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Fert Details Good or Bad?

dw1305

Expert
UKAPS Team
Joined
7 Apr 2008
Messages
16,969
Location
nr Bath
Hi all,
I'd probably swap the potassium sulphate for potassium nitrate (KNO3) as the mix is low in nitrogen. You also need a phosphorus (P) source, as you don't have one at present.

If you look at the sticky for EI and "James' planted tank - all in one solution" http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm they will tell you where you can buy the fertilisers to make up the equivalent fertilisers much cheaper.

The easiest way of working out the ppm of each nutrient supplied to the aquarium is to initially convert the percentages into ppm.

1% = 1 in 100, (100 = 10 to the power 2, a million = 10 to the power 6) so 1% = 10,000 ppm (10 to the power 4), also parts per million (ppm) is the same as milligrams per litre.

You also have the dilution rate to take into account, "10ml in 100 litre".
10ml in a litre (1000ml) is 1 in a 100 so the dilution rate is 1 in 100 x 100 = 1 in 10,000

So as an example Mg = 10%, so 100,000ppm, which is diluted 1 in 10,000 giving 10ppm in the aquarium water.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all,
Have a look through the past threads, you can have a successful planted aquarium with the entire range of nutrient/light and CO2 levels, from very lean nutrients, no added C02 and lowish light all the way through to high tech with EI where plant growth is pretty much unlimited by any parameter.

Personally I'm happy with a low tech, low growth rate set-up, as I grow plants with low nutrient requirements and growth rates and keep soft water fish from very nutrient poor habitats. I'm after low conductivity water, stability and I look upon "biofilm" (algae if you wish) as an entirely natural and desirable component of the aquarium, in fact in many if the tanks I'd like to grow a bit more biofilm, rather than a bit less.

This is my choice and I will never grow many of the plants available, or achieve the phenomenal aquascapes you'll see in the gallery. EI was developed by Tom Barr (from the PMDD) as a technique where anyone could follow a "recipe" where light, CO2 levels and plant nutrients were in balance and achieve stunning results.

It's not for me, but it works for a lot of people on this forum.

Have a look at these posts <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=8592> & <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=8834>

and particularly Spider72's contribution and graphic on the second post.

cheers Darrel
 
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