Ive found a local hydroponics store, but......

M

Mooch28

AC Members
Dec 24, 2004
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Toronto (Brampton)
Im not sure what i should be asking for. Im looking for.......

KNO3- Potasium Nitrate
KH2PO4- Potasium phosphate

Should i just say i want Potasium nitrate and Potasium Phosphate? Are there different types?

Also, what benefits do get from using Epsom salts in your aquarium? Does this salt kill plants at all? Will it effect my PH, KH, or GH because im gona be adding C02 soon, and dont want to make things unstable.

Finally, will these stores carry a all in one Micronutrients for aquariums?

Thanks guys.
 
MgSO4 - magnesium sulphate, or epsom salts, provides sulpher and magnesium for plants. You don't need much, but it's a good thing to add to your mix.
Hydroponics shops carry trace element mixes, this will provide all the micronutrients like boron, iron etc. that your plants need.
I get my traces, MgNO3 and KNO3 at a hydroponics shop - the PMDD mix I use is in my signature link if you're curious.
 
Blinky said:
MgSO4 - magnesium sulphate, or epsom salts, provides sulpher and magnesium for plants. You don't need much, but it's a good thing to add to your mix.
Hydroponics shops carry trace element mixes, this will provide all the micronutrients like boron, iron etc. that your plants need.
I get my traces, MgNO3 and KNO3 at a hydroponics shop - the PMDD mix I use is in my signature link if you're curious.
Click to expand...

Thanks blinky, but what should i ask for is what im asking you guys? Should i ask for Aquarium ferts such as KNO3- Potasium Nitrate, and KH2PO4- Potasium phosphate? As well as Aquarium trace mixes?

Do they sell them in liquid forms with directions on the back of them for dosing?

Sorry for asking so many details, but the last thing i wana do is get the wrong stuff and kill my 30 fish or have major algae blooms.
 
What I get from the hydroponics shop is a small tub full of powdered KNO3, and a tub of powdered traces. I mix these, along with MgSO4 and KCl ('No-Salt') into 500ml of water (exact amounts are in my signature link).
When you go to the shop, what you want is:
Trace elements
KNO3- Potasium Nitrate
KH2PO4- Potasium phosphate
Period. At the shop I go to they're not designated for aquarium use, they're just straight chemicals, in containers. If there are no instructions, that's okay - try looking up PMDD (I think it stands for poor man's dosing drops).
PMDD is a recipe (they vary slightly from place to place from what I've found) for mixing your own fertilizer. It's designed to be added every day or two in small amounts, so the plants have constantly available nutrients. I like it because you can tailor the ingredients to meet your plants' needs, and dose as often or as little as you need to.
 
That's exactly right:
KNO3 - potassium nitrate
KH2PO4 - potassium phosphate (dibasic)
traces

You want the individual dry chemicals, not liquids. Dry compounds keep (just keep them in a dry, dark area), liquids do not.
 
Not to my knowledge - it's best to dissolve any type of chemical before adding it to the tank.
What I do is mix up a 500ml batch of PMDD and keep it in the fridge. I have a small dropper container (1 dropper = 1ml) that I fill and keep near the tank for daily dosing.
 
Blinky said:
Not to my knowledge - it's best to dissolve any type of chemical before adding it to the tank.
What I do is mix up a 500ml batch of PMDD and keep it in the fridge. I have a small dropper container (1 dropper = 1ml) that I fill and keep near the tank for daily dosing.
Click to expand...

Ok so basically i should disolve in some water fist then throw it in. By the way, since the chemicals wont come with instruction, how much should i add to start? Im thinking 1/4 of a table spoon of each, and then checking the water parameters after a few days until i figure out how much my tank needs on a weekly basis....

Sheesh, im so new at this....... :D
 
Ok heres what i found on making a PMDD mix on Gregs site.......

-1/2 litre of water
-1 tablespoon chelated trace mix
-1 tablespoon MgSO4+7H2O (Magnesium Sulfate)
-2 tablespoons K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate)
-1 tablespoon KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate, amount varies, depends on your nitrate)

The only thing different in this mix is the K2SO4, im thinking of getting the KH2PO4. So how much of this KH2PO4 should i add to this mix? and wheres the phosphate in this mix?

Also, lets say i make this mix, how much should i start off with. I dont want to overdose. Would adding 1ml every other day be a good start?

Edit: Sorry but one other thing i just thought about. Could mixes be made seperate. For example, could i take 1 tablespoon of KN03 and add it to 500ml of water making it my KNO3 mix? and then doing the same with the other elements......
 
Last edited:
Take a look at Chuck Gadd's Dosing Calculator. I think its of the standard internet tools for Planted Folk. I've always found it helpful.

If you enter 1ml for the solution it'll give you a straight amount to add. I usually just mix that up into a few cups of water and add it at my water change. Or you can just sort out what you're adding with whichever recipe, make adjustments as needed. Too much nitrate, not enough potasssium. Helps with the tinkering.

You can make separate mixes, combomixes. Sort out what you need.
 
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