Calcium and dosing fertilisers

[MiZubov]

If it's lightly planted and no co2 addition add a tenth of the above explanation.

СO2 I have in that tank.
So. If I have high kH and gH I need dose EI and do I need to plant many plants at once like how about using soil?

 

[Happi]

I have no problem dosing a lot of fertilizers, the only question is how much? I still have a few plants. How much do you recommend to dose per week NO3, PO4, K, Fe?

what fertilizer do you have? I assume you use Seachem line? as mentioned earlier you are likely to have problems with Iron in your high KH water, excesses PO4 is going to make it even worse. you are better off using DTPA Fe. the uptake of N and K is not going to be that high as being recommended regardless of whatever the GH/KH is, Iron and PO4 may require adjustments, might be better to dose the P and Fe on alternative days.

 

[Happi]

So. If I have high kH and gH I need dose EI and do I need to plant many plants at once like how about using soil?

This is very misleading

 

[X3NiTH]

How much is NO3, PO4, K do you dose per week?

I aim to have 15ppm NO3, 5ppm K, 3ppm PO4 present in the water, I also target a ratio of 3:1 Ca:Mg (plant tissue ratio). This is easier to achieve in a tank without fish because there won’t be accumulation as they are dosed only once at waterchange. Fish in then you need to test to find out the NO3 and PO4 and whether they are accumulating or depleting levels and dose accordingly.

That being said and not needing to get hung up on numbers then having the aforementioned elements present at least at some level is all that’s needed. As an example here is the tank I ran at GH10 and KH10, no fish but plenty of snails, I dosed the tank micro fertiliser every other day for three years and phosphate and nitrate on the alternate days, only ever had two 50% waterchanges in all that time, when I took the tank down the Nitrate was over 500ppm, I’ll assume the potassium was at a commensurate amount since KNO3 was being dosed, PO4 was about 5ppm I think.

This tank -

CO2 dosed and Liquid Carbon added every other day, the tank didn’t need this much but wasn’t bothered by the excess, the Giant Vallis grew to about 3m long in a 50cm long tank.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

So, at high levels of alkalinity and general hardness, you just need to pay attention to iron?

Yes, but fortunately iron (Fe) deficiency is one of the <"easier deficiencies to diagnose">. Have a look at the links in <"Should i start to fertilize?">.

cheers Darrel

 

[John q]

So. If I have high kH and gH I need dose EI and do I need to plant many plants

The point I was trying to make in my earlier post is that without any details of your particular set up it's difficult to try and suggest what nutrients are or aren't needed, or indeed the levels of these nutrients.
EI is a blunt instrument that covers all the bases, and takes the need of micro managing deficiencies out of the equation. It's also been proven by numerous people to work, so we should keep that in mind.

In reality you may well not need EI levels of fertilizers, I honestly don't know because I've yet to see any detailed information and pictures of the tank in question.

For the record I don't dose EI levels of nutrients.

Regards planting at start up, yes, plant heavily.

 

[MiZubov]

Hi all,

Yes, but fortunately iron (Fe) deficiency is one of the <"easier deficiencies to diagnose">. Have a look at the links in <"Should i start to fertilize?">.

cheers Darrel

Which branded fertilizer "Iron" is suitable for hard water?
Seachem, I understand, is not suitable?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Which branded fertilizer "Iron" is suitable for hard water?

Not sure about branded, but one containing FeEDDHA <How long EDTA/DTPA micros last in soft water ?">. There may be one available to you via a hydroponics web site? <"Fe EDDHA sources">.

Seachem, I understand, is not suitable?

Seachem use <"ferrous (FeII) gluconate"> - <"Fractal"> and that is a less good complexor / chelator in hard water. It is better than a salt like ferric chloride (FeCl3), but <"less effective than FeEDTA"> etc.

......... each chelate has different range of stability, but for iron, EDTA goes fine between pH 1.5 to 6.5 and DTPA goes fine between 1.5 and 7.5. From the forms indicated there, however, the best is EDDHA (pH from 3 to 10, much better for aquariums) but is noticeably more expensive, reason why most brands they do not use it and go for the cheaper EDTA. However, as you can see, a a pH of 7 you can face problems with the iron, so some brands are adding also DTPA which still is cheap but keeps stable up to 7.5, and in planted aquariums with CO2 injection is easy to get lower pHs........

cheers Darrel

 

[MiZubov]

Hi all,

Not sure about branded, but one containing FeEDDHA <How long EDTA/DTPA micros last in soft water ?">. There may be one available to you via a hydroponics web site? <"Fe EDDHA sources">.

Seachem use <"ferrous (FeII) gluconate"> - <"Fractal"> and that is a less good complexor / chelator in hard water. It is better than a salt like ferric chloride (FeCl3), but <"less effective than FeEDTA"> etc.


cheers Darrel

Thank you! But I don't use DIY fertilisers..

 

[MiZubov]

Hi all,

Not sure about branded, but one containing FeEDDHA <How long EDTA/DTPA micros last in soft water ?">. There may be one available to you via a hydroponics web site? <"Fe EDDHA sources">.

Seachem use <"ferrous (FeII) gluconate"> - <"Fractal"> and that is a less good complexor / chelator in hard water. It is better than a salt like ferric chloride (FeCl3), but <"less effective than FeEDTA"> etc.


cheers Darrel

Okey, let's say I want to add DTPA 11%, which fertilizer should I choose for add Manganese?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

which fertilizer should I choose for add Manganese?

Probably manganese II sulphate (MnSO4.nH2O) <"Sulphate of Manganese | Viridis Garden">. I'd have to check, but I think the monohydrate (MnSO4.H2O) is the usual salt sold (it is pale pink), but it is hygroscopic, so it might be better to dry it and assume it was anhydrous.

cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thank you! But I don't use DIY fertilisers..

You might be able to get <"Vitax / Chempak Sequestered Iron"> or similar

But I don't use DIY fertilisers..

I do and I don't, if I can buy an acceptable mix I'll use use it, it is usually the most <"economical option"> - <"Solufeed 2:1:4 and Solufeed Sodium Free TEC or Solufeed Coir TEC Combination">.

If I want something a bit different? I'll make up a mix from dry salts <"The scientific background to the "Leaf Colour Chart"">, the plants <"don't know where an ion has come from">.

cheers Darrel

 

[MiZubov]

what fertilizer do you have? I assume you use Seachem line? as mentioned earlier you are likely to have problems with Iron in your high KH water, excesses PO4 is going to make it even worse. you are better off using DTPA Fe. the uptake of N and K is not going to be that high as being recommended regardless of whatever the GH/KH is, Iron and PO4 may require adjustments, might be better to dose the P and Fe on alternative days.

My tank description there

Plants dissolve

Hi! I have 30l tank. RO water, but stones makes my water kH 10, gH 10 High pressure CO2 system Substrate JBL Manado Now I am dosing: Seachem Phosphorus = 0,48 ppm PO4/week Seachem Nitrogen = 2,64 ppm NO3 /week Seachem Iron = 1,1 ppm Fe/week Seachem trace - 4 ml/week Seachem Flourish - 1,5...

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