fertilizer questions

shuks · 07-25-2005, 07:00 AM

As for the ferts, how do you know what ferts to add to existing water, and how much. Basicly I'm asking... How does one know how much micro nutrience and pottasium to add to the water. If everyone has diffrent plant loads, then everyone needs to dose diffrently.

eg = I have a 75 gallon tank. If I add all the right amount of ferts at the beggining, how do I know how much to add inbetweyne water changes??

**Jason Baliban** · 07-25-2005, 01:26 PM

You try to estimate this. The idea is to not limit plant growth by starving them of nutrients. With this in mind, you shoot high. The water change every week ensures there is no large build up of unused nutrients. If you CO2 is above 30ppm and steady, then you will not have a prob with excess ferts.

jB

shuks · 07-25-2005, 03:46 PM

cool, thats exactly what i neede to know. Basicly you just guess how much of everything you should be adding

**Jason Baliban** · 07-25-2005, 03:49 PM

Well there is some science behind the "guessing". Have you read up on EI and PPS? These are both very informitive approaches. Is your tank 75? I have a 75 gallon EI dosing routine at home, I can post it for you?

**Warning....If you are thinking of EI, you will have to ensure HIGH and STABLE CO2 levels to really ensure great success.

jB

shuks · 07-25-2005, 03:59 PM

Mt C02 levels are comming from a DIY c02 system. I made 3, two liter pop bottels hooked up with a gang valve. I bought a "ladder diffuser" from my LFS, so hopefully that will work. I plan to upgrade to presserized C02 soon, but I just don't have the money right now. What do you think about my DIY Co2 settup on my 75 gallon. Each bottel lasts about 3 weeks, so I co-ordinate changing one bottle every week. This ensures that I'll keep a constant flow of C02, and levels won't fluctuate very much. Do you think this approach will work with a 75 gallon? I read about someone else on this forum who has a 75 gallon DIY C02 with a micro bubbler for diffusing the C02. He claims that he's getting up to 25 ppm in a 75 gallon tank.

Any suggestions?

**plantbrain** · 07-25-2005, 04:02 PM

Does not matter what method you use, the idea is to have above limiting levels.

This applies to:

Light
CO2
Nutrients

in this order.
If you want to limit something, eg to slow growth, start with less light then progress to not adding CO2 etc.......
This will provide slower growth without nutrient deficencies(other than CO2, but plants can and do adapt to lower CO2 levels over time)

Regards,
Tom Barr

**Jason Baliban** · 07-25-2005, 04:23 PM

Im sorry I missed your tank specs. I see that you have posting all over the forum. Try to stick to one or two threads, so that we have all your information in one spot. I think you are going to run into probs with DIY on a 75. What is your lighting like?

jB

shuks · 07-26-2005, 06:27 AM

ya, sorry for all the threads. Sometimes I just get carried away.
is there any way to erase them?

Momotaro · 07-27-2005, 12:46 AM

No need to erase them, shuks. You posted questions, and people answered. There may be other people who have the same questions you do and may benefit from those threads as well.

Mike

07-25-2005, 07:00 AM	#1
shuks Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: vancouver, bc Posts: 626	fertilizer questions As for the ferts, how do you know what ferts to add to existing water, and how much. Basicly I'm asking... How does one know how much micro nutrience and pottasium to add to the water. If everyone has diffrent plant loads, then everyone needs to dose diffrently. eg = I have a 75 gallon tank. If I add all the right amount of ferts at the beggining, how do I know how much to add inbetweyne water changes??

07-25-2005, 01:26 PM	#2
Jason Baliban Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (90/100%) Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Phoenixville, PA Posts: 1,941	You try to estimate this. The idea is to not limit plant growth by starving them of nutrients. With this in mind, you shoot high. The water change every week ensures there is no large build up of unused nutrients. If you CO2 is above 30ppm and steady, then you will not have a prob with excess ferts. jB __________________ Aquascapes - www.projectaquarium.com Project Aquarium on Facebook High Sundry Music Jason Baliban Photography

07-25-2005, 03:49 PM	#4
Jason Baliban Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (90/100%) Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Phoenixville, PA Posts: 1,941	Well there is some science behind the "guessing". Have you read up on EI and PPS? These are both very informitive approaches. Is your tank 75? I have a 75 gallon EI dosing routine at home, I can post it for you? **Warning....If you are thinking of EI, you will have to ensure HIGH and STABLE CO2 levels to really ensure great success. jB __________________ Aquascapes - www.projectaquarium.com Project Aquarium on Facebook High Sundry Music Jason Baliban Photography

07-25-2005, 04:23 PM	#7
Jason Baliban Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (90/100%) Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Phoenixville, PA Posts: 1,941	Im sorry I missed your tank specs. I see that you have posting all over the forum. Try to stick to one or two threads, so that we have all your information in one spot. I think you are going to run into probs with DIY on a 75. What is your lighting like? jB __________________ Aquascapes - www.projectaquarium.com Project Aquarium on Facebook High Sundry Music Jason Baliban Photography

07-27-2005, 12:46 AM	#9
Momotaro Doesn't like Kool-Aid (View User Tanks) PTrader: (52/100%) Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Hawthorne, New Jersey Posts: 10,109	No need to erase them, shuks. You posted questions, and people answered. There may be other people who have the same questions you do and may benefit from those threads as well. Mike __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

07-25-2005, 03:46 PM	#3
shuks Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: vancouver, bc Posts: 626	cool, thats exactly what i neede to know. Basicly you just guess how much of everything you should be adding

07-25-2005, 03:59 PM	#5
shuks Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: vancouver, bc Posts: 626	Mt C02 levels are comming from a DIY c02 system. I made 3, two liter pop bottels hooked up with a gang valve. I bought a "ladder diffuser" from my LFS, so hopefully that will work. I plan to upgrade to presserized C02 soon, but I just don't have the money right now. What do you think about my DIY Co2 settup on my 75 gallon. Each bottel lasts about 3 weeks, so I co-ordinate changing one bottle every week. This ensures that I'll keep a constant flow of C02, and levels won't fluctuate very much. Do you think this approach will work with a 75 gallon? I read about someone else on this forum who has a 75 gallon DIY C02 with a micro bubbler for diffusing the C02. He claims that he's getting up to 25 ppm in a 75 gallon tank. Any suggestions?

07-25-2005, 04:02 PM	#6
plantbrain Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (232/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: The swamp Posts: 11,991	Does not matter what method you use, the idea is to have above limiting levels. This applies to: Light CO2 Nutrients in this order. If you want to limit something, eg to slow growth, start with less light then progress to not adding CO2 etc....... This will provide slower growth without nutrient deficencies(other than CO2, but plants can and do adapt to lower CO2 levels over time) Regards, Tom Barr

07-26-2005, 06:27 AM	#8
shuks Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: vancouver, bc Posts: 626	ya, sorry for all the threads. Sometimes I just get carried away. is there any way to erase them?

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