# Seachem Flourish Potassium & Trace Elements Replacement



## IdealRhys (9 Dec 2008)

Hi guys,

I have just recently joined. 
What a FAB forum - I've discovered I've got so much to learn.

When I started my planted aquarium last year, on my Juwel Rekord 96. I started with Interpet's liquid fertilisation and then converted to Seachem products (as they worked out much more cost effective - this was before I knew of PMDD or DIY TPN+ from powdered ferts).

My aquarium is quite heavily planted IMO and the Seachem products have given me quite good results 8) .

Now I am running low on the Flourish Potassium and Trace but still have loads of Flourish, Flourish Nitrogen & Flourish Phosphorus so I can't really change to dry ferts as yet until the others are finished.

Now as an interim measure can I make up just a K and Trace Elements solution from dry ferts which I can use with the other Seachem products until I can fully switch to my own mixtures.

I know that Seachem derives its potassium from K2SO4. Don't know much about the trace one. Sorry  .

At the moment I dose K 2.5 ml 3 times a week and Trace about 6 ml twice a week.

I also do a 33 % water change once a week.

Your learned help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Lee


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## aaronnorth (9 Dec 2008)

flourish trace is just a watered down version of flourish.



> Now as an interim measure can I make up just a K and Trace Elements solution from dry ferts which I can use with the other Seachem products until I can fully switch to my own mixtures.



Yes, that will be fine, but bear in mind the above info i posted, dont buy the trace, just use flourish. So you will only need the potassium

Potassium Sulphate - 55g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm


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## IdealRhys (9 Dec 2008)

> flourish trace is just a watered down version of flourish.



OK thanks. Never knew that...  Quick question though, just to abate my curiosity...

Why is Flourish Trace clear and Flourish like a yellowy brown?

Thanks for the info on the Potassium.

I just need to dissolve it in DI/RO water right?

Thanks again...


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## IdealRhys (9 Dec 2008)

Sorry one more thing,

Just did I quick comparison of the Flourish and Trace and THEY are quite similar.  NEVER noticed this before   .

The trace elements of Rubidium, Nickel and Vanadium are they not needed?


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## aaronnorth (9 Dec 2008)

IdealRhys said:
			
		

> > flourish trace is just a watered down version of flourish.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Most people just use tap water for mixing up dry ferts,

The colour difference is probable due to that there is more elements in the regular flourish, here is the 2 fertilisers side by side, as you can see, flourish contains a dew extra elements, and there isnt much point in dosing both. You might as well do one or the other. I have edited the picture so you can compare the results side by side - taken from seachem website:







> Rubidium, Nickel and Vanadium are they not needed?



To be honest i am not quite sure why they are not in the regular flourish, perhaps they react with another element?? Maybe someone else can comment.


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## IdealRhys (9 Dec 2008)

Thanks.

Much appreciated. Not buying the Flourish Trace will allow me more money to buy more plants


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