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I remember looking on eBay for antique (non-stainless steel) nails after reading a similar discussion on UKAPS in the past. In the thread I remember, somebody had jokingly pointed out that this is basically what ADA sell with a very high mark-up 🤣. If I ever considered doing a Walstad tank with...

Just make sure they are buried deep in the substrate and don't come loose (otherwise you could have an ammonia spike). I prefer the clay+peat fertiliser balls now, you can make them yourself, or buy them cheaply online too. Osmocote leaves little platic balls kicking around the tank and...

On top of the explained redundancy of adding more copper, it's also one of the more risky to overdose for some tank inhabitants, especialy invertebrates like shrimp and snails. As mentioned above, metals are toxic to many orgainsims in relatively low concentrations. Generally people worry too...

I find my fast growing stem plants always show signs of potassium deficiency when I just dose my mix of KNO3 and KH2PO4, so I usually just add a teaspoon(ish) of soluble "Sulphate of Potash" to the bucket whenever adding new water to the tank. I usually add Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) at the...

That is quite low! But do you have any indications of calcium deficency, are you wanting to prevent moulting issues with freshwater shrimp, or something else specific? If it's just for plants and you have soft water it's probably easier and better for your plants to just chuck some shells or...

CaCl2 is great :). I use a DIY liquid made with it sometimes, just for peace-of-mind that my snails/shrimp/triops have enough bioavailable calcium in my soft tap water - although it's probably not needed at all. Many years ago people used to reccomend Kent Marine Liquid Calcium, "Snail Strong"...

I enjoy learing about the chemsitry and often make my own fert mixes, but I presume you are making your own because you can't readily/cheaply source a pre-made trace mix where your located in the Phillipines ATM? Your current mix seems great, assuming your dosing macros separately and aren't...

I've used them too, I got some freebie root fertiliser balls in my last order :thumbup:.

Just that EI kit is needed, it already includes chelated trace elements and a separate bottle for them too :).

There are massive benefits with the dry kit IMO - the trace mix ad macro mix are separate so it's more effective, it's cheaper (your not paying to have heavy water transported), more environmentally friendly and will last longer in storage. Some people see iron deficiency in their plants when...

I've used both now, I actually only tried Rhizotonic after seeing this thread. Personally, for aquarium use I would stick to Rhizotonic as it is formulated specifically with hydroponic use in mind, while the other cheaper alternatives may be even better than Rhizotonic for use in other growing...

I had always assumed that Rhizotonic was basically just expensive water and some B vitamins like Super Thrive (which I've always kinda wanted to try, but the marketing just screams "snake oil" haha), but if it has kelp or seaweed in it too, I can see it being a very useful product in the way you...

2 X weekly water changes is only "too many" if you want to do less, in which case you should feed your fish less or just keep less fish in the tank :). Hydrogen peroxide is only going to kill algae that you squirt it on, it will not stop algae growing back on the leaves, in fact it could damage...

If you think excess phosphates cause algae, you don't understand EI ;). It's the healthy plant growth from adding excess nutrients (EI) that combats algae, not limiting the nutrients to certain levels. If you want to feed your fish more, feed your fish more. It will increase organic waste...

I agree a pH controller is not a good way to maintain constant CO2 level, and the drop checker should ideally be placed where Paulo says (also try moving it around to different areas to check CO2 distribution). Remember drop checkers do not react instantly, and pH will change in a tank...

This calculator has TNC Trace as an option: http://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php Just select for your size of tank, dosing method, how often you want to dose and how many ml you want to dose at once, it gives instructions including calculations converted from grams to teaspoons...

The whole idea behind EI is that you don't have to test the water, so I think your missing the point a little ;). You just add more than could possibly be needed, then do a 50% weekly water change to eliminate the possibility of too much of one substance accumulating over time. Most aquarium...

Java fern and Anubias spp. aren't fast growers so generally don't need that much ferts, they aren't particularly micro hungry - but naturally this depends on light and CO2. They aren't usually planted with root access to the substrate, so having ferts in the water column is important for them...

