Need help with plant ferts

While I'm in the asking mood...

Is there a way to test how much CO2 Excel is putting into the tank?

I'm assuming it doesn't lower PH to counter KH to make CO2.

Also the water out of my tap is PH 6 and after it degasses rises to 6.8. Does this CO2 degassing get used by the plants or does it just disipate?
 
Excel doesn't put any actual CO2 into the tank, it just adds a carbon source that the plants can use. It shouldn't affect pH or KH.

The CO2 in your tapwater will degass quite quickly. Maybe the plants can make use of it for the short while it's in the tank but probably not enough to make a difference.
 
Ok thanks..

Next question:

How do you calibrate an AP nitrate test? How much KNO3 into how much water to get a reading of 5 or 10 ppm? Would I just use the fertilizing caculator and set it at 1 gallon then take a sample from it?
 
What do you mean by "calibrating" it ? Checking to make sure when you read (i.e.) 10ppm by using the colour chart you actually have 10ppm of NO3 in the water ?

EDIT: I have the AP nitrate kit and when testing the solution i mixed it was "right on".
 
I want to make sure that when i read 10 ppm in my tank that it is 10 ppm.

If I could make a mixture I know is 10 ppm and it reads 10 ppm then I know its accurate. If it reads 20 ppm I know its off.
 
I used the "fertilator" for my calculations. Used my tank volume and figured out how much to dose for 1ppm - then mixed a stock solution so that when i take 1ml of that solution i get 1ppm in my tank.

(my planted tank is only 10G so this made the following a bit easier).

I then used a 1G bucket - but instead of dosing 10ml (=10ppm in my tank) i used 1ml. The test kit read 10ppm as close as that seems possible with the colour charts.

For calibrating i'd do something like this:
5G bucket (filled with water) + 1 teaspoon KNO3 (don't know if you have a gram scale ?) = 169ppm of KNO3
Mix really well
Take out 0.3 Gallons of that mix (1.1Liter).
Dump the rest of the water in the 5G.
Put 0.3G = 1.1Liter back - add enough water so you have 5G again
~ this water should now contain 10ppm NO3

Yeah i know - this is probably way too complicated. I am sure there is an easier way but thats what i'd do. LOL
 
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Thanks. I was trying to figure out on the fertilator how much in a 1 gallon bucket. I couldn't get the tsps down low enough lol. Never thought of doing a 5 gallon and then diluting it.
 
Well thats why i did it that way - i can't measure very small units (have no scale) - so am forced to work with teaspoons, ml etc.

Oh and of course i took the liberty to round a bit here and there when making those calculations - but considering the AP kit and the fact that dosing ferts isn't an exact science i don't think it matters that much.
 
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