# Switching Ferts



## spill50 (12 Jul 2012)

Hi all,

Firstly I'll apologise if these things have been covered before and for my ignorance in these matters.

I currently use APFs All in One solution which has been great as all I have to do is mix with water and dose daily. For my new tank I'm considering switching over to mixing my own All in One, based on James' recipe.

10g  Potassium Nitrate
2.3g  Monopotassium Phosphate
4.0g  Potassium Sulphate
8.0g  Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (Epsom Salts)
0.5g  E300 Ascorbic Acid
0.2g  E202 Potassium Sorbate
6g  EDTA Chelated Trace Elements Mix (TNC Trace, CSM+B) 
500ml distilled water
Dosing 5ml per 40 litres

I've never used the EI method before so I just have a couple of questions. The new tank will be 200 litres with a medium amount of plant's, CO2 injected with 2x54w T5s.

Do I need to adjust this recipe in anyway, based on plant volume or my tap water chemistry?

How long will the solution last once mixed? 500ml will last me about 3 weeks based on 25ml per day.

Other than overall cost would there be any other advantages to using James's All in One?

Any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated.

Richard


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## ceg4048 (12 Jul 2012)

Hi,
   I reckon you might have missed something. That's a PMDD+PO4 recipe, which is on the lean side.
Go back to that page and scroll down further and select recipe number 3. It tells you evrything you need to calculate the dosages as well as how long the solution will last based on the standard EI recipe via the target concentrations.

If it doesn't clarify let me know and I see if I can help sort it out for you.

Cheers,


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## spill50 (12 Jul 2012)

Heh, read that page a couple of times now and didn't notice the line above the recipe.

So anyway, if I've got it right now it will just be a case of mixing the amounts in number 3 and dosing 20ml a day. Simple as that?


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## san-ho-zay (12 Jul 2012)

You should consider just dosing dry powders Richard. The quantities for 200 litres are easily measured into a jug of tank water with a teaspoon and then you wouldn't need ascorbic acid, potassium sorbate or distilled water.


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## spill50 (12 Jul 2012)

Yeah I have thought about just using dry salts but my long term plan is to automate dosing using a peristaltic pump similar to what ian_m has recently set up. That way dosing ferts isn't an issue when I go away.


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## ceg4048 (13 Jul 2012)

spill50 said:
			
		

> Heh, read that page a couple of times now and didn't notice the line above the recipe.
> 
> So anyway, if I've got it right now it will just be a case of mixing the amounts in number 3 and dosing 20ml a day. Simple as that?


No, that's not a daily dosage. James shows you what the concentration is delivered for one dose. It is up to you to determine what concentration you want to deliver. Standard Ei policy is to deliver 20ppm per week. Your 20ml of that recipe will only deliver 6ppm so this has to be done 3 times per week to get you near your target of 20, which would be about 18. That means 60ml per week.

If you dosed that amount 7 days per week you would have delivered 7*6ppm = 42ppm per week NO3, which is not really a big deal but why waste that much ferts, i.e. 7*20ml = 140ml per week.
For the baseline EI you only need to dose 60ml of that stuff per week. So if you WANT to dose daily then you would only need to dose 8.6ml per day (or just round to 10ml)

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers,


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## spill50 (13 Jul 2012)

Ah right, yes that makes sense now.

As always, your a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for your help


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## sr20det (13 Jul 2012)

Where can I find more info on 'James All in One' receipe, thanks


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## spill50 (13 Jul 2012)

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm


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## sr20det (13 Jul 2012)

spill50 said:
			
		

> http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm



 
Ahhhh, Already had that in my faves, ok


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## Aqua sobriquet (13 Jul 2012)

I've saved that page as a PDF file and printed it out as a leaflet!


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## spill50 (13 Jul 2012)

he he, I plan to stick it to my storage bottles.


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## Aqua sobriquet (13 Jul 2012)

Already done!






Although I may change recipes ...


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## spill50 (13 Jul 2012)

Wow just worked out the costs for what I would need to buy to dose ferts this way for a year.

Would cost me £21.99 for all the ingredients which works out at >£13.78 per year. Which compared to my current method which works out at £61.36 per year is a huge saving.

Do I need to worry about any of the ingredients going off if stored in air tight containers?


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## Aqua sobriquet (13 Jul 2012)

I'd expect them to last quite a while provided they're kept dry?


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## ceg4048 (13 Jul 2012)

They keep for hundreds of millions of years, damp or dry. They keep for about as long as the salt sitting in your cupboard or on your table, or about as long as the salts in the ocean, because thats what they are...salts.

Cheers,


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## spill50 (13 Jul 2012)

Cool, I best get some ordered then


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## Aqua sobriquet (13 Jul 2012)

Get big tubs then!


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## spill50 (13 Jul 2012)

Ha yeah might as well will be even cheaper in the long run


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