fert noob questions

[buzz]

My lfs had some seachem additives in their 50% off rack so I snagged a bottle of comp and a bottle of iron.A couple weeks later drove up to my fav store and bought seachem nitrogen and a dry mono potassium phosphate,They did not carry any other dry ferts ,as I would have preferred.My question, is the dry pot/phos I have ,both potassium and phosphorous?On another note what is the reason water soluble terrestrial ferts are not used?I read the contents of a bottle of miraclegro house plant fert and the ingredients seemed to work.

[Darkblade48]

Potassium phosphate contains both potassium and phosphate. However, people tend to try to keep phosphates lower to limit algae (though it has been proven it is an imbalance between it and nitrates that ultimately causes algae), so dosing just potassium phosphate may not provide enough potassium to plants.

This why other chemicals such as potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate are often used.

Terrestrial fertilizers are not often used because in order to provide nitrogen, they use urea, which will break down to ammonia.

Dosing then becomes a fine balance between providing enough fertilizer for the plants, but too much that it causes ammonia poisoning.

[buzz]

thanx Darkblade.Do you think I would be better off pitching the pot/phos mix?

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by buzz

thanx Darkblade.Do you think I would be better off pitching the pot/phos mix?

You will still need it to dose phosphates.

I would keep it and continue your search for dry chemicals (potassium nitrate and a trace mix, at the very least).

[Diana]

With the materials you have on hand you can sure get the hang of dosing, and balancing the amounts of each needed by the plants. Just add some source of potassium. As noted by Anthony, you will not want to dose the KH2PO4 at high enough levels to supply the K the plants need. That would way overdose the P.
Make a liquid from the KH2PO4 or dose it dry, just do not dose very much.

Seachem Nitrogen: Nitrogen
KH2PO4: Phosphate, and a little potassium, but not much in the low level of dosing that is appropriate for P.
K source...?
Seachem Iron: Iron.
Seachem Comprehensive: Trace minerals, and a tiny amount of macros.

Seachem also makes a potassium, or you can read the other labels in the fish store to find a good K source.

Once you get the hang of it all you may want to switch over to all dry sources. These can be ordered on line without having to pay for shipping water. Liquid ferts are mostly water with just a little active ingredient. Why pay so much for water?

[phoenixkiller]

Nilocg = dry ferts man