Seachem method of potassium dosing

[MiZubov]

Hi!
Seachem recommends to keep for planted tank gH 3-6, raising it with Seachem Equilibrium. But if I use Equilibrium for keeping gH, for example, 4,5, you will keep Potassium about 39 ppm and in addition to this you need dosing Potassium during a week.
Some questions:
1. Is there no potassium overdose?
2. Many people make do with much smaller dosages of Potassium, for example, using Tropica fertilizers. So you don't need to dose so much Potassium? You can do with much lower concentrations of potassium.
Thanks a lot.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Seachem recommends to keep for planted tank gH 3-6, raising it with Seachem Equilibrium.

They just want to <"sell you a product"> <"Seachem Equilibrium restores and maintains mineral balance and GH">. Potassium (K) doesn't actually have any effect on dGH, it is a monovalent (K+) cation.

If you want to raise dGH you can use "Epsom Salts" (MgSO4.7H2O) and calcium chloride (CaCl2.2H2O), details are in the <"IFC calculator"> or the <"Rotala Butterfly nutrient calculator">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Zeus.]

Seachems products are one of the most expensive products on the market esp their liquid fertilisers. Dont compare the volume you get as its basically just water. Its the nutrient content that counts.

 

[MiZubov]

Hi all,

They just want to <"sell you a product"> <"Seachem Equilibrium restores and maintains mineral balance and GH">. Potassium (K) doesn't actually have any effect on dGH, it is a monovalent (K+) cation.

If you want to raise dGH you can use "Epsom Salts" (MgSO4.7H2O) and calcium chloride (CaCl2.2H2O), details are in the <"IFC calculator"> or the <"Rotala Butterfly nutrient calculator">.

cheers Darrel

Thank you.
But my questions were something another:
1. If manufacturer considers it necessary to be Potassium ~40 constantly, it means there is no overdose potassium?
2. Matching Seachem with Tropica system.

Seachems products are one of the most expensive products on the market esp their liquid fertilisers. Dont compare the volume you get as it’s basically just water. It’s the nutrient content that counts.

Thank you, but for me doesn’t matter how much cost fertilisers.

 

[erwin123]

Thank you.
But my questions were something another:
1. If manufacturer considers it necessary to be Potassium ~40 constantly, it means there is no overdose potassium?
2. Matching Seachem with Tropica system.


Thank you, but for me doesn’t matter how much cost fertilisers.

Targeting Potassium

Interestingly, pinholes are often interpreted as a sign of potassium deficiency. By aquarists. And no one else. In agricultural literature, pinholes are sometimes mentioned as a sign of magnesium or manganese deficiency. I remain neutral in this question. I haven't seen it for many years in my...

www.ukaps.org

While many aquatic plants are not harmed by 40ppm of K in the water column, some extreme softwater plants may not be too happy.

As you mentioned, Tropica Specialised Nutritiononly adds a tiny amount of Potassium into the water column and many plants grow fine with that amount.
Most plants have selective K+ ion channels through which K+ is transported (i.e. not in competition with another ion - in which case K+ deficiency is likely to be super rare.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

If manufacturer considers it necessary to be Potassium ~40 constantly, it means there is no overdose potassium?

I'm guessing that the potassium salt (potassium sulphate? (K2SO4)) is mainly used as a cheap filler to bulk the volume up. I'd also guess that salt is K2SO4 as it is likely to be the cheapest potassium salt to buy in bulk (after potassium chloride (KCl)). Seachem definitely say "no chlorides", which has actually set me thinking.

Thoughts
Because there is no apparent reason for the dGH raising salt to have potassium (K) present, if I was being <"particularly cynical"> (or I'd suspect accurate) it may be that Seachem buys an agriculture fertiliser that <"already exists, and rebrands it">.

<"Polysulphate - Origin Fertilisers">.

...... Polysulphate® is a versatile and valuable source of prolonged release Sulphur (S), containing Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) in soluble, readily absorbed forms ......

and I'm pretty sure that is the answer, "Seachem Equilibrium" is "Polysulphate®" ,or very similar, rebranded. It is also a cheap product

.....Polysulphate is derived directly from the natural mineral Polyhalite, which is mined, crushed and screened at Boulby Mine, North Yorkshire.
The natural and organically approved 4-in-1 fertiliser is available to farmers. All tests are conclusive – Polysulphate provides the best value for farmers and as a product that is low in chloride, it is suitable for all crops..........

