Dosing Question

[Booswalia]

Hi,
I got some Stump Remover today to use when I run out of Seachems Nitrate.
Many times I've seen PlantBrain and other refer to using.......
Use KNO3 - 1/4 tsp. per 20-30 gallons

Is that Stump remover? And if it is, is it diluted in water or straight up from the jar? And if it is diluted, how diluted is it.

I also have some Nu-Salt now and I guess I have the same question for that.

Can anyone explain???
Thanks.

[Tempest]

What brand of stump remover? The nusalt should list the ingredients. It should be potassium chloride and probably a small amount of anticaking ingredient.

[Skittyfish]

Stump remover---potassium nitrate. I use 3/4 teaspoon for 70 gallons. I'm not sure about the nusalt because I use pure k2so4..at 1/2 teaspoon once a week after a water change.

[djlen]

Make sure the stump remover is 100% KNO3. Yes, you can add it directly into a HOB filter or dilute in a glass of water and pure into the tank slowly. Try not to pour directly at fish. I use the filter method because it adds the KNO3 at a slower rate.
When dosing KNO3, IMO it's a good idea to test your levels regularly to make sure the plants are using it. Actually I dose KNO3 "as needed" when it falls to 5ppm.
You can dose the K the same way or make up a stock solution and keep it in the refrigerator. I find this very convenient.
2 tbsp. K2SO4 or KCl with water in a 600ml(20oz.) container. K2SO4 is very difficult to totally get dissolved IME. I stir it as best I can an still get a few "flakes" left in the bottom of the jar.
Dose 10mls once a week for tanks up to 30 gals. Same dosage twice a week for tanks of 30 gals. to 60gals.
K does not need to be tested as it is difficult to overdose.
Don't forget the weekly water change.
Len

[Timmain42]

Originally posted by djlen
K does not need to be tested as it is difficult to overdose.

Just a question or two:

1) There's a test for potassium?
2) How hard is "difficult" to overdose? I dose at 1/4tsp per 20-30G. How much would be considered an OD?

[plantbrain]

There are test kits for K but you don't need them.
Pretty difficult to over dose. I don't know what it looks like(Gone to 50-60ppm etc for a month etc) even.

If you do water changes, sayb 50% weekly, add 1/4 teaspoon K2SO4 to the tank, you'll never come close to the above range.

1/4 teaspoon for a 20 gal is what I do once a week after a water change, I add KNO3, Traces, and KH2PO4 2-3x a week. 5-%+ water change a week.
That's it pretty much. Nothing complicated. Cooking dinner is tougher than this part of plant tanks.

I add everyhing directly into the tank dry except for the traces, 5mls per 20 gal.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Booswalia]

The brand name is Later's Stump Remover. It doesn't list the ingredients, but it does say, "under Precautions, "First Aid: Contains potassium nitrate.

My tests have been showing about 2 or 3ppm of NO3. The Seachems Nitrate must be very diluted because I've been adding about 8ml 3 times a week in a 25 gallon tank. (Seems to be a lot... to me)

It won't be long before the bottle is empty and then I can switch to the stump remover.

As for my Nu-Salt, the ingredients are potassium chloride, potassium bitartrate, adipic acid, fumaric acid, silicon dioxide, and mineral oil.

Ever get the feeling that you're climbing on threads and walking on eggs?

[Tempest]

I don't know about that particular brand of stump remover. It would be safest to look up the manufacturer on the web and request a material data safety sheet. That should tell you if it contains other ingredients you need to be concerned about.

[djlen]

The Stump Remover is probably ok, but I agree with Tempest 100%. Either check with them on line or call the 800 number which is probably on the bottle somewhere and ask specifically, "does this product contain 100% potassium nitrate?"
You can also get pure potassium nitrate in Salt Petre which some pharmacies carry. It takes a little looking, but it's finer, whiter and seems to dissolve better into the water table.
Len

[Booswalia]

Thanks. They have a safety sheet on their site. It say's 100% prilled potassium nitrate.

I wonder if salt petre will decrease the sex drive of fish. Isn't that what they used to use to settle down the inmates? Maybe the warden should try some stump remover. Ha!