# Potassium Chloride KCL



## GHNelson (18 Mar 2010)

Hi Planters,
Is the above (KCL) a cheaper way to add Potassium than Potassium Carbonate (K2C03).
Whats the benefits, pros and cons between them.
I need to order one of the above soon.
Cheers
hoggie


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## JamesC (18 Mar 2010)

K2CO3 raises alkalinity which depending on your setup and how much you dose may or may not be a good thing
KCl adds chloride which in very small doses is beneficial but plants don't like too much (read salt)

If you want to add potassium the best thing to use is potassium sulphate which is very commonly available.

James


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## GHNelson (18 Mar 2010)

Hi James
Thanks for the information,will take that on-board.
I have 3 small community setups all planted 2 running Co2.
All with fish the one without Co2 has shrimp also.
Tap water is very hard. Mostly made up of magnesium.
Is KCL dosing detrimental to live stock?
I see in Chucks Planted Aquarium Calculator,he uses KCL.
Or have aquaplanters moved away from this to K2C03 and Potassium Sulphate.
Cheers 
hoggie


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## JamesC (18 Mar 2010)

KCl won't hurt livestock unless you put loads in. I use KCl as do others but you just have to be aware that adding too much can cause problems with your plants.

What are you trying to achieve is the real question and why do you think you need to add extra K? If dosing pot nitrate and pot phosphate you are normally adding plenty of K from them. Also hard water often contains plenty of K.

James


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## GHNelson (18 Mar 2010)

Hi James
I don't dose Potassium Nitrate as there is enough nitrate in the tap water.
Also the tap water has 8 mg/l of Phosphate so don't dose as per EI.
I just want to make sure everything is covered regarding fertilization of the water column.
Cheers 
hoggie


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## JamesC (18 Mar 2010)

Personally I'd use potassium sulphate but the others you mention will work also if not dosed too much.

James


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## GHNelson (19 Mar 2010)

Cheers James
Ive ordered Potassium Carbonate from Fluidsensor.
Ive been using Potassium Sulphate recently,I'm getting low on this salt as well now.
Just wanted to know what would be the best fert/salt option if not dosing Kno3.
I only dose phosphate once a week Fridays.
Thanks again
hoggie


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## dw1305 (22 Mar 2010)

Hi all,
You can get hold of KCl as "sodium free water softener salt", the "sodium free salt" for people with high blood pressure etc. now has all sorts of additives in it (it used to be just KCl).
cheers Darrel


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## GHNelson (11 Apr 2010)

Thanks Darrel


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## Cuilfish (21 Jun 2016)

Reviving an old thread, like Hogan53, I have loads of phosphate in my tap water and the fish provide enough nitrate , I am new to EI dosing so a bit unsure of how to proceed , I  think I have settled on using potassium sulphate as suggested by James. Are there any negative side effects if you use too much ?  Can sulphate turn into sulphides which are toxic ?


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## Dani7 (13 Dec 2020)

JamesC said:


> dds chloride which in very small doses is beneficial but plants don't like too much (read salt)


Hi James, do you have any link for information on proper Cl- levels in a planted aquarium or what levels are toxic to plants?


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## dw1305 (14 Dec 2020)

Hi all, 


Dani7 said:


> Hi James, do you have any link for information on proper Cl- levels in a planted aquarium or what levels are toxic to plants?


Unfortunately @JamesC no longer <"visits the forum">, but he still has his, very useful, website, <"James' Planted Tank">. 

Chloride (Cl-) is an interesting one, because a lot of "fresh" water has some influence from sea water, and full strength sea water has about 17,000 ppm Cl-. 

Any plants that naturally <"grow in brackish, or very hard fresh water">, will be fine in a high chloride environment.  I don't have figures for Central America lakes, but I know that some of them are considerable harder and more salty than <"Lake Tanganyika">, which has about 25 (ppm) mg/L  Cl- ions.  

I would expect that plants from very soft water, like _Tonina _spp., would be less tolerant of high chloride levels.

cheers Darrel


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