<"Polyhalite - A Multi-Nutrient Fertilizer Preventing Ca and Mg Deficiencies in Greenhouse Tomatoes under Desalinized Irrigation Water"> .

Seachems products are one of the most expensive products on the market

So the profit margin (mark-up) would be immense. I'd guess that the idea for "Seachem Equilibrium" probably came about after they had sourced the Polysulphate® fertiliser, and you <"have to admire their ingenuity">.

If manufacturer considers it necessary to be Potassium ~40 constantly, it means there is no overdose potassium?

While many aquatic plants are not harmed by 40ppm of K in the water column, some extreme softwater plants may not be too happy.

As you mentioned, Tropica Specialised Nutrition only adds a tiny amount of Potassium into the water column and many plants grow fine with that amount.
Most plants have selective K+ ion channels through which K+ is transported (i.e. not in competition with another ion - in which case K+ deficiency is likely to be super rare.

What @erwin123 says. Potassium is one of the three macro plant nutrients, but very high levels might interfere with the uptake of other cations.

cheers Darrel

 

[LMuhlen]

I assume that Seachem doesn't know which kind of water you are using and that possibly they intend this product to be used for small adjustments of water hardness, and not to reach GH 6 all the way from pure water.

 

[Zeus.]

Thank you, but for me doesn’t matter how much cost fertilisers.

It's all tank size dependant, with tank below 50 to 100 litres the ease of buying the commercial products is still relatively cheap for the hobby for the amount you use, plus it takes away the need to choose a fert regime as you can use the products regime, so the commercial ferts make sense. Once over the 100l tank and esp if high tech DIY ferts make sense big time, once you hit 1000 litres you need deep pockets all round and DIY ferts just ease some of the costs.

My son has recently gone down the marie route and the cost of RO water and remineraliser's soon adds up, esp for the 500l tank I gave him. He did ask me about expanding the IFC calculator for marine tanks. I gave it a miss for the time being

Seachem equilibrium can very easily be cloned with the IFC calculator

 

[_Maq_]

In my tanks - soft water, low-tech - a standard dose of K is 0.6 mg/L. No signs of deficiency.
To me, 40 mg/L sounds otherworldish.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Seachem equilibrium can very easily be cloned with the IFC calculator

Without me going to look, what is the K, Ca and Mg content of "Seachem Equilibrium"? I'd need to change the oxide values of Polyphosphate (K2O, CaO & MgO) to their elemental values*, but it would confirm (or deny) that they are the same.

*Edit, don't even need to do that: 48% sulphur, 14% potassium, 6% magnesium, 17% calcium

cheers Darrel

 

[Zeus.]

Without me going to look, what is the K, Ca and Mg content of "Seachem Equilibrium"

per 18g dose in 80 litres

As for the salt

Well that's the data we have on it

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Well that's the data we have on it

Ahh, <"close, but no cigar">. It doesn't preclude "Polysulphate®", plus some other salts. I still think I'm in the <"right ball-park">, just not possibly at the right game.

cheers Darrel

 

[MichaelJ]

In my tanks - soft water, low-tech - a standard dose of K is 0.6 mg/L. No signs of deficiency.
To me, 40 mg/L sounds otherworldish.

Elsewhere I've recently started to not recommend the usage of Equilibrium in low-tech tanks. If you start with RO water and need to raise your dGH to say a moderate 3.5 (say if you're keeping invertebrates). You get 17 ppm of Ca, 5 ppm of Mg and a staggering 40 ppm of Potassium (K) with Equilibrium which is totally unnecessary if not detrimental long term - no natural water ways contains more than 1-2 ppm of K btw.

On a side note I've been following @_Maq_ 's K < Mg (x3) recommendation for many months now in both my low-tech tanks... I can't say for sure I've noticed an improvement to plant health, but it definitely hasn't caused any harm either.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[_Maq_]

in both my low-tech tanks

Well, that's low-tech. What about in CO2 injected tanks? Can you estimate the ratio of nutrient consumption between low- and hi-tech?

