Just got my CSM+B powder from Aquarium Fertilizer, where a mixture of 1/4 cup CSM+B to 2 cups H20 is recommended. Elswhere I see folks using much lower concentrations, such as 2 tbsps/500 ml. I used the recommended ratio and put it in the fridge, but it does seem awfully thick. Should I consider diluting it?
CSM+B Solution
- Thread starter tackful
- Start date
Dilution doesn't cause any issues. Just be sure to account for the dilution factor when you are dosing your tank. There is also no need to keep it in the fridge. It won't go bad.
the 250ml/500ml solutions should be the easiest. that's the sizes on most liquid fert bottles.
so, you now have 1/8 cup plantex to 1 cup water. i would break that down further for dosing purposes. maybe put a months worth/weeks worth/whatever into another container and dilute it according to dosage. say 5ml-10ml for a daily dose to make things simple?
either way the whole idea is to be able to do the math so you know what you're dosing.
you know what your target is for the week or 3X's a week.
you know how much you put in your solution.
you know how much solution you made.
take your target... divide that into how much solution you made... that should give you how many doses are in your bottle.
say you wanted 10ml per dose ... (to make things easy, everyone pretty much has 10ml graduated cylinders and most bottle caps for ferts/water treatments are ~5ml full) ... you'd take how many doses are in your bottle and multiply that by 10ml. then you pour everything back into a beaker and fill that up to whatever level you deemed to be sufficient.
completely for example: lets say you decided you have aprox. 45 doses in there right now... fill the beaker with everything... add water until it reaches 450 ml and each dose is now 10ml.
so, you now have 1/8 cup plantex to 1 cup water. i would break that down further for dosing purposes. maybe put a months worth/weeks worth/whatever into another container and dilute it according to dosage. say 5ml-10ml for a daily dose to make things simple?
either way the whole idea is to be able to do the math so you know what you're dosing.
you know what your target is for the week or 3X's a week.
you know how much you put in your solution.
you know how much solution you made.
take your target... divide that into how much solution you made... that should give you how many doses are in your bottle.
say you wanted 10ml per dose ... (to make things easy, everyone pretty much has 10ml graduated cylinders and most bottle caps for ferts/water treatments are ~5ml full) ... you'd take how many doses are in your bottle and multiply that by 10ml. then you pour everything back into a beaker and fill that up to whatever level you deemed to be sufficient.
completely for example: lets say you decided you have aprox. 45 doses in there right now... fill the beaker with everything... add water until it reaches 450 ml and each dose is now 10ml.
Thanks, never thought of it like that, but now that you mention it it makes perfect sense. No complicated math.
The reason I am concerned about the concentration is that my mixture does not seem to be completely dissolved. Need to shake the heck out of it and dose fast, before it settles again. Hoping it will dissolve in a few days.
The reason I am concerned about the concentration is that my mixture does not seem to be completely dissolved. Need to shake the heck out of it and dose fast, before it settles again. Hoping it will dissolve in a few days.
1/4 cup is 4 tblsp... 250ml = 1/4 liter
if 1 tblsp = 1/4 liter then 4 tblsp = 1 liter. it will definitely dissolve in that...
say you're working with a 20 gallon tank. that gets 1/32 tsp 3X's weekly according to ei. so that's 96 doses per tblsp @ 4 tblsp = 384 doses per liter. 1000ml = 1 liter so divide 384 into 1000 to get how many ml ea. dose should be. (assuming you pour everything into a liter bottle, fill it the rest of the way and shake).
should come out to ~2.6ml (about half a cap full of most things) for one dose.
if 1 tblsp = 1/4 liter then 4 tblsp = 1 liter. it will definitely dissolve in that...
say you're working with a 20 gallon tank. that gets 1/32 tsp 3X's weekly according to ei. so that's 96 doses per tblsp @ 4 tblsp = 384 doses per liter. 1000ml = 1 liter so divide 384 into 1000 to get how many ml ea. dose should be. (assuming you pour everything into a liter bottle, fill it the rest of the way and shake).
should come out to ~2.6ml (about half a cap full of most things) for one dose.
i thought long and hard about making mixes and such but i find that dry dosing is simply so much easier. Just food for thought.
i've actually done both and agree with this statement completely.
however... since you've already mixed it, i wouldn't waste it. 1/4 cup might take a while to use though.
OK, maybe next time I might try it dry. In the meantime I'll remove it from the fridge until dissolved. Thanks everyone.
Just because the waters aren't muddy enough 
1/4 cup is pretty close to 4 tablespoons.
4 tablespoons = 384 doses (96 doses to a tablespoon * 4 tablespoons)
I like 5 ml doses so... 384 doses X 5 ml solution = 1920 ml (or 1.92 liters)
If you take your present solution, add enough water to make the total volume 1.92 liters. You just dose 5 ml as the equivalent of 1/32 of a teaspoon. I would also include 25 ml of excel as a preservative. This stuff does have a reputation of growing mold.
If this made this more complicated, feel free to ignore
1/4 cup is pretty close to 4 tablespoons.
4 tablespoons = 384 doses (96 doses to a tablespoon * 4 tablespoons)
I like 5 ml doses so... 384 doses X 5 ml solution = 1920 ml (or 1.92 liters)
If you take your present solution, add enough water to make the total volume 1.92 liters. You just dose 5 ml as the equivalent of 1/32 of a teaspoon. I would also include 25 ml of excel as a preservative. This stuff does have a reputation of growing mold.
If this made this more complicated, feel free to ignore