[Nicecook]

Hi guys,

I am educating myself to go back to use the PPS-pro method at some point. Question, after you put the container size (500 ml) what goes where is says dose size? Is this the same value as I am adding? Should I put the same on both?

Rotala Butterfly | Planted Aquarium Nutrient Dosing Calculator

Planted Aquarium Nutrient Dosing Calculator

rotalabutterfly.com

I am calculating result of my dose to see the numbers as per the GLA website. Not seeing the same but maybe I am doing something wrong.

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Thanks!!

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Dose size is how much solution you're adding to the tank. If you're dosing daily, it may be easiest to multiply your daily squirt size by 7 so the calculator will return how many ppm/wk you're adding.

"I am adding" is how many grams of the compound you're putting in the dosing bottle.

 

[Nicecook]

Dose size is how much solution you're adding to the tank. If you're dosing daily, it may be easiest to multiply your daily squirt size by 7 so the calculator will return how many ppm/wk you're adding.

"I am adding" is how many grams of the compound you're putting in the dosing bottle.

Am I doing something wrong calculating Potassium (K2SO4)?

Instructions from GLA are the following:
Step 1:

Bottle #1 – use your digital scale to weigh the following ferts, then place dry contents in bottle:

• K2SO4 – 29.3 grams

PPS-Pro Solution #1, 0.5ml or 10 drops per 10 gallon or 40L
This limits water column nutrient levels to 9 ppm K

This is what I am getting, see pic. 2.43 K where I should be getting 9??

 

[EmotionalFescue]

You have to also add in the K you're getting from KNO3 and KH2PO4. For example, I pick up 11.35ppm/wk K just from using KNO3 for nitrates in my mix:

 

[Nicecook]

You have to also add in the K you're getting from KNO3 and KH2PO4. For example, I pick up 11.35ppm/wk K just from using KNO3 for nitrates in my mix:

View attachment 1029617

I should get 9 PPM (K) and get the following:

Nitrate - 2.33 K
Phosphate - .15 K
Potassium - 2.43 K

Total 4.91 only???

Also it says 7 ppm N03 and I only get 3.7?? I must be doing something wrong....

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Ah, I think the disconnect is that the instructions are talking about accumulation, not weekly addition.

you want to refer to the accumulation calculator: Rotala Butterfly | Planted Aquarium Accumulation Calculator

the .7014 corresponds to daily ppm from your weekly 4.91. you see that accumulation tops out at 9ppm.

 

[Nicecook]

you want to refer to the accumulation calculator: Rotala Butterfly | Planted Aquarium Accumulation Calculator

the .7014 corresponds to daily ppm from your weekly 4.91. you see that accumulation tops out at 9ppm.

View attachment 1029631

How you come up with .7014? This just got a lot harder

How do you guys use this tool to calculate dosing??

 

[EmotionalFescue]

.7014 is your weekly 4.91ppm k divided by 7 (i was assuming daily dosing).

GLA is telling you that if you follow their instructions, the upper limit on K in your tank will be 9ppm. That's accumulation, not how much you're putting in, say, per week. It's also an upper limit because it doesn't account for uptake.

Operationally, people often talk about how much they're putting into the tank in terms of ppm/wk. That's your 4.91 number. You're adding 4.91ppm/wk K, and that gives you an upper limit of 9ppm in the tank.

I guess I'm not clear on what your goal is. Are you trying to validate the PPS-PRO instructions that GLA provides?

 

[Nicecook]

.7014 is your weekly 4.91ppm k divided by 7 (i was assuming daily dosing).

GLA is telling you in their instructions that if you follow the instructions, the upper limit on K in your tank will be 9ppm. That's accumulation, not how much you're putting in. It's also an upper limit because it doesn't account for uptake.

Operationally, people often talk about how much they're putting into the tank in terms of ppm/wk. That's the your 4.91 number. You're adding 4.91ppm/wk K, and that gives you an upper limit of 9ppm in the tank.

