[GulfCoastAquarian]

Based on Rickster's suggestion, I decided to compile a brief list of Elements commonly discussed in Planted Aquaria. Feel free to add any elements I might have missed, but post specific questions in a new topic. Discussions should only relate specifically to the Scientific Notations.

• N: Nitrogen, a core building block for plant growth. Macronutrient.
• P: Phosphorus, a core building block for plant growth. Macronutrient.
• K: Potassium, a core building block for plant growth. Macronutrient.
  
• NO3+: Nitrate, a common form of nitrogen available in an aquarium as a result of nitrifying bacteria breaking down ammonia.
• NH3+: Ammonia, a basic form of nitrogen available in an aquarium, formed by fish waste.
• NH4+: Ammonium
• NO2: Nitrite, the second state of nitrogen in the biological cycle in an aquarium.
• KNO3: Potassium Nitrate. Stump Remover. Readily available form of Potassium and Nitrate in salt form.
• K2SO4: Potassium Sulfate. Good source of potassium for plant growth.
• KCl: Potassium Chloride. Saltpeter. Potash. Good source of potassium for plant growth.
• MgSO4: Magnesium Sulfate. Epsom Salts. Good source of magnesium for plant growth. Macronutrient.
• KH2PO4: Potassium Phosphate (monobasic). Good source of Phosphate for plant growth.
• CO2: Carbon Dioxide, an easily dissolved gas that is a basic building block for plant growth.
• O2: Oxygen gas.
• pH: Power of Hydrogen. Measure of acidity/alkalinity.
• KH: Carbonate Hardness.
• GH: General Hardness (mostly representing Magnesium and Calcium salts).
• TDS: Total Dissolved Solids
• DOC: Dissolved Organic Compounds
• DIC: Dissolved Inorganic Compounds
  
• Mg: Magnesium. Macronutrient.
• Ca: Calcium. Macronutrient.
• H: Hydrogen. Macronutrient.
• O: Oxygen. Macronutrient.
• S: Sulfur. Macronutrient.
  
• Fe: Iron. Micronutrient.
• Zn: Zinc. Micronutrient.
• Ni: Nickel. Micronutrient.
• Cl: Chloride. Micronutrient.
• Cu: Copper. Micronutrient.
• B: Boron. Micronutrient.
• Mn: Manganese. Micronutrient.
• Mo: Molybdenium. Micronutrient.
  

We'll add to the list as the thread progresses.

A link worth referencing here is:
Chuck's Planted Aquarium Pages: Calculating dosages of fertilizer elements for a planted tank.
This is a guide for dosing of several of the more popular elements dosed in a planted tank.

 

[GDominy]

I'm whipping up an easy to read periodic table for this post as well, something for more detailed reference

 

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Excellent! I didn't have much time and just whipped that list up from memory, but we need something more official.

 

[Steve Hampton]

Sam, feel free to delete this post and add/or change to top post to reflect these additions and changes.

Correction, Mg - Magnesium is a MACRO-nutrient

The Macronutrients are:

Ca - Calcium, C - Carbon, H - Hydrogen, Mg - Magnesium, N - Nitrogen, O - Oxygen, P - Phosphorus, K - Potassium, S - Sulfur

The Micronutrients are:

B - Boron, Cl - Chloride, Cu - Copper, Fe - Iron, Mn - Manganese, Mo - Molybdenum, Ni - Nickel, Zn - Zinc

Other commonly used abbreveations:

CO2, O2, H2O, NH4+ (ammonium) pH, (power of Hydrogen-the H is capital because it represents Hydrogen) KH, GH, TDS, DOC, DIC

 

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Thanks Steve! If anyone else had any additions or corrections, let me know and we'll add them. Moderators, feel free to directly edit the post.

