[lauraleellbp]

ok, i just did some research, and found that things like potassium and nitrates, are needed in the range of 10-20 ppm

and the other nutriunts such as iron, are needed in a concentration of about 0.02 ppm

so, i did a quick calculation, and found that a tiny drop of my fert(assumed to be about 0.1ml) would provide an iron concentration of about 0.04 ppm

and the other nutrents would be in concentrations of aboout 100-1000 times less.

so, why does the bottle say that i have to dose 5ml of the stuff for 5 g

my calculations:

ferric chloride= 0.89%

0.1mg of water * 0.89%= 0.00089 grams of ferric chloride

when added to 5 g tank.

ratio of water to ferric chloride is: 20000mg of water : 0.00089 grams of ferric chloride

1 million / 20000= 50

50 * 0.00089
= about 0.04 ppm

I think you're comparing apples to oranges. No way those levels are needed on low tech tanks.

I'll say it again- if you want to get these java ferns growing more quickly, you'll need to raise your lighting and CO2. Those two factors are much more important at this point. You can provide all the other nutrients you want, but without those two it's a moot point.

Also, no matter how many nutrients you provide, Java ferns are simply very slow growing plants. If you want to watch some plants grow, get some faster growers like Hygrophila.

is this fluorite as in calcuim fluoride?

No, Flourite is a commercial planted tank substrate produced by Seachem.

 

[blueberry]

ok, ill try to do some diy co2,
[STRIKE]
and for the lighting,
do you think leds would be good?

im thinking of some white ones + some red and blue ones[/STRIKE]

EDIT: ok, leds are a really bad idea... much, much too expnisive for something that will actuually light the aqarium..

i dont think i can upgrade the watt of my flouresent though..

 

[jsuereth]

You can always try seachem excell instead of diy co2. A bit of excell makes my fern start perling.

 

[blueberry]

still, though,.. im not worryed about it growing slowly. its just that the leaves are growing really weird. i even hava few leaves that grow in the this weird crumpled shape, and is coloured like iceberg lettece. and practically all the other leaves are curved