapt its strategy and...
  18. Ady34

    Dosing extra if using only gravel?

    Hi, I would dose the same for both situations, its easier. You could likely get away with leaner dosing on an enriched soil tank, but plant mass above and below substrate, lighting intensity, co2 availability and distribution will dictate/limit growth rates and nutrient uptake :) Dose as per...
  19. Ady34

    Ferts Mixture/Dosing Help

    The mix I use also suggests 8tsp potassium nitrate so you could up that a little too....but then again if your seeing no deficiencies then maybe just save the pennies :)
  20. Ady34

    How do you remember to dose your tanks?

    :lol: it would make you grow big and strong!
  21. Ady34

    How do you remember to dose your tanks?

    ...or by your toothbrush :p
  22. Ady34

    Flourish Mistake!

    Hi, switch the lights off permanently until you get home, at least that way the plants won't be demanding any co2 or ferts.....if you do this don't dose excel either. Cheerio, Ady.
  23. Ady34

    Fert Dosing Advice Required

    Hi there, you have an all in one fertiliser mix which includes both macro and micro elements. Many have a macro mix which contains NPK, and also a seperate micro mix which contains all the other trace elements. You have added ascorbic acid and potassium sorbate to prevent mould and precipitation...
  24. Ady34

    Another EI Newbie Question!

    I read a recent thread from Darrel which suggested when using cooled boiled water it's best to boil the water then cool in a separate container so that the minerals do not re-dissolve back into the water which could lead to precipitation within the mix.....maybe Darrel could confirm the theory...
  25. Ady34

    iron deficiency

    The best and clearest summary I've read regards nutrient deficiencies in the planted aquarium, thanks.... I wish I could bookmark this. I'm currently suffering a few symptoms from my plants which I now know how to address....add more ferts! Some new growth on Anubias leaves are stunted and...
  26. Ady34

    Tropica plant growth specialised fertiliser

    Yeah I started off on tropica fertilisers for the very same reasons :) You won't need the premium as the specialised has the same ingredients as the premium, but also has the macro elements too of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Actually tropica only advertise it as having Nitrogen and...
  27. Ady34

    Tropica plant growth specialised fertiliser

    Hi Danny, yeah the specialised fertiliser has all the macro and micro nutrients that plants require. The tropica premium only has trace elements. Its an easy to use fertiliser, as are other pre-mixed solutions as you just dose as per instructions and it takes away any seemingly daunting...
  28. Ady34

    Potassium deficiency?

    Hi Miku, from your picture it looks as if the leaves are yellowing but the veins are remaining dark, which as Hoggie suggests, is a sign of magnesium deficiency, and even though your water is hard, is it hard due to Ca or Mg content, it may just be high in calcium with little magnesium...
  29. Ady34

    EI dosing and mixing strengths?

    Just heap up your teaspoon after making a cuppa and stick em in....no prob with a little too much and Clive always says its not an exact science and not to get caught up number crunching :)
  30. Ady34

    EI dosing and mixing strengths?

    Exactly, I think, it's the one from APFUK is it?
  31. Ady34

    EI dosing and mixing strengths?

    Yeah cooled boiled water but i remember reading a post by Clive suggesting even this isn't necessary and just mix it in tap water.
  32. Ady34

    EI dosing and mixing strengths?

    Tis exactly what I do and it all dissolves no problem :thumbup: That's double the concentration, not sure about any more.
  33. Ady34

    Slow growing plants and feeding

    Hi, you dont say what lighting your using, with anubias and ferns you can use low levels which in turn reduces the uptake of c02 and nutrients (although all of these do slow growth which you say you dont mind) Id try reducing your lighting and upping your c02 slightly. GSA is usually a sign of...
  34. Ady34

    Is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?

    so, in answer to the q 'is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?', the answer is no there isnt, however it may cause issues, think of the analogy 'if it aint broke dont fix it', as if you try to fix it when it isnt broken you will maybe break it. If you do break it, try to fix it not by...
  35. Ady34

    Is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?

    ahh, s**t, its all too complicated, maybe best off sticking to the minimum EI excess and adding more if a deficiency becomes evident as you have already suggested...otherwise you could end up chasing a never ending equilibrium of fert concentrations, each having a knock on effect to another...
  36. Ady34

    Is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?

