Solufeed 2:1:4 and Solufeed Sodium Free TEC or Solufeed Coir TEC Combination

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Just wished to confirm the amounts.

Yes, it would just depend on your tank volume,

@Happi calculated this for 190 litres, so if you had a tank half as large it is half the volume (10 mL) der dose or half the weight ~16g of <"Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4"> and 20 mL.

You can <"ignore the pH">, but your water is really soft. You can work out dGH from the calcium (Ca) & magnesium (Mg) values and the dKH from the alkalinity value.

The workings are here <"Water Hardness">

1 dGH = 7.143 mg/litre of Ca and 1dKH= 21.8 ppm HCO3 or 1dKH = 17.86 mg/litre CaCO3

From your water report

Alkalinity as CaCO3

Min 8.40

Mean 12.4

Max 15.6

mg/l

Calcium

5.15

6.09

9.21

mg Ca/l

Magnesium

0.990

1.61

2.01

mg Mg/l

So even for the maximum values less than 1 dKH and 2 dGH.

cheers Darrel

 

[jaisol]

Mmm Thank you for pointing this out, it was news to me I was going off the ph, looks like I need to do some reading LOL.

You can <"ignore the pH">, but your water is really soft. You can work out dGH from the calcium (Ca) & magnesium (Mg) values and the dKH from the alkalinity value.

The workings are here <"Water Hardness">
From your water report
So even for the maximum values less than 1 dKH and 2 dGH.

Makes sense why my valis is slow growing. and my snails have thin shells.
Big Thanks Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

it was news to me I was going off the ph, looks like I need to do some reading

I wish pH wasn't so important, just because it is a <"really strange measurement">.

The problem is that all UK tap water is treated now to <"raise the pH"> above neutral (pH 7), so you can only really interpret a pH reading if you have some measure of carbonate buffering (aka carbonate hardness, dKH or <"alkalinity">).

and my snails have thin shells.

I actually use the state of the <"Ramshorn snail shells"> as my "measurement" (proxy) for the base status of the tank and it works pretty well. It is easy for me because I have hard tap water (~17dKH / 17 dGH) and I use rainwater in the tanks. Rather than add a set amount of tap (to the rain water) I just add a bit more tap when I only have <"small and pale snails"> remaining.

cheers Darrel

 

[Happi]

am curious to see if multiple people are using this? please do post your results.

 

[_Maq_]

the response to addition of gluconate was rapid and obvious, and this was not the case with stronger chelates, so this is the one that really interests me, particularly as it is not chelated at all, which is counterintuitive.

Fe-gluconate is a chelated form of iron, indeed. The difference from other chelates is that iron is in bivalent form.
---
A general remark to tap water:
I've been studying data on tap water in my country, and revealed some interesting facts on micronutrients. I think these are relevant for the UK and other countries as well.
Generally, water processing plants actively remove iron and manganese because these can influence negatively the taste and appearance of drinking water, plus they may do harm to the plumbings. Apart from these two, all other micronutrients are merely monitored to meet health standards. These standards are quite generous for zinc, copper, and boron, strict for nickel, and there's no effective limit for molybdenum (in my country). As a result, I've learned that both average and median values in my country exceed many times the possible needs of our plants for Zn, Cu, B, Ni & Mo. These elements are omnipresent, and you'd have to be quite unlucky if your tap water were short of any of them.

Where does this lead to? Because water processing plants remove iron, iron deficiency is very common in our tanks. Also, manganese deficiency occurs occasionally. But how many of you encountered or even heard of anyone encountering deficiency of any of the other micronutrients?
The question is meant seriously. Do you know of such cases?

 

[jaisol]

am curious to see if multiple people are using this? please do post your results.

I was going to try it on some tubs with plants in them outside, but for the next week or two the temperature is to low (0 - 10C), probably start at the end of the month. I'll let you know as it progresses

 

[Davey]

Hi @Happi

Please take a look at my journal. I have linked my tank details/water report and ordered some solufeed 2.1.4 as well as some 7% FeDDHA. I would like to try this method but I'd like to know how much solufeed to add to 1litre to create a solution I could dose 2/3 times a week. Please advise.
Journal url:
Post in thread 'Jungle flex 57L' Jungle flex 57L

Ps: consider my tank vol 60litres, this includes the filter volume.
Kind regards
Dave

 

[Happi]

Hi @Happi

Please take a look at my journal. I have linked my tank details/water report and ordered some solufeed 2.1.4 as well as some 7% FeDDHA. I would like to try this method but I'd like to know how much solufeed to add to 1litre to create a solution I could dose 2/3 times a week. Please advise.
Journal url:
Post in thread 'Jungle flex 57L' Jungle flex 57L

Ps: consider my tank vol 60litres, this includes the filter volume.
Kind regards
Dave

Recipe #1
60 liter aquarium (Individual Recipe)
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
1000 ml, 20 ml dose
3.628 gram Solufeed Sodium Free TEC

