[weaselnoze]

i have a 2.5 nano with elgeria densa and microsword. no C02. 20watts for 9hrs/day. i picked up a bottle of Excel and bought Ferts from a member here (thanks Actioncia!)

i am still confused on how to set up the ferts, when to dose, and how much. he sent me 2 bags. in the PMs we exchanged he said he was sending 2 teaspoons of N and 2 teaspoons of P. the bags were marked Nitrate and KH2PO4. i'm not sure what they are. Potassium Nitrate (KN03?) and Potassium Phosphate? so how do i mix them and how much do i dose and when do i dose? i also need to know when and how much to use with the Excel..

thanks in advance!

 

[Hoppy]

I have that same size nano tank. I mix into about 50 ml of water, 1/8 tsp of KNO3, 1/32 tsp of KH2PO4, and 2 ml of Excel. The I dose about a capful, which is 5 ml, every other day. In between I dose a mix of 1/32 tsp of CSM+B+extra iron in about 50 ml of water - 5 ml every other day. My light is about 27 watts, about 6 inches above the water, and I have blyxa japonica, rotala rotundifolia, petite anubias nana, and windelov Java fern in the tank. All plants doing very well.

 

[weaselnoze]

i dont have CSM+B. do i need that? can someone explain what micro, macro and trace means?

 

[weaselnoze]

help! my tank is in trouble..

 

[Hoppy]

Macro fertilizers are nitrates, phosphates, potassium and carbon. All of the rest are micro fertilizers, dosed in very small quantities, so used as a mixture of all of them called a trace element mix. Micros can be Flourish, or Tropika Plant Nutrition Liquid, or CSM+B (a powder), or others. The cheapest macros are from Greg Watson.com and are KNO3, KH2PO4, and possibly K2SO4. If your water is extremely soft, you can also use a GH booster, such as Seachem Equilibrium, or Greg's equivalent mixture.

 

[weaselnoze]

ok so after talking with action cia some more i am getting somewhere. i think we agree on the fact that he sent me 2 tsp of KNO3 (potassium nitrate) and 2 tsp of KH2PO4 (mono potassium phosphate, i thought it was said potassium phosphate dibasic).

from what i gather micros, being that they are used in small quantities, can be put off for now. i need to get the macros going and the Excel.

so here is my EI plan...

1/8 tsp KNO3
1/32 tsp KH2PO4
50 ml H20.

mix this up and dose 5 ml every other day.
also dose 2ml of Excel every other day.

soon i'll get some flourish (micros?) and dose that everyother day as well..

is this a good place to start?? i really need to get this going as my plants are suffering..

 

[weaselnoze]

bump?

i really need some confirmation. my plants look like hell..

 

[weaselnoze]

so with minimal response here i just did it. this is what im doing

1/8 tsp KNO3
1/32 tsp KH2PO4
50 ml H20.

mix this up and dose 5 ml every other day.
also dose 2ml of Excel every other day.

saturday i started dosing. i skipped sunday and dosed again monday. today is tuesday and i'm sure now that its killing my anachris. i have 2 10w CF bulbs 2 inches above the 2.5 gallon. they are on for 9 hrs daily. the anachris grew like a weed before dosing. what gives?? please someone respond!

 

[sfcallen]

The 2ml of Excel.

 

[weaselnoze]

its killing the anachris? well why am i using it? will it benefit the microsword? will it do anything to combat algae? i now have BGA on my microswords.. this tank is failing by the minute and i need some input!

 

[sfcallen]

1.its killing the anachris? Most likely

2. well why am i using it? Only you can answer that

3. will it benefit the microsword? Most likely

4. will it do anything to combat algae? Yes

5. i now have BGA on my microswords.. excel "normally" does not help with BGA

this tank is failing by the minute and i need some input!

CO2 or get rid of the anachris and get a plant that is tolerant of excel. Cool little nano btw

 

[sfcallen]

Did you read the dosing instructions on the excel? Because I use 2ml daily in my 20 gal. I think 2ml for 2.5gal nano is way OD. IMHO

 

[weaselnoze]

thanks for the quick responses!

what kind of faster growing plants can iput in that corner back there?

 

[sfcallen]

I have no recommendation since I have never had a tank that small.

 

[dougiefresh]

You can use Rotala Indica which are pretty easy to come by and easy to grow. Dude, I don't think those microswords are going to fly with your current setup so you may replace those too.

 

[weaselnoze]

because of the substrate or what?

 

[dougiefresh]

Substrate, no c02 and lighting. Tropica list this as a difficult plant to grow with high lighting needs.

 

[weaselnoze]

i have 20 watts 2 inches above a 2.5 gallon.. the wpg doesnt apply here if im correct. so what would my tank need to have high light?