    Ok,...but theres no harm in doing it :) I thought my light would dictate my growth rates, and much like c02, the ferts are used in relation to these demands :? Im sure it is all far more intricate an interaction for me to ever get my head around hence why it is simplified in the ways we are...
  37. Ady34

    Is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?

    Cool, so the reason for the rest days is down to target reaching and simplicity, but going above and beyond these targets is perfectly acceptable. I know in another thread the EI was discussed in terms of an excess, but as a minimum required excess which may need adjusting up to compensate for...
  38. Ady34

    Is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?

    yeah i think most people dose adjusted amounts of macro and micro on alternate days to avoid having to purchase additional chemicals to prevent the precipitation of ferts when dosed daily together. All in ones such as tpn+ etc contain 'stuff' to stop this but when dosing EI its just something...
  39. Ady34

    Is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?

    my theory is if i just continue it ill be less likely to forget and there will always be an excess, covering any shortfalls, increases in plant mass etc... yeah there is that of course, however sometimes early in the morning i dont know what day it is :lol:
  40. Ady34

    Is there any need for a rest day in EI dosing?

    Hi, just got round to dosing EI macro/micro ferts on alternate days but noticed that in the dosing regimes it says 3x weekly for each leaving a fert free day or 'rest day' as ive seen it called before. Is there any actual reason to leave a rest day rather than just continue the cycle? Im...
  41. Ady34

    what is this defficiency

    Hi, do you dose trace fertilisers at all? Could be this if not. Also your lighting sounds very excessive if they are not timed to be on at different times of the day. Im almost convinced that if all that light is on all the time then you will be low on c02 as light is the driving force behind...
  42. Ady34

    Lithuanian all in one Fert?

    ....well, rather ironically it was the first opportunity in some weeks to get out in the garden and cut the grass after the deluge of rainfall weve been having recently....and low and behold the Ceg strikes again. The first thing i noticed was all the patches of dead, brown burnt grass had been...
  43. Ady34

    Lithuanian all in one Fert?

    You wernt duped by the Matrix were you :lol: Maybe dog pee would work as an ammonia fertiliser if watered in after each 'tinkling' to dilute slightly and not burn. Ill don my wellies, armed with watering can for the next few weeks and let you know how it goes..... :wink:
  44. Ady34

    Lithuanian all in one Fert?

    :lol: :lol:
  45. Ady34

    Lithuanian all in one Fert?

    Does my dog have special urine as wherever he urinates in my garden everything dies....plants and grass :shock: :lol:
  46. Ady34

    Dissolving GH booster

    Makes sense, when i prep my water change water i add my mineral salts to this and it doesnt fully dissolve at ph 7 from the tap. However when it goes into the acidic tank the small undisolved particles quickly disappear. Also tends to suggest that the salty shrimp gh+ doesnt use calcium, or at...
  47. Ady34

    Dissolving GH booster

    yeah i can vouch for that, i have this too and have also noticed how well it dissolves, its great stuff. I also use sera mineral salts on my larger tank but find it much more difficult to dissolve and causes some temporary cloudiness. Cheerio, Ady.
  48. Ady34

    new set up when to start dosing ferts

    Well if you do say a 50% water change then the macro content will have reduced by only 50% so there will still be the other 50% in the water column. In the early stages we do water changes frequently to reduce ammonia and organic build up whilst the plants arnt at full growth capacity ie when...
  49. Ady34

    new set up when to start dosing ferts

    It is advised not to do this to avoid precipitation of some of the ferts. Funnily enough i am currently having a few issues which may well be down to dosing macro and micro one after another on the same day. My advice is to dose Macro one day, micro the next. APFUK suggest macro, micro, macro...
  50. Ady34

    new set up when to start dosing ferts

    Hi, depends reallywhen you do your water changes. If you can do them say first thing on a morning BEFORE you dose ferts anyway, then dose afterwards the rule of ei providing in excess will theoretically be providing enough nutrients until tomorrow as it were. However if your going to be doing...
  51. Ady34

    Epsom Salts

    dont know whether you were joking Clive but: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsom_salts Wiki matrix never lies :lol: a few more: http://www.surreyforum.co.uk/threads/ep ... salts.892/ http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer ... omSpa.html
  52. Ady34

