# Questions on EI dosing and CaSO4



## EnderUK (1 May 2014)

Okay so some of my swords are showing what I think are calcium deficiencies. Twisting leaves and next to nothing root growth so I've started dosing CaSO4 in with my traces. It can't harm now I don't have my Rams any more. Now original I didn't think I need to do this as my water had 20ppm which I thought was enough for the week, however Yet Another Nutrient Calculator says I should be dosing 15ppm 2-4 times a week. Is that right as that would be dosage higher than K and N?

Also a little unsure if TNC supply CaSO4.1 or 4.2 anyone know?

At the minute I've gone with about 7.5ppm and a dGH increase of 1 twice a week with my traces. Do I need to double this dosage?

Thanks.


----------



## dw1305 (2 May 2014)

Hi all,
CaSO4 (or CaSO4.2H2O) aren't very soluble.

Calcium chloride (CaCl2) would be a lot more soluble.

If you aren't worried about the water hardness, the cheapest option is some "Oyster shell chick grit". You should be able to get both CaCl2 and "chick grit" very cheaply. 

cheers Darrel


----------



## EnderUK (2 May 2014)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> CaSO4 (or CaSO4.2H2O) aren't very soluble.
> 
> Calcium chloride (CaCl2) would be a lot more soluble.
> ...


 
I already have the CaS04, got it when I got the MgSO4 just didn't dose it until now. Just wondering which one it was 4.1 or 4.2. I know you're not doing high tech tank Darrel but do you have a ball park on what ppm I should be aiming for? I have 20ppm in my water and at the minute I doing a 2 x dosage of 10ppm but the neutriant calculator say 15ppm 2-4 times a week. All I can find on google is Tom Barr saying a dosage ratio of 15pmm : 5 ppm (Ca:Mg) but he doesn't say if that's weekly or per dosage. I guess I'll work out how much Mg Clive recommends in his tutorial and just use the 15:5 ratio. As for the solublitity, yes I've notcied that, I just shake my dosage bottle up before applying, still get the white power in the tank for an hour or so before it does dissolve but not really bothered by that.

Yeah I have chicken grit as well, if I come to rescaping I might stick the grit under the substrate, does this raise the kH? I've stuck the grit in the low tech tank but I don't think it would be a great idea sticking it in the high tech with the CO2 dropping the pH?

thanks Darrel


----------



## dw1305 (2 May 2014)

Hi all, 





EnderUK said:


> Just wondering which one it was 4.1 or 4.2. I know you're not doing high tech tank Darrel but do you have a ball park on what ppm I should be aiming for? I have 20ppm in my water and at the minute I doing a 2 x dosage of 10ppm but the neutriant calculator say 15ppm 2-4 times a week. All I can find on google is Tom Barr saying a dosage ratio of 15pmm : 5 ppm (Ca:Mg) but he doesn't say if that's weekly or per dosage. I guess I'll work out how much Mg Clive recommends in his tutorial and just use the 15:5 ratio


 Doesn't really make much difference whether it is CaCl2 or CaCl2.2H2O, you can add a lot of either to the tank, it is only sparingly soluble, so you are never going to end up with high levels of Ca in your water using it.  





EnderUK said:


> Yeah I have chicken grit as well, if I come to rescaping I might stick the grit under the substrate, does this raise the kH? I've stuck the grit in the low tech tank but I don't think it would be a great idea sticking it in the high tech with the CO2 dropping the pH?


 It will raise the dKH, but again not by a huge amount because it is sparingly soluble.  If you use a drop checker the dKH of the water doesn't make any difference. You won't get as greater pH drop in the tank, but you will still have the same amount of CO2. 

You can use the dosing calculator at James' Planted Tank: <http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm>.

cheers Darrel


----------

