[BrianT]

Just curious, Iv'e heard alot of people speking of dosing, ferts...etc.

To the new plant tank keeper...what would you as experienced tank keepers suggest to the beginner?

In my 150 planted I use R/O water and Flourish once a week. Is this enought to keep easy to medium plants living?

If I wanted to insure that I was getting my plants the proper minerals/food...what do you agree on ? I'm looking to start and keep a regiment of dosing..to insure the plants are getting what they need.

Fire away

 

[Coltonorr]

a few questions...
how much lighting do you have over your tank.
Are you injecting CO2?
most people dose Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphate and then micro's

 

[bradac56]

Flourish is a good start but I'd also dose Excel (1ml per 10gal) every other day or so for carbon uptake. I wouldn't dose every day like the instructions say just because you probably aren't using high lighting and C02 correct?

- Brad

 

[BrianT]

sorry, I guess I was hoping you all would read my mind on what my set up it..lol

I have plenty of light, x8 65w 67k PC
press c02
Ph is around 6.6 and steady, using milwaukee ph controller

I dose 2.5 capfull of flourish once a week.

For my 150, what is safe to dose, such as which nutrients and how much, and how frequent..I know everyones setup is different..but the basic dosage would get me off to a good start.

 

[BrianT]

failed to mention the substrate is eco-complete mixed with black florite

 

[pfertz]

BrianT - there are lots of opinions on what the best approach to growing plants is, but at the end of the day, your plants are going to need macro nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and micronutrients (iron, boron, manganese, etc). Whether you supply those nutrients through the substrate or the water column, you need to supply them somehow. Most people use water-column based dosing, as it is easy to do. Plus, you have a great substrate and your tank is already set up, so it seems that water-column dosing is going to be your best bet.

As far as equipment goes, it looks like you have a great start for keeping healthy plants. Do you already have plants in the tank, and if so, what species? Also, what species are you looking to keep?

 

[bradac56]

Wow for a monster like that I'd dry dose instead of using a commercial product like the Seachem Flourish line since your going to need NPK+M+Fe and it's going to get expensive over the long haul. The best two online stores for dry ferts are { http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/in...ditU=1&Regit=2 } and { http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aq...ertilizer.html } and what you would need is:

KN03
KH2P04
K2SO4
Trace (CSM+B)

Optional but good stuff:
GH booster (only used after a large WC)
Iron Chelate 10% (if you need extra iron for finicky plants)

If you go that route I'd recommend EI dosing with that setup (makes life easier) and the amounts would be:

1 1/2 tsp KNO3 3x a week
1/2 tsp KH2PO4 3x a week
1/2 tsp K2SO4 3x a week
1/2 tsp traces 3x a week

I'd dry dose it personally, it's easier to just use measuring spoons and dump it into the tank.

- Brad

 

[BrianT]

Pfertz I'll shoot u a photo, some plants I'm unsure of. Yea I guess I should make a list of what I need lol . Brad makes me feel like I'm making a came lol, none the less he has simplified it lol. I'll research those products and see if I'll go bankrupt lol

 

[BrianT]

*cake lol, on iPhone responding

 

[timwag2001]

di dosing like brad said is the way i would do it. actually it is the way i do it. the only differnce is i like to weigh out my ferts on a scale instead of using teaspoons and what not. i feel as though i can be more accurate that way.

 

[Coltonorr]

Or you could get your ferts from Pfertz where dosing is made easy.

 

[BrianT]

I agree on weighing it..lol If you only knew how many scales I seize at work..lol

Im in the process of checking out pfertz as I type..gonna compare and see which is easier, cheaper but workable.