DIY Tropica Plant Nutrition! Mix your own Micro solution on the cheap!

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

I decided to give Carlo's recipe a try in a few tanks by mixing up some DIY Tropica Plant Nutrition. It took me a whole 5 minutes to do and only cost about
$0.50 or less to make a 1000ML bottle of it.







Default DIY Micro Nutreint Mix
This formula is based on Wets recipe. Wet has a very cool calculator if you want to check that out Im leaving a link to it.
http://wet.biggiantnerds.com/ei/con_v_time.pl

This is supposed to be the best thing next to Tropica Master Gro.




Default
I am also a Tropica Master Grow and Miller's MicroPlex fan. I approached this problem in looking at the major micronutrients (Fe and Mn) then using CSM+B and MnSO4 to clone Tropica (the best micronutrient mix I've ever used).


500mL opaque container
3063mg Plantex CSM+B (~ 3/4 tsp)
438mg MnSO4.H2O (~ 1/16 tsp)
1500mg FeDTPA 10% (~3/8 tsp)
Fill the rest with DI water. Leave some space for some acid or glutaraldehyde if you want
Shake it up!

Makes:


Good Sh... Tropica Master Grow
Fe 0.07% 0.07%
Mn 0.04% 0.04%
B 0.007% 0.004%
Cu 0.0005% 0.006%
Mo 0.0003% 0.002%
Zn 0.002% 0.002%

__________________________________________________ ___________

I mixed up a batch using Microplex this time, as you can see from this photo its taken a little bit of a green color. I will test these and see how they do compared to the first mix. From what it cost to make these from 1/2LB bags it literally cost only a few cents to make 1000ML.

[lauraleellbp]

Hmmmm....

Any plans to sell the recipe pre-mix pre-packaged yourself...?

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

I will have the dry ingredient, folks can supply the water We already have CSM+B on the site. The MnSo4 is in stock but needs to be loaded up on the site today

[plantbrain]

Bad idea to sell and have to ship water

Regards,
Tom Barr

[jman]

Is it beneficial to add more Mn than is already present in the CSM+B?

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

By looking at the analysis of Tropica's formula adding the extra is needed to bring levels up to par with Tropica.


DIY Tropica.. Tropica Master Grow
Fe 0.07% 0.07%
Mn 0.04% 0.04%
B 0.007% 0.004%
Cu 0.0005% 0.006%
Mo 0.0003% 0.002%
Zn 0.002% 0.002%

[chad320]

So if I make this by these specs I should be able to eliminate K2SO4 as long as I still add KH2PO4? Should I increase my KH2PO4? Or does the sulphur portion not matter that much? Just wondering if this made sense to you. FWIW I hope to eliminate it anyway and put some ground saltpeter under my wormstrate. We have a mine close so its cheap=free.

[Darkblade48]

Nowhere is sulfur (in the form of sulfate) mentioned in TMG. Why would you want to eliminate it (and how would KH2PO4 replace K2SO4?).

[chad320]

Originally Posted by Darkblade48

Nowhere is sulfur (in the form of sulfate) mentioned in TMG. Why would you want to eliminate it (and how would KH2PO4 replace K2SO4?).

MnSO4 is mentioned in the first CSM+B clone recipe. I had eliminated this from mine because I add K2SO4. I realize sulfur is not what were targeting but didnt want to add too much by adding both. So if I MgSO4 to the mix, should I eliminate the K2SO4? Anbd if I eliminate K2SO4 should I add more KH2PO4 to make up for the lost K? Or does this not make any sense at all?

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

MnS04

[chad320]

Thanks O, I was editing and still missed a bunch. Is there any chance of overdoing the sulphur is basically what im asking by adding both AND is it too risky too add that much more phosphate?

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

Not at all. I dose a little more of the recommended amount of phosphate based on EI. But, I also change water weekly so it does not matter for me

What is your current dosing regimen?

[chad320]

CSB+B mix is 9 tsp. to 1000ml.
10%DTPA mix is 5.5 tsp per 1000ml
These are then mixed together
I add 6.5ml to a 65g 3x a week.

[chad320]

KNO3 is 11 tsp to a liter
K2SO4 is 14 tsp to a liter
KH2PO4 is 4.5 tsp to a liter

KNO3=120ml
K2SO4=48ml
KH2PO4= 24ml All 3x a week

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

If anything you could always lean back on K.