 

[PARAGUAY]

Well you chaps know more than me but the 55gallon low tech has 2teaspoons of equilibrium at water changes weekly and TNC Complete dosed at same time, my water is soft out of tap,United Utilities. Only two types of plants Hyg.Polysperma background and Java Fern foreground super healthy, trimmed once a week
Previously it was high tech dosing EI and never remineralised and plants did well actually a bit too well,never tested GH or Kh

 

[Happi]

Hi!
Seachem recommends to keep for planted tank gH 3-6, raising it with Seachem Equilibrium. But if I use Equilibrium for keeping gH, for example, 4,5, you will keep Potassium about 39 ppm and in addition to this you need dosing Potassium during a week.
Some questions:
1. Is there no potassium overdose?
2. Many people make do with much smaller dosages of Potassium, for example, using Tropica fertilizers. So you don't need to dose so much Potassium? You can do with much lower concentrations of potassium.
Thanks a lot.

1. if you follow Seachem dosing, especially if you use Seachem Equilibrium, then you are almost always going to overdose on potassium and these levels continue to accumulate because the uptake of K is no where near those levels.
2. IMO and IME, Tropica seems to have it right. furthermore, if your weekly uptake of Nitrogen is 30 ppm NO3 which is about 6.78 ppm N, there is no way your plant would take more than 6.78 ppm K, because the uptake of N is always much higher than Potassium and Potassium uptake is always lower than Nitrogen, almost half. 3 - 5 ppm potassium levels are more acceptable, even then they can be considered high depending on other factors.

But my questions were something another:
1. If manufacturer considers it necessary to be Potassium ~40 constantly, it means there is no overdose potassium?
2. Matching Seachem with Tropica system.

1. not only Potassium but Seachem also dose Zinc in quite high amounts and its been over my head, even with Chelated Vs Non Chelated argument, I couldn't come down to any good conclusion why so much Zn? I can think of many other reasons but I still cannot figure out why they add so much Zn.
2. both system works on different methodology and if i were to choose between the Two, I would certainly go with Tropica.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

1. not only Potassium but Seachem also dose Zinc in quite high amounts and its been over my head, even with Chelated Vs Non Chelated argument, I couldn't come down to any good conclusion why so much Zn? I can think of many other reasons but I still cannot figure out why they add so much Zn.

I don't think they add it. I'd guess that it is actually an impurity in whatever base <"polyhalite salt they use">. That is why it contains such a lot of potassium (K) they haven't added it, it was already there.

I still think we are starting from here, or pretty close, <"Polysulphate - Origin Fertilisers">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Happi]

Hi all,

I don't think they add it. I'd guess that it is actually an impurity in whatever base <"polyhalite salt they use">. That is why it contains such a lot of potassium (K) they haven't added it, it was already there.

I still think we are starting from here, or pretty close, <"Polysulphate - Origin Fertilisers">.

cheers Darrel

Hi Darrel, it does say that they use Potassium Sulfate for Seachem equilibrium, so I don't think that excess potassium is just a result of Impurities. those numbers are quite huge to be impurities, unless i misunderstood your post?

same can be said for the Zn especially when its coming from ZnSO4, those are quite significant numbers and less likely to do with the impurities. unless I misunderstood something in your post?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Hi Darrel, it does say that they use Potassium Sulfate for Seachem equilibrium, so I don't think that excess potassium is just a result of Impurities. those numbers are quite huge to be impurities, unless i misunderstood your post?

View attachment 212456

same can be said for the Zn especially when its coming from ZnSO4, those are quite significant numbers and less likely to do with the impurities. unless I misunderstood something in your post?

I think the sulphate salts are present just because they are constituents of the <"polyhalite evaporite fertiliser">, that forms the major constituent of "Seachem Equilibrium".

There is a description of the polysulphate evaporite mineral deposition here: <"https://www.saltworkconsultants.com/downloads/39 Polyhalite.pdf"> and this is the analysis from: <"https://juniperpublishers.com/artoaj/pdf/ARTOAJ.MS.ID.555690.pdf">

Basically they are present when it is mined - <"The formation of polyhalite: A 250-million-year-old story">, all Seachem do is put it in containers and slap an aspirationally priced label on it. They are all sulphate salts, but that is because that was what is present in the mineral deposit.

I think they have form here <"What filter media is best?"> , <"5.5.3.2. Seachem Prime and Safe">& <"Hobby laterite balls? Any reviews?">.

The genius of Seachem is to find a product and then <"write some advertising"> to sell it.

Cheers Darrel

 

[_Maq_]

if your weekly uptake of Nitrogen is 30 ppm NO3 which is about 6.78 ppm N

Do you think such a high consumption of nitrogen is possible?