 

[wcwirla]

Great list! Very helpful! A couple of minor corrections:

NO3 is an anion, not a cation: NO3-
Likewise, NO2 is an anion: NO2-

 

[compulsion]

very helpful, should be a sticky.. or is it?
nice one GC

 

[yznj99]

one trivial thing, ammonia should be NH3 not NH3+

 

[Stu]

Chemical compound shorthand

Here's a list of the most commonly used compounds for dry fertilising.
Synonyms are given in brackets

Nitrate (NO3) / Nitrogen (N)

KNO3
Potassium Nitrate
(Nitre / Nitric Acid Potassium Salt / Saltpeter / Vicknite / Kalii Nitras / Kaliumnitrat (German) / Niter / Nitrate Of Potash / Kaliumnitrat (Dutch) / Nitrato de potasio (Spanish) / Nitrate de potassium (French))

Ca(NO3)2.4H2O
Calcium Nitrate (Tetrahydrate)
(Nitric acid, calcium salt, tetrahydrate / Calcium(II) nitrate, tetrahydrate (1:2:4) / Calcium dinitrate tetrahydrate / Dusicnan vapenaty)​

Phosphate (PO4) / Phosphorus (P)

KH2PO4
Monopotassium Phosphate
(Phosphoric acid, monopotassium salt / Dipotassium dihydrogenphosphate / Potassium dihydrogenorthophosphate / Potassium dihydrogen phosphate / Potassium Phosphate Monobasic / Kaliumdihydrogenorthophosphat / Dihidrogenoortofosfato de potasio (Spanish) / Dihydrogénoorthophosphate de potassium (French))

NaH2PO4.2H2O
Monosodium Phosphate (2 Hydrate)

NaH2PO4
Monosodium Phosphate (Anhydrous)
(Sodium phosphate monobasic)

Na2HPO4.12H2O
Disodium Phosphate (12 Hydrate)
(Sodium Phosphate Dibasic Dodecahydrate / Disodium hydrogenphosphate Dodecahydrate)

Na2HPO4
Disodium Phosphate (Anhydrous)
(Sodium Phosphate Dibasic / Dsodium phosphoric acid / Disodium hydrogenphosphate / Disodium Hydrogenphosphate / Sodium monohydrogen phosphate / Disodium Hydrogen Orthophosphate / Disodium Phosphate / Phosphoric acid, disodium salt / sodium monohydrogen phosphate (2:1:1) / dibasic sodium phosphate / disodium monohydrogen phosphate / disodium orthophosphate / DSP / soda phosphate / sodium hydrogen phosphate / Disodium Monophosphate / Disodium Monohydrogen Orthophoshate)

K2HPO4
Dipotassium Phosphate
(Phosphoric acid, dipotassium salt / Dipotassium hydrogen orthophosphate / Dipotassium hydrogenphosphate / Potassium phosphate, dibasic / Potassium hydrogen phosphate)

Ca(H2PO4)2.H2O
Superphosphate
(Calcium phosphate,monobasic / Phosphoric acid, monocalcium salt / Monocalcium phosphate, monohydrate / Calcium Dihydrogen Phosphate / Phosphoric acid, calcium salt (2:1), monocalcium orthophosphate / calcium superphosphate)​

Potassium (K)

K2SO4
Potassium Sulphate

KCL
Potassium Chloride
(Potassium muriate / Dipotassium dichloride / Potassium monochloride / potash muriate / chloropotassuril / kalcorid / kalitabs / potavescent / rekawan / chlorovescent / k-contin / peter-kal / Chlorure de potassium / SPAN-K / Super K)​

Hardness (GH) & Alkalinity (KH) / Magnesium (Mg) & Calcium (Ca)

MgSO4.7H2O
Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
(Epsom Salt)

CaCL2
Calcium Chloride
(Calcosan / Calcium Dichloride / complexometric / Calplus / Caltac / Dowflake / Liquidow / Peladow / Snomelt / Superflake Anhydrous / Cloruro de calcio (Spanish) / Chlorure de calcium (French))
CaCL2.H2O
Calcium Chloride Monohydrate
CaCL2.2H2O
Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
CaCL2.6H2O
Calcium Chloride Hexahydrate

CaCO3
Calcium Carbonate
(limestone, lime, marble, calcite, chalk, carbonic acid calcium salt, blackboard chalk)
​

 

[dreamchick]

thank you for the info.

 

[Sthovin]

Link in the OP no longer works

 

[Diana]

I am not surprised- it is 13 years old!
Try this site. Tons of great info, been around a while. The links seem to work.

Fertilizers | The Skeptical Aquarist