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Fertilising emersed plants with EI All In One solution?

aquajon67

New Member
Joined
17 Sep 2020
Messages
4
Location
Hertfordshire
Hi all,

I currently dose my planted tank using James all in one solution:

DIY TPN+ (3)
48g Potassium Nitrate​
2.2g Monopotassium Phosphate​
17g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (Epsom Salts)​
0.5g E300 Ascorbic Acid​
0.2g E202 Potassium Sorbate​
5g EDTA Chelated Trace Elements Mix (TNC Trace, CSM+B)​
500ml distilled water​

I'm growing quite a few plants emersed now in inert clay balls, could I fertilise them a few times a week using the same mix diluted to say 1\10th?
My main concern is lack of calcium as the plants are watered with a misting system using RO water, could I add something to the above for the plants? (Or maybe spray them with James Remineralising Agent mix if calcium can't be mixed in?)

Thanks
Jon :)
 
Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS
My main concern is lack of calcium as the plants are watered with a misting system using RO water..... Or maybe spray them with James Remineralising Agent mix if calcium can't be mixed in?
Because of where you live, is it possible to just very occasionally water them with tap water? Plants don't need much calcium (Ca).

The problem with adding calcium chloride (CaCl.6H2O) to your mix is that you can get calcium phosphate complexes <"precipitated">.

What plants do you have growing?

cheers Darrel
 
Hi Darrel, thanks for the welcome!

I started out with Cryptocoryne and some Bucephalandra as well as a few anubias but I've really enjoyed growing emersed so I now have quite a mix of plants (ferns, mosses and selaginella), some just for fun (Jewel orchids etc). The only common theme seems to be low nutrient and slow growing!

I found the following data for my tap water (no Magnesium but they say "high":

"The area supplied by Affinity Water has 'hard' water. The hardness occurs naturally and is characterised by the presence of high levels of calcium and magnesium, which are good for healthy teeth and bones.

CALCIUM 122 mg/l
FLUORIDE 0.15 mg/l
TOTAL HARDNESS 305 mg/l"

What a weekly spray with tap water provide the required calcium? I do have a large bag of Magnesium sulfate under the tank though...

Thanks
Jon
 
Hi all,
Hi Darrel, thanks for the welcome!
No, thanks for joining. Forums need new members all the time.
I started out with Cryptocoryne and some Bucephalandra as well as a few anubias but I've really enjoyed growing emersed so I now have quite a mix of plants (ferns, mosses and selaginella), some just for fun (Jewel orchids etc). The only common theme seems to be low nutrient and slow growing!
That sounds great, they are <"my sorts of plants">.
What a weekly spray with tap water provide the required calcium?
Yes, in fact you probably could make it just every couple of months.
I found the following data for my tap water (no Magnesium but they say "high":
There won't be much magnesium for <"geological reasons">, it is water out of a chalk (CaCO3) aquifer. There will be plenty of magnesium in the EI mix you won't need any more.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi Darrel,

Sorry for future questions...

I've mixed a fresh batch of James' all in one to 500ml of RO\DI water, I have a 5L sprayer to use for this, can you give a rough estimate for dilution that I could start with?

For the aquarium I do as James does:

Dosing is 5ml per 40 litres
Each 5ml dose adds:
1.5 ppm Nitrate
0.4 ppm Phosphate
1.6 ppm Potassium
0.2 ppm Magnesium

Would 5ml in 5L of RO\DI Sprayed 3 times a week be a good start?

Thanks
Jon
 
I forgot to mention my current fertilisation method.
I'm using Chempak 3 (20:20:20) which I'm mixing with RO water rather than tap, I assumed it wouldn't be a good idea to store for long in tap water (I mix up 5 litres which lasts a week of light daily spraying).

They recommend 5g added to 10 litres for use with every watering, I'm mixing 0.25g with 5 litres (10x dilution) as I'm worried about salts building up as no water changes like with the aquarium.


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I noticed a few older leaves going yellow on some plants, from your comments I think it might be a calcium deficiency as I'm not introducing any with the Chempak + RO.

Thanks
Jon
 
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