I guess I'm not clear on what your goal is. Are you trying to validate the PPS-PRO instructions that GLA provides?

Your explanation makes sense, thanks!! I just thought I was going to see the 9 PPM of K using the option "result of my dose". I guess I will have to play with it a little bit since I want to add about 15 PPM of K but not much nitrates (NO3) since i have about 45 fish diffrent sizes in my 70 gallons tank.

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Your explanation makes sense, thanks!! I just thought I was going to see the 9 PPM of K using the option "result of my dose". I guess I will have to play with it a little bit since I want to add about 15 PPM of K but not much nitrates (NO3) since i have about 45 fish diffrent sizes in my 70 gallons tank.

I see. I think the place to start is with how many ppm/wk of nitrate, phosphate, and potassium you want to add. For example, in my tank I want to add 18, 4.5, and 21 ppm/wk, respectively. My tank is 70g, and I want to dose 20ml of my macro solution daily (i.e., 140ml/wk). In the nutrient calculator, I set for "dose to reach target" with the target set to 18:

That tells me that I need to add 27.77 grams of KNO3 to the dosing bottle. Note that in addition to my 18ppm/wk nitrate, that also gets me 11.35ppm of K.

Next is phosphate:

Okay, I need to add 6.1grams of KH2PO4, and I've got an extra 1.85ppm/wk of K coming along for the ride. Add that to the 11.35 I got from my nitrate salt and I've got 13.2ppm/wk of K. Since I'm targeting 21ppm/wk, I only need 7.8ppm when I figure out how much potassium salt to add:

 

[Nicecook]

I see. I think the place to start is with how many ppm/wk of nitrate, phosphate, and potassium you want to add. For example, in my tank I want to add 18, 4.5, and 21 ppm/wk, respectively. My tank is 70g, and I want to dose 20ml of my macro solution daily (i.e., 140ml/wk). In the nutrient calculator, I set for "dose to reach target" with the target set to 18:

View attachment 1029632

That tells me that I need to add 27.77 grams of KNO3 to the dosing bottle. Note that in addition to my 18ppm/wk nitrate, that also gets me 11.35ppm of K.

Next is phosphate:
View attachment 1029635

Okay, I need to add 6.1grams of KH2PO4, and I've got an extra 1.85ppm/wk of K coming along for the ride. Add that to the 11.35 I got from my nitrate salt and I've got 13.2ppm/wk of K. Since I'm targeting 21ppm/wk, I only need 7.8ppm when I figure out how much potassium salt to add:
View attachment 1029636

Thanks for explaining to me, very much appreciated!! I will start off using this option.

 

[Nicecook]

I see. I think the place to start is with how many ppm/wk of nitrate, phosphate, and potassium you want to add. For example, in my tank I want to add 18, 4.5, and 21 ppm/wk, respectively. My tank is 70g, and I want to dose 20ml of my macro solution daily (i.e., 140ml/wk). In the nutrient calculator, I set for "dose to reach target" with the target set to 18:

View attachment 1029632

That tells me that I need to add 27.77 grams of KNO3 to the dosing bottle. Note that in addition to my 18ppm/wk nitrate, that also gets me 11.35ppm of K.

Next is phosphate:
View attachment 1029635

Okay, I need to add 6.1grams of KH2PO4, and I've got an extra 1.85ppm/wk of K coming along for the ride. Add that to the 11.35 I got from my nitrate salt and I've got 13.2ppm/wk of K. Since I'm targeting 21ppm/wk, I only need 7.8ppm when I figure out how much potassium salt to add:
View attachment 1029636

Can you share how much you dose in your 70 gallons tank for bottle 2 (GLA EDTA Micromix)? Do you have a lot a plants?

