Aquarium Plant Food UK Closing Down

[Happi]

@Happi - can you please clarify if the dosage per gallon you refer to is Imperial Gallons or US gallons as that will affect the dosage ( I have dosed as if UK Imperial gallon but now have doubts)

My tank is nominally 340 litre so thats roughly 75 Imperial gallons - I have been dosing 30ml of Solufeed 2:1:4

the above is calculated based on US 50 gallon or 189.27 liters. it is not based on Imperial gallons.

please cast your eyes over the above and enclosed water quality report for my zone and let me (and the others on this forum) know if you can foresee any pitfalls that I may be heading towards with my intended approach (especially @Happi regarding the imperial/US gallon issue)

after looking at your water report, it seems like PH is bit on the higher end. Darrel has already given you a great answer regarding your water report. if you had a acidic soil, your PH would be lower than 7.

anyway, some member are still comparing the Urea and Ammonium being the same thing and seems to be creating a fear about using it, i repeat that Urea and Ammonium/Ammonia works in a entirely different manner. you can successfully use urea even in a PH that is higher as 7, but it is advised to use it in lower PH where Ammonia will stay in its less toxic form Ammonium.

the best way i could put this is, think of Urea as a osmocote pellet, where the Ammonium is released very slowly. it does the same thing in the solution, as it slowly start to convert into NH4.

 

[Dave Edwards]

Thanks for the response @dw1305, I've taken your advise on backing off on the kh as it seems that things are safer at a slightly lower pH. Think I got overly cautious about running out of buffer and crashing pH when I first started with co2. I have added 3x 4 inch discus this weekend who are settling in well. They will be happier closer to my local tap water parameters 🤞and should add some natural ferts to system. Once they have established I can see where the balance is and supplement micros and macros where necessary. Also gives me more time to get a bit more reading done😉

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Think I got overly cautious about running out of buffer and crashing pH when I first started with co2

I'll be honest I would always worry more about the risk of asphyxiation with CO2 and that is <"why I don't (and won't) use it">. I'll add @REDSTEVEO he is/was? a Discus keeper.

Once they have established I can see where the balance is and supplement micros and macros where necessary.

That is why I like the <"Duckweed Index">, you get feedback on nutrient status from the plants. I've never kept Discus, but I've talked a bit with <"Larry Waybright"> and he is a fantastic (Discus) fish keeper.

cheers Darrel

 

[Phil Govier]

@Happi
@dw1305
@Zeus.

Many thanks for the replies. Please accept my apologies for the delay in thanking you (I've not felt too great lately - still recovering from abdominal surgery and now also suffering with Vertigo)
I will try and get my head around the maths I need to do now that @Happi has confirmed his dosage calculations for Solufeed 2:1:4 / Solufeed Sodium free TEC are based on US Gallons. This will take a back seat at the moment as my TMC AquaControl8 lighting unit controlling the 3 AquaRay GroBeam Ultima 1500ND tiles installed has now given up the ghost, so there is no lighting presently. Annoyingly (given the over £700 cost of these) the 5 year guarantee expired in May last year!!.....and the controller looks like its now discontinued.

Thanks again all for your help
Phil