Diy plant fertillizers
- Thread starter FishHunter8
- Start date
Thanks a mill, but it will be fun to fid that stuff. How are your results of plant growth. Does anyone have any other recipes?
Actually if you go to a Hydroponics store they should have all the ingredients there.
Often they are sold as a "six pack" which are little tupperware containers of the dry ingredients.
I have had these ingredients for close to two years now and it originally cost me 20 bucks or so.
PMDD is the most common recipe for home made ferts.
If you would like to see my planted tanks click the following link:
http://www.asw.ca/Aquarium_Society_of_Winnipeg_-/Members_Tanks/Jason_Kolbauer/jason_kolbauer.html
Often they are sold as a "six pack" which are little tupperware containers of the dry ingredients.
I have had these ingredients for close to two years now and it originally cost me 20 bucks or so.
PMDD is the most common recipe for home made ferts.
If you would like to see my planted tanks click the following link:
http://www.asw.ca/Aquarium_Society_of_Winnipeg_-/Members_Tanks/Jason_Kolbauer/jason_kolbauer.html
I dose based on the plant's optimal needs.
But there's a "general optimal need" for most fully planted tank with CO2.
I group the tanks into 3, low light, 2w/gal or less, 2-3.5 w/gal, over 3.5 w/gal.
For a high light tank, 3.5 w/gal or over, things happen pretty rapidly.
I dose the following based on a 20 gallon tank(simply scale up or down to match your own tank(s):
3x a week: KNO3 -1/4 teaspoon
3X a week: KH2PO4-about 2-3 rice grains
3x a week: Trace mix(Plantex, Flourish, TMG etc)
1x a week after a water change: K2SO4-1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
CO2: 20-30ppm for the entire lighting cycle(Start AM to finish PM).
50% weekly water change.
Prune, trim, scrub algae, clean filter etc first.........then do the water change.
then add the nutrients back in.
For less lighting, change the ____frequency___ of the dose, not the volume.
So 2x a week for less light instead of 3x.
For lower light, once a week after the water is usually suffient, 2w/gal might need 2x a week, but 1-1.5w/gal will only need 1x a week etc.
Regards,
Tom Barr
But there's a "general optimal need" for most fully planted tank with CO2.
I group the tanks into 3, low light, 2w/gal or less, 2-3.5 w/gal, over 3.5 w/gal.
For a high light tank, 3.5 w/gal or over, things happen pretty rapidly.
I dose the following based on a 20 gallon tank(simply scale up or down to match your own tank(s):
3x a week: KNO3 -1/4 teaspoon
3X a week: KH2PO4-about 2-3 rice grains
3x a week: Trace mix(Plantex, Flourish, TMG etc)
1x a week after a water change: K2SO4-1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
CO2: 20-30ppm for the entire lighting cycle(Start AM to finish PM).
50% weekly water change.
Prune, trim, scrub algae, clean filter etc first.........then do the water change.
then add the nutrients back in.
For less lighting, change the ____frequency___ of the dose, not the volume.
So 2x a week for less light instead of 3x.
For lower light, once a week after the water is usually suffient, 2w/gal might need 2x a week, but 1-1.5w/gal will only need 1x a week etc.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Thanks for the info it will be very use ful.
Koobz: very nice tanks! I will have to look for a store like that.
Koobz: very nice tanks! I will have to look for a store like that.
Tom, very interesting info - I am just curious. Your formula is for a general optimum need for CO2 tanks. What about non-CO2 tanks. Is there some general guideline there ?
I am specifically talking about keeping a light to moderately planted tank, with about 1.5 watts per gallon lighting and low light plants. For example, right now, in my 72 gallon, I have 4 Java Ferns, 1 Bolbitis Fern, 2 large Anubias Nana, 1 large Anubias Coffeeolia, some Java Moss and about 10 water sprite
Thanks
I am specifically talking about keeping a light to moderately planted tank, with about 1.5 watts per gallon lighting and low light plants. For example, right now, in my 72 gallon, I have 4 Java Ferns, 1 Bolbitis Fern, 2 large Anubias Nana, 1 large Anubias Coffeeolia, some Java Moss and about 10 water sprite
Thanks
Non CO2 tanks are a whole other ball of algae.
I don'tr fertilize non CO2 tanks except after a water change which is not much, maybe once every 3-6 months.
I have deep gravel in these tanks as well, 4 inches of flourite etc.
These tanks are perhaps more "balanced" since little is added.
A decent balanced fish load and feeding rotuine is essential. The fish food is the only source of nutrient input for long periods.
Good regular feeding helps to feed the plants as well as the fish, bacteria etc.
Do not apply non CO2 methodolgy to CO2 enriched tanks, things move/grow much faster.
A few rules still apply, get as many plants as you can in there, add lots of herbivores(these will be more effective in a non CO2 tank generally per critter), deep substrate, some peat and mulm from another tank during the making of the substrate layer.
Floating plants will help to even out any nutrient shocks since these plants have plenty of Light and CO2.
Sorry, no guidlines, only balancing the fish/feedings and changing some plant choices. Patience also.
CO2 would greatly improve low light tanks like yours also. Not just faster growth, but better growth and still less algae.
Regards,
Tom Barr
I don'tr fertilize non CO2 tanks except after a water change which is not much, maybe once every 3-6 months.
I have deep gravel in these tanks as well, 4 inches of flourite etc.
These tanks are perhaps more "balanced" since little is added.
A decent balanced fish load and feeding rotuine is essential. The fish food is the only source of nutrient input for long periods.
Good regular feeding helps to feed the plants as well as the fish, bacteria etc.
Do not apply non CO2 methodolgy to CO2 enriched tanks, things move/grow much faster.
A few rules still apply, get as many plants as you can in there, add lots of herbivores(these will be more effective in a non CO2 tank generally per critter), deep substrate, some peat and mulm from another tank during the making of the substrate layer.
Floating plants will help to even out any nutrient shocks since these plants have plenty of Light and CO2.
Sorry, no guidlines, only balancing the fish/feedings and changing some plant choices. Patience also.
CO2 would greatly improve low light tanks like yours also. Not just faster growth, but better growth and still less algae.
Regards,
Tom Barr
I was just kindof browsing around and came accros this site. http://www.hydroponics.com/info/aquatics/pmdd.htm#Recipe
I noticed they are canadian and have all the stuff for the pmdd. I was just wondering if anyone has every oredered from there before?
I noticed they are canadian and have all the stuff for the pmdd. I was just wondering if anyone has every oredered from there before?
Thanks Tom, I appreciate the advice. While I am not ready to make the full leap right now to a heavily planted, CO2 enriched tank, I do like the thought of having some live plants in the tank. I do have a few followup questions though.
1. You suggest lots of herbivores - What herbivores would you recommend for a low light, non CO2 enriched tank (I have 72 gallons to play with - LOL).
2. You also suggest as many plants as possible - are there any you specifically recommend for low light, non CO2 tanks?
I am not as concerned with having the plants grow like weeds - just making sure they do ok (ie I don't kill them - LOL - rather just have some slow, healthy growth) and they help outcompete the algae for nutrients.
I do have a deep substrate now - but actually from my current plant selection, you will see that most of what I selected is either attached to driftwood (the Java Ferns, Java Moss, Anubias and Bolbitis) or floating (water sprites). Really the only thing I have planted in my substrate right now is a few water sprites. I am sure I can get some peat or mulm to add to the substrate before adding my fish.
Thanks