    Epsom Salts

    I presume adding mineral salts with mg in is the same as dosing mgs04? The plants will use it the same?
  53. Ady34

    dry salts together

    Hi and sorry to hijack. Im currently dosing seperate macro and micro mixes, aswell as additional potassium on the same day into the tank one after another. Ive noticed over time the health of my plants seems to have deteriorated (with the same c02 and maintained plant mass). My floating plants...
  54. Ady34

    Newbie ei

    Hi and welcome :wave: Im sure there are more qualified than me to comment on ei and water hardening, but i dont think it plays a significant role. With reference to ei, nitrates and Rams take a look at this thread, it may help you out: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=19971&hilit=rams+nitrate Cheerio, Ady.
  55. Ady34

    Which water to dissolve salts with?

    its suggested to use cooled boiled water by some of the sponsors. I have heard of using distilled before, maybe contact the sponsor and ask the question just to be sure. Cheerio, Ady.
  56. Ady34

    TPN+ dosing question

    Hi, i reckon about 50ml/day should suffice, realistically you need to be dosing 3x recommended bottle dosage in a heavily planted tank. You would be financially better off looking into EI fertilising as discussed in the tutorials sections. Cheerio, Ady.
  57. Ady34

    Spezial N - Nitrogen Fertilizer

    Hi all, and wow this thread seems to produce a lot of very detailed and passionate responses and i would simply say that most of what is being said is way over my head and level of understanding. I think really what can be deduced is that nitrogen comes in many more forms than i was aware and...
  58. Ady34

    Spezial N - Nitrogen Fertilizer

    Or is it that ive totally missed the point as i dont know much about compounds and the Mg and Ca are in fact in the form of magnesium nitrate and calcium nitrate which are there more for nitrate fertilisation than either the Magnesium or Calcium benefits? :oops: I may be over complicating...
  59. Ady34

    Spezial N - Nitrogen Fertilizer

    Not sure i follow what your saying Tom... sorry. I get that its just a nitrogen fertiliser, but why does it have any Mg and Ca in it if its effectively useless (as far as the plants demands are concerned)... or is there another reason for it being there? I think the confusion may lie in the...
  60. Ady34

    Spezial N - Nitrogen Fertilizer

    Hi Tobias, Just ordered a special n type mix without urea and added KH2PO4 to try out (George Farmer uses one). I live in a softwater area and i may suffer an Mg and Ca deficiency. Im currently using TPN+ and adding 15ml per day and also adding K and Mg and Ca salts. newbie question, but if...
  61. Ady34

    What would cause leafs to look like this

    may be useful also to know how long the tank has been set up and if this is a recent issue or ongoing?
  62. Ady34

    Do ferts "go off"?

    :lol: well yours should be ok then! 6 month use by must be another part of ceg's 'Matrix'! :wink: Ady.
  63. Ady34

    What would cause leafs to look like this

    :lol: not sure if thats enough. Time for an expert i think! Is c02 distribution good to this particular plant? Cheerio, Ady.
  64. Ady34

    What would cause leafs to look like this

    Personally id say no, those fish are plant safe. I think there is a deficiency of some kind, I imagine echindorus are heavy root feeders so maybe try adding some root tabs? Not sure about the easy carbo doing this, i know it can effect some species such as vallis but not heard of it with...
  65. Ady34

    Do ferts "go off"?

    Hi Tom, this may be in relation to your recent shrimp deaths? Ive just been on aquarium plant food uk's website and they suggest a shelf life of 6months for their fertilisers, which may put your 5year old tpn a little past its best. APFUK quote: "How Long Is Its Shelf-Life? I add a pH adjuster...
  66. Ady34

    What ferts and what additives?

    Hi Rudi, six foot, id definitely be looking at ei (estimative index), theres a great tutorial section written by Clive (Ceg4048) detailing this method with all youll need to know. Its a long read but very detailed. viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1211 Cheerio, Ady.
  67. Ady34

    Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Phosphate = overdosing?

    Re: Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Phosphate = overdosi Hi Ceg, its finally sinking in for me about all these water perameters and there relative unimportance. Ive constantly battled low gh and kh and the penny has finally dropped that its all about nutrients, c02, distribution and good...
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