One more time before I order everything, please confirm

captmicha

captmicha

Le tired.
Dec 6, 2006
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Maryland, USA
I want to confirm to get this right so I make sure to order the right stuff and not mess up anything. Money is tight.

So, does this have everything I need for a high tech(ish) set up? http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html

I realize it's missing Magnesium but I already have epsom salt. It's missing calcium but I have Kent's liquid calcium, Calcium chloride (is Calcium chloride or Calcium sulfate better and why?). I also have chelated iron too.

Which are the two groups of chemicals that I want to keep in separate bottles again? One of them interacts with others but I can't recall which one.

Since I have to keep two groups of ferts separate, I should get two of these dispensers, right? http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/dispenser-32oz.html And are they worth the extra $6 each or do you guys prefer something different/cheaper?

Or do I need three dispensers? One for the two macros that can be mixed, one for the macro that interacts, and one for the Plantex CSM + B?

Thank you!
 
i would suggest getting your ferts from bobstropicalplants.com...forum supporter and probably has better prices anyway...dont mix your plantex or iron with the white ones...thats how i remember it...i dose all three of my high tech planted twice a day at a lower dosage...iron and plantex in the evening and kno3 k2so4 and phosphates in the morning
 
i answered you in your other thread, kind of.

but i want to address your dosing method, here. i think you're complicating things too much at first.

first thing's first. if you keep your stuff in a dry powder form, you don't have to concern yourself with anything binding and falling out of solution or being refrigerated or otherwise stabilized to fight off mold/fungus buildup.

if you're dosing small tanks and all you have is normal measuring spoons with a minimum of 1/8tsp or 1/4tsp, mix your dosage up for a week or two, maybe 3 at a time. then dose/distribute accordingly with volumes of all supplements accounted for in each scoop. the idea is to always have food where they can access it so they can eat when necessary (all the time). it doesn't have to be an exact science until you pin down your routine... or ever for that matter.


here, reference this post... http://www.aquariacentral.com/forum...pdated-10-10&p=1257519&viewfull=1#post1257519

10-20 Gallons
1/8 tsp KNO3 3x a week
1/32 tsp KH2PO4 3x a week
1/32 tsp K2SO4 3x a week
1/32 tsp (2ml) traces 3x a week
Click to expand...

you should notice the dosage for 10 gallons is twice by volume as the dosage for 20 gallon since it's the same dosage. this accounts for a very wide margin of error.

also notice, everything is either in 1/32, 1/8, etc.? this was written to be easy. take the stigma out, etc..

let's say you have just one 10 gallon tank and your smallest measuring spoon is 1/4tsp.

N (kno3) is easy... 1/4 tsp is 2 doses. measure it, give half and give the other half the next dosing day.

but that 1/8tsp can add up to a larger target to make things easier, too.

1/32*4=1/8

if you put 1/4 tsp of each k2so4, kh2po4 and csm+B then you'd need to hit 4 times that in kno3 to stay to the recipe prescribed for 10-20 gallons. so you add 1 tsp kno3. this would be your "weekly mix". so to get your 3Xs weekly dosage you then...

1/8 tsp KNO3
+
1/32 tsp KH2PO4
+
1/32 tsp K2SO4
+
1/32 tsp (2ml) traces
=
7/32 tsp total... or 1/32 under 1/4 tsp...

so you use the rounded side of a butter knife downward to "level off" a 1/4 tsp for every 2 doses or add another 1/4 tsp of other fert powder to your mix when you mix it and use a perfect level 1/4 tsp for 2 doses.


but, yes... those are the bottles you'd use if you wanted to pay for bottles... and that's the stuff you'd need from Mgamers competitor.
it's fe (iron) that precipitates out of aqueous solution with P (phosphates).

plantex csm+b has EDTA chleated fe in it. shouldn't be mixed with P.
 
Last edited:
i would suggest getting your ferts from bobstropicalplants.com...forum supporter and probably has better prices anyway...dont mix your plantex or iron with the white ones...thats how i remember it...i dose all three of my high tech planted twice a day at a lower dosage...iron and plantex in the evening and kno3 k2so4 and phosphates in the morning
Click to expand...

His prices seem slightly better, at least on the dosing bottles and pretty much the same $ for the other ferts I want, http://www.bobstropicalplants.com/shop/en/fertilizers/15-csmb-nkp-combo-pack.html. Or each separately, doesn't make too much of a difference.

I'm usually not awake long enough to be able to do something 12 hours apart. Dosing twice a day would be just impossible for me. Once a day is still more often than I prefer but at least I'd remember to do it and be awake to do it. I have to figure out which dosing method I can keep up with.

I didn't know I could dry dose directly into the tank. This is all getting quite complicated, regarding dosing. I'll have to see if I can understand it better tomorrow. I've been meaning to read that again, I keep forgetting what I read.

It seems that Phosphates can't be mixed with the CSM, if I were going to make a solution. So I'll get two bottles, one for CSM and one for the NPK if I decide to go ahead and make a solution of that.
 
short hand...

don't mix your ferts into water to dose... it's more work and more to figure out.

in a ziploc bag, put...

1/4tsp kh2po4
1/4tsp k2so4
1/4tsp plantex
~1/4tsp espsom salt
pinch of fe
1tsp kno3

shake bag

3 times weekly dose 1/4tsp for every 20 gallons or so out of that bag.

you can shake it up in a jug of tank water and immediately pour it in or dump it in the back of an hob filter and let it mix in as it passes through the filter pads.

adjust your mix and dose as you feel fit. congrats, you're now dosing EI. and you're not fighting off pesky mold and spending money on bottles.
 
get ready to make take time for that tank. Depending on your set up you could have alot of growth on your hands

Sent from my SGH-T959 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Thanks Dundadundum! That's much simpler.

Depending on your set up you could have alot of growth on your hands
Click to expand...

I'm really looking forward to it. I've never had that "problem" before. It'll be nice to finally have stuff to trade or even sell.

I'm hoping to restore the 45 gallon I broke and put T5HO lights on it so I've got some room to fill.
 
dundadundun said:
short hand...

don't mix your ferts into water to dose... it's more work and more to figure out.

in a ziploc bag, put...

1/4tsp kh2po4
1/4tsp k2so4
1/4tsp plantex
~1/4tsp espsom salt
pinch of fe
1tsp kno3

shake bag

3 times weekly dose 1/4tsp for every 20 gallons or so out of that bag.

you can shake it up in a jug of tank water and immediately pour it in or dump it in the back of an hob filter and let it mix in as it passes through the filter pads.

adjust your mix and dose as you feel fit. congrats, you're now dosing EI. and you're not fighting off pesky mold and spending money on bottles.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: That's similar to how I do it. I prefer dry dosing over premixing with water. I add the ferts in a high flow area like the filter returns.
 
i did the pre-mix once. after a couple weeks, caught one of my kids taking the micro mix out of the fridge to drink. they promptly went down the drain and i rid myself of that headache permanently.
 
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