You are correct, nothing gets to toxic concentrations due to the 50% water change (and also the plants utilising the nutrients). Overdosing some micros like iron or copper without the frequent 50% water changes could become an issue. Unless you are vastly overdosing and not doing enough water...

Fe EDDHA seems to tint the water red at about about 0.1ppm for me. I just use a small amount (0.05ppm) of it mixed into my trace mix so that I don't get this red tint. I don't have an iron deficiency and I don't think Fe EDDHA is needed, but it was cheap at a local garden centre so thought I'd...

You can use this nutrient calculator to work out exactly how much Flourish Nitrogen and Flourish Iron you need to use for EI dosing: Yet Another Nutrient Calculator. When dosing EI levels, you'll find the bottles empty themselves rather fast!

If your worried about magnesium, Epsom salts are very cheap in Boots and big supermarkets. You could even try magnesium nitrate if you don't already have KNO3 or Epsom salts lying around. However, when I look at those pics I don't see dark veins, I see yellow leaves, so as Clive is indicating...

Those carbon shrimp shelters and bags of activated carbon are usually covered in dust produced during handling of the products. They should be rinsed under the tap before placing in the tank :).

Sure it will be fine, especially just with just fish (no shrimp?) and lots of hungry plants, lots of the metals in the trace element are more toxic than iron, but again your fine doubling it with just fish :thumbup: . Though if your trace elements is chelated and already has iron then its...

Interesting! I've been using gluconate and...whatever's in Easy-Life ProFito - I need to find out! Maybe I'll give Tropica a try when I run out of ProFito. Not that I think there will be much observable difference in plant growth lol, and I don't have the ability to test how long its useful in...

I dose daily because the chelators used in liquid ferts don't work for long in the aquarium before the iron precipitates out and isn't as readily available to the plants. Depends on which chelator is used and your water stats, but they often only remain effective for a few hours once dosed...

I thought you changed the intensity of the light, not just the nutrients? ("I was running an exceptionally high light set up") . Even if not, there are loads of potential reasons, as always with aquariums, too many variables to totally account for! Could be that the plants are more healthy, or...

If you reduced the light, that will be why they are greener IMO. From my understanding, red colours in plants are from pigments called carotenoids that plants produce in response to very high light conditions, as a protection UV . Red pigments are still used for photosynthesis as well, just use...

Yup its daily :thumbup: .

Because the 'peristaltic container' would be much smaller (peristaltic pumps are specifically used to dose small volumes at a time) and contain a far more concentrated solution of the salts, killing any microbes that may change the properties of the nutrients. The biofilm on the inside of the RO...

I would have thought that the nutrients would degrade in the top up tank, unless you add a lot of preservative (not sure if that much would be considered safe) or were topping the RO tank up with nutrients daily (defeats the purpose). Peristaltic pumps are a great option though, as mentioned...

Pretty good I'd say, I plan on adding another small pump to the other side of the tank as soon as I have the plug space though. Got 18x turnover an hour using a Fluval 105 with a spraybar along most of the back of the tank, and another power head with a tiny spraybar just above the CO2 diffuser...

That's a shame :(. Drop checker with 4dkh is green, and if I turn CO2 up any higher the shrimp go nuts :(.

Yes, but it's the glass-like appearance I as attributing to a lack of iron, and I already have the FeSO4 now :) I thought the reddish appearance of the leaves could be nitrogen deficiency, but there is plenty of nitrogen. Maybe I'll just dose more phosphate and see if that helps, though I...

Maybe I'll get he ADA ones then, I have serious problems with the amount of money in my pockets! :lol: That's what I had thought, so I held off buying the FeSO4, but it just got worse so I went for it instead of adding more trace (I know more traces wouldn't be a problem especially with 50%...

Hi UKAPS :D . Everything is going well with my planted shrimp tank, and I'm slowly winning against the staghorn algae that was running riot before I started to add CO2. But I've noticed what I think may be an iron deficiency in my hygro. It's only on some of the leaves near the light, and it...