Fertilising for the first time.

[Coiln3107]

After reading the reply article posted by Sam,thanks for the really intersting article, I am just getting to the stage with my tank that the information in the article is really going to help. My intention is to order the powders from Richard at Aqua Essentials and make them up individually into bottles. My question is what is there shelf life, and how much should I make up at one time? I am using CO2 in a 260l planted community tank.

 

[Themuleous]

Glad it was useful 🙂

I don't think there is a shelf life really. I tend to make up a lot of NO3 as you use more. My main tank NO3 and PO4 and in 2lt and 500ml respectively.

Sam

EDIT - Having said that, you might not want to make up to much trace mix and I think the chelator can break down over time. A 500ml or 1lt bottle of that should be enough.

 

[altaaffe]

As said above, I mix up 2ltr of NPK solution at a time but only mix 250ml of trace at a time. I found that with 500ml solution for me, it was breaking down towards the end of the bottle. That said - I really should determine a physical measurement for my 2 tanks and just mix the dry powder in each dosing day.

 

[Simon D]

I just make up a month at a time. once you've done this a couple of times it only takes 10 minutes. You don't have to be too accurate with the quatities. I was at first, wanting to get it spot on, but now I realise that close enough is good enough hence the name "Estimative Index". Don't get too stressed about the measurements.

 

[GreenNeedle]

I tend to weigh mine out still. something to do 😉

I make up 500ml of my 40g KNO3/9g KH2PO4 mix. (I dose 9ml daily to get the same as 20ml/12ml 3 x weekly)
Then I make up 100ml of trace with 6g trace elements and dose 3ml daily.

When I have made the KNO3/KH2PO4 solution I give it a good shake and leave it on the windowsill above the radiator for the night. Next morning fully dissolved.

AC

 

[Simon D]

SuperColey1 on Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:46 pm

I tend to weigh mine out still. something to do

I make up 500ml of my 40g KNO3/9g KH2PO4 mix. (I dose 9ml daily to get the same as 20ml/12ml 3 x weekly)
Then I make up 100ml of trace with 6g trace elements and dose 3ml daily.

So do you add the NPK and trace at the same time? I've read on this forum that you souldn't as they can react.

Adding 3ml or 9ml is quite exact! I find that watering this down and adding 25ml (on alternate days) as per Ceg's EI dosing regime is easier!

 

[GreenNeedle]

Using a 10ml syringe and pulling the plunger all the way and then squirting a little back into the bottle till the plunger is at 9 is pretty easy to dose IMO. similar for any other measurement under 10ml.

I use a 3ml syringe for my dechlor (pond dechlor) which works out at 1.3ml per bucket!!!!

Yes I dose both on the same day. 9ml into the tank. Be a minute or so while I screw the cap back on and get the trace bottle, then 3ml of trace. Once its in the tank it is almost instantly diluted and spread around. Just can't mix within the bottles.

If it were a problem in the tank then you would need the tank phosphates to read zero on trace dosing day!!!!

Someone on barrreport (Not Tom I hasten to add) is always banging on about they have to be dosed on different days or the Iron will instantly react with the phosphate and be rendered useless, but as I said above. If this were true you would need zero phosphates on trace dosing day.

Seems to be working fine to me. What do you think?

AC

 

[Ed Seeley]

I always add both ferts on the same day to the tank too. (In fact, if I remember, I dose them both every day). As Andy's said they aren't a problem once dispersed in the tank but you should never mix them together in the bottle unless you take steps to stop the reaction (See the threads on all-in-one dosing and DIY TPN+ on here for those).