Fe 0.1
Mn 0.02418
B 0.0111
Cu 0.00278
Zn 0.014
Mo 0.001813

Recipe #2
60 liter aquarium (Individual Recipe)
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
1000 ml, 20 ml dose
20 gram Solufeed 2:1:4

N 1 (Urea-N 0.466 ppm, NO3-N 0.54 ppm) this adds about 2.4 ppm NO3, Rest of the N is from Urea
P 0.2
K 1.766
Fe 0.01166
Mn 0.004
Cu 0.000666
B 0.0014
Zn 0.005
Mo 0.0003333
Mg 0.12666

Recipe #3
60 liter aquarium (combined Recipe)
1000 ml, 20 ml dose
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
3.63 gram Solufeed Sodium Free TEC
20 gram Solufeed 2:1:4

N 1 (Urea-N 0.466 ppm, NO3-N 0.54 ppm) this adds about 2.4 ppm NO3, Rest of the N is from Urea
P 0.2
K 1.766
Fe 0.11166
Mn 0.02818
Cu 0.003446
B 0.0125
Zn 0.019
Mo 0.002146
Mg 0.1266


Recommended Recipe based on your water report #9

Recipe #4
60 liter aquarium
1000 ml, 5 ml dose (make sure you dose 5 ml and not accidently dose 20 ml)
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
9.82 gram DTPA Fe 11%
1.71 gram EDDHA Fe 7%
4.61 gram Mn EDTA 13%
1.28 gram Zn EDTA 14%
40.11 gram K2SO4

Fe 0.1
Mn 0.05
Zn 0.015
K 1.5
S 0.6

at water changes, I would add additional Mg through MgSo4 targeting about 5 ppm and dose Recipe #4 2x a week, total 10 ml weekly. keep in touch with me and keep me updated in case these recipes needs any further modifications.

 

[Davey]

Thank you for the recipes @Happi
I think I'm going to go for recipe #2 seeing as I have solufeed 2.1.4 already on the way.
I will also add some additional 7% FeDDHA aiming to bring Fe ppm up to between 0.1/0.2ppm. does that sound reasonable?
The other option is I buy all the individual chemicals and make the recipe you tailored to my water, however, I already have the iron and solufeed on the way.
Many thanks
Dave

 

[Happi]

Thank you for the recipes @Happi
I think I'm going to go for recipe #2 seeing as I have solufeed 2.1.4 already on the way.
I will also add some additional 7% FeDDHA aiming to bring Fe ppm up to between 0.1/0.2ppm. does that sound reasonable?
The other option is I buy all the individual chemicals and make the recipe you tailored to my water, however, I already have the iron and solufeed on the way.
Many thanks
Dave

Edit: there was an error that i just corrected in #88

feel free to try which ever you like, but I would recommend trying the Recipe #4 if you are primarily focused on your water report and want to avoid adding additional Traces and other nutrients that are already present in the water.
at 0.1 -0.2 ppm Fe EDDHA, it is going to discolor your aquarium water, the max i would recommend is about 0.02 ppm weekly while using EDDHA, your best bet is DTPA Fe. Recipe #4 is especially designed for your tank considering several factors.

even if you went with Recipe #2, you are likely to see Fe and Mn Deficiency considering your water parameters. adding additional Iron will throw off the balance between Fe and Mn, but we can Improve the Recipe #2 by adding additional Fe DTPA and Mn EDTA. something like this:

Recipe #2 (Modified Version)
60 liter aquarium
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
1000 ml, 20 ml dose
20 gram Solufeed 2:1:4
2.73 gram DTPA Fe 11%
1.154 gram Mn EDTA 13%

N 1 (Urea-N 0.466 ppm, NO3-N 0.54 ppm) this adds about 2.4 ppm NO3, Rest of the N is from Urea
P 0.2
K 1.766
Fe 0.11
Mn 0.054
Cu 0.000666
B 0.0014
Zn 0.005
Mo 0.0003333
Mg 0.12666

 

[Happi]

The other option is I buy all the individual chemicals and make the recipe you tailored to my water

if you want to go deep into this and want to have a full control over nutrients, you do have an option getting all the chemicals individually. something like this, for Reference:

#1
#2
#3

 

[xZaiox]

at 0.1 -0.2 ppm Fe EDDHA, it is going to discolor your aquarium water

For what it's worth, Solufeed's product 'rapid' that is EDDHSA chelated doesn't discolour the water much at all - Rapid
I'm currently dosing it at 0.15ppm per week (in addition to DTPA and gluconate), and there is no visible discolouring.

I have no idea how the chelate performs compared to EDDHA, but Solufeed market it as a 'speedy' treatment for quick correction of iron deficiency.

 

[Davey]

Sorry to flip flop @Happi but you've offered such tailored advice that I feel I'd be a fool to ignore it. I'll try your #4 recipe. I suppose I can use the already ordered solufeed 2.1.4 on the garden/house plants or my other tank.

I'll order the remaining chemicals. Would it be an issue if they were the same compound and % but a different company?