 

[EmotionalFescue]

My tanks are densely planted. I benchmark my micro mix on iron, at 0.6ppm/wk and I add daily 10ml doses. The GLA micro mix is 7% iron, so the calculator looks like this:

 

[Nicecook]

My tanks are densely planted. I benchmark my micro mix on iron, at 0.6ppm/wk and I add daily 10ml doses. The GLA micro mix is 7% iron, so the calculator looks like this:

View attachment 1029652

Mmm interesting. I asked GLA and they told me the option to choose was Plantex CSM+B, should I use DTPA Fe (7%) instead? I checked and you are correct Iron says 7%.

GLA EDTA Micromix - 1 lb
Total magnesium(water soluble chelated mg) 1.5%
Copper(chelated).................................................. 0.1%
Iron (chelated)..................................................... 7.0%
Manganese(chelated)............................................ 2.0%
Molybdenum........................................................0.06%
Zinc(chelated).....................................................0.40%
Boron ................................................................3.8%
EDTA - minimum content......................................65.4%

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Mmm interesting. I asked GLA and they told me the option to choose was Plantex CSM+B, should I use DTPA Fe (7%) instead? I checked and you are correct Iron says 7%.

GLA EDTA Micromix - 1 lb
Total magnesium(water soluble chelated mg) 1.5%
Copper(chelated).................................................. 0.1%
Iron (chelated)..................................................... 7.0%
Manganese(chelated)............................................ 2.0%
Molybdenum........................................................0.06%
Zinc(chelated).....................................................0.40%
Boron ................................................................3.8%
EDTA - minimum content......................................65.4%

Hmmm. I'm not sure. The two give different results in the calculator, and since the calculator doesn't list the CSM+B Fe %, I would probably stick with the explicit 7% compound, but that's just me.

 

[Nicecook]

Hmmm. I'm not sure. The two give different results in the calculator, and since the calculator doesn't list the CSM+B Fe %, I would probably stick with the explicit 7% compound, but that's just me.

Thank you!!

I noticed GLA also mentioned another jar "MgSO4"magnesium sulfate. I don't know anything about that one?? Can you help me with this one as well? What could be a good value?

So far this is what I am aiming for and know quantities to use for each.
Nitrate - NO3 - 6 (Since I have many fish from small to big)
Phosphate - PO4 - 3
Potassium - K - 15
Iron - FE - .35

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Whether or not you add magnesium depends on the general hardness of your water. Do you know your GH?

 

[Nicecook]

Whether or not you add magnesium depends on the general hardness of your water. Do you know your GH?

Yes, 4-5 GH. I do not need more GH. Do you use it?

 

[EmotionalFescue]

I do, but I have to admit that I'm not the best guide on this point...

My water is pretty soft at 4dGH. My municipal water report does not break down calcium and magnesium, but based on some analyses of reservoirs that contribute, it seems like it's about a 10:1 ratio Ca:Mg. I add some magnesium to my macro mix, but I don't know the actual Ca and Mg levels in my tank. This is just me being lazy, and it's on my list to nail this down.

Here's a post that describes how to figure out your levels: Dosing Calcium and Magnesium CaCO3 Eq.

 

[Nicecook]

I do, but I have to admit that I'm not the best guide on this point...

My water is pretty soft at 4dGH. My municipal water report does not break down calcium and magnesium, but based on some analyses of reservoirs that contribute, it seems like it's about a 10:1 ratio Ca:Mg. I add some magnesium to my macro mix, but I don't know the actual Ca and Mg levels in my tank. This is just me being lazy, and it's on my list to nail this down.

Here's a post that describes how to figure out your levels: Dosing Calcium and Magnesium CaCO3 Eq.

I saw the link, so lost jajaja. I wonder if I need to use it since I am already getting 4-5 dGH. Should I add at least what they say? MgSO4 – 20.2 grams
I am going to be dosing 10 mls daily (70 total) This would give me 1.4 ppm Mg

Medium light:
PPS-Pro Solution #1, 1ml per 10 gallon or 40L
This limits water column nutrient levels to 14 ppm NO3, 1.4 ppm PO4, 18 ppm K, 1.4 ppm Mg, 0.7 ppm Fe(TE).