Feeding fertiliser

[Rabbit229]

new tank set up now with plants' mosses , ferns , grasses and much more.
I'm running co2 with no life stock at the moment. But I'm wondering when I will need to add fertiliser and what brands you recommend

Im using environment soil that says This soil is rich in natural nutrients providing your plants and mosses with everything they need to grow healthily and to develop lush colours.

Do I still need to add fertiliser

 

[ian_m]

Do I still need to add fertiliser

YES. If you are running CO2 and I know you have monster plant vaporising light capability you MUST supply ferts. You tanks is "high tech" so there will certainly be insufficient nutrients in a so called "enriched substrate".

Read the article on EI as the cheapest way for supply fertiliser.
http://www.ukaps.org/index.php?page=dosing-with-dry-salts

Buy a starter kit from. Done.
http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html

With a tank your size (800l) you will be better dosing dry salts as the standard mix will be 80ml per day so 500ml mixing bottles will only last just over a week. Could get bigger dosing bottles or try making up the solutions stronger (careful if too strong won't dissolve in the water).

Use this calculator to work out you dry dosing (5g is about 1 tsp).
http://yanc.rotalabutterfly.com/

 

[Rabbit229]

What would I do with out you

 

[Rabbit229]

Good read and also booked the salts
I've just bought ppm reader from a hydroponic shop. Cost £70

What ppm is recomended

 

[ian_m]

I've just bought ppm reader from a hydroponic shop

Why ?

You dose the ppm in the EI article, the only specialised tool/gadget you need is a teaspoon to put the salts into the water/solution. This teaspoon and/or dose will give you the correct ppm in your tank, no need to measure anything.

Remember the 50% weekly water change will reset the ppm levels and more importantly remove organic waste, commonly known as algae food !!.

My high tech piece of measuring equipment came from Robert Dyas. This is all you need.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/bargain-spoons-robert-dyas.29888/

 

[Rabbit229]

I don't understand the formula.

Sunday – 50% or more Water Change then dose [3/16 teaspoon KNO3] + [1/16 teaspoon KH2PO4] + [½ teaspoon MgSO4]
Monday – 1/16 teaspoon CSM+B
Tuesday - [3/16 teaspoon KNO3] + [1/16 teaspoon KH2PO4] + [½ teaspoon MgSO4]
Wednesday - 1/16 teaspoon CSM+B
Thursday - [3/16 teaspoon KNO3] + [1/16 teaspoon KH2PO4] + [½ teaspoon MgSO4]
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest


But I understand the video you sent on this starter kit

http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html
My thought was if I keep the parts per million at around 6 my tank will thrive. The only way I will no my ppm is to buy a ppm stick

 

[ian_m]

You known your ppm based on what you have added, no need to measure anything in your tank water.

For instance if you add 3/16 of a teaspoon of KNO3 to your tank you know the ppm will be say 7ppm (guessing as on my phone). No need to measure any tank water.

Assuming the plants use none then at end of week will be 21ppm. Again no need to measure anything.

Change 50% water ppm now down to 10ppm.

Add next dose now 17ppm. All fine levels for plant growth...

If plants do use some KNO3 then levels will be less than 17ppm but greater than 7ppm so still fine for plants.

So you know within 50% margin the ppm of your tank, in fact the ppm for all salts you have added.

As long as you do 50% water change the levels never build up to greater than 40ppm (2* weekly dose) fantastic for plants fine for fish and no need to test the tank water.

EI was invented so that you don't need to use unreliable test kits to dose your plants.

 

[Rabbit229]

I'll send it back ian' you just answered an important question to' 40ppm won't harm fish that's quite impressive. It will give me piece of mind

From what I remember when cycling a tank that if I put some ones old tank water in mine it will cycle quicker. As you mentioned in one of your earlier posts. Could I end up putting some bad stuff in my tank?

 

[ian_m]

. Could I end up putting some bad stuff in my tank?

Yes quite easily. I have heard of people bringing up a new tank using some one elses filter foam and resulting fish immediately suffering from white spot.

40ppm is for boys..real men dose 400ppm like I did when I had a pump jam on and dose 1litre if double strength macro in one go. Found out a couple of days later. In the meantime were fish bothered...of course not just all carried on shoaling, being hungry and eating as if nothing had happened. Biggest pain was cost of losing my ferts and the fact it made s*d all difference to plant growth as really 7ppm is about the absolute max plants can make use of.