Many thanks
Dave

 

[Happi]

For what it's worth, Solufeed's product 'rapid' that is EDDHSA chelated doesn't discolour the water much at all - Rapid
I'm currently dosing it at 0.15ppm per week (in addition to DTPA and gluconate), and there is no visible discolouring.

I have no idea how the chelate performs compared to EDDHA

You decide which is better

 

[Happi]

Sorry to flip flop @Happi but you've offered such tailored advice that I feel I'd be a fool to ignore it. I'll try your #4 recipe. I suppose I can use the already ordered solufeed 2.1.4 on the garden/house plants or my other tank.

I'll order the remaining chemicals. Would it be an issue if they were the same compound and % but a different company?

Many thanks
Dave

feel free to post a link to whichever chemicals you are considering buying and we can go from there. far as buying from different companies, it will depend on the purity and the grade of chemicals.

I suppose I can use the already ordered solufeed 2.1.4 on the garden/house plants or my other tank.

you can do that or keep it stored and you never know when it might become handy.

 

[Davey]

Hi @Happi
Please check my links. The link for zinc is offering 15% not 14%, this may impact the calculations?

10 ml White Vinegar - supermarket

0.5 gram potassium sorbate

Classikool Potassium Sorbate Preservative E202 for Wine Fermentation Stopper etc | eBay

Classikool Potassium Sorbate (E202) is the best grade you can get. Use this item as an hair conditioner and on my skin. Will buy again.". (Review for Classikool Coconut Oil). - " I LOVE your products.

www.ebay.co.uk

9.82 gram DTPA Fe 11%

Iron Plus A

High performance soluble additive containing 11% Iron and DTPA Chelating agents. Very stable in more Acidic systems (pH 2 - 7) Can be mixed directly into Hydroponic or Aquaponic system or applied as a foliar spray Safe for fish and plants

bioly.uk

1.71 gram EDDHA Fe 7%

Iron Plus B

High performance soluble additive containing 7% Iron and EDDHA chelating agents Very stable in more Basic systems (pH 4 - 9) Can be mixed directly into Hydroponic or Aquaponics system water or applied as a foliar spray Safe for fish and plants

bioly.uk

4.61 gram Mn EDTA 13%

Pardon our interruption...

1.28 gram Zn EDTA 14% - They claim this is 15%

Pardon our interruption...

Do you recommend that I add mix the magnesium sulphate separately, in another bottle?
Should this be dosed at the same time as the rest of the chemicals?

Cheers
Dave

 

[Happi]

Hi @Happi
Please check my links. The link for zinc is offering 15% not 14%, this may impact the calculations?

10 ml White Vinegar - supermarket

0.5 gram potassium sorbate

Classikool Potassium Sorbate Preservative E202 for Wine Fermentation Stopper etc | eBay

Classikool Potassium Sorbate (E202) is the best grade you can get. Use this item as an hair conditioner and on my skin. Will buy again.". (Review for Classikool Coconut Oil). - " I LOVE your products.

www.ebay.co.uk

9.82 gram DTPA Fe 11%

Iron Plus A

High performance soluble additive containing 11% Iron and DTPA Chelating agents. Very stable in more Acidic systems (pH 2 - 7) Can be mixed directly into Hydroponic or Aquaponic system or applied as a foliar spray Safe for fish and plants

bioly.uk

1.71 gram EDDHA Fe 7%

Iron Plus B

High performance soluble additive containing 7% Iron and EDDHA chelating agents Very stable in more Basic systems (pH 4 - 9) Can be mixed directly into Hydroponic or Aquaponics system water or applied as a foliar spray Safe for fish and plants

bioly.uk

4.61 gram Mn EDTA 13%

Pardon our interruption...

1.28 gram Zn EDTA 14% - They claim this is 15%

Pardon our interruption...

Do you recommend that I add mix the magnesium sulphate separately, in another bottle?
Should this be dosed at the same time as the rest of the chemicals?

Cheers
Dave

they also sell K2SO4. am not familiar with where you could find the best deal in UK, am in the USA. I would wait for others to step in and help you find a better deal, other than that the chemicals you have listed works for our purpose. you can skip on EDDHA, i do not have access to EDDHSA mentioned in post #92 but it looks like a interesting product.

solufeed sells individual traces which are free from sodium but i cannot find any link where you could purchase that from.

Hi @Happi
Please check my links. The link for zinc is offering 15% not 14%, this may impact the calculations?

don't matter much

Do you recommend that I add mix the magnesium sulphate separately, in another bottle?
Should this be dosed at the same time as the rest of the chemicals?

MgSO4 can be mixed in any solution or dosed separately in dry form.

Edit: found it, click here

 

[Happi]

@Davey in case you missed it.

404 Not Found - Top Quality Speciality Water Soluble Fertilisers | Solufeed

The Solufeed Shop provides a carefully selected range of good value, no-nonsense, professional grade products tailored to meet the needs of the professional grower and keen amateur alike.

shopfront.solufeed.co.uk

we kind of drifted away from Modifying the "Solufeed 2:1:4 or Solufeed Sodium Free TEC " to completely going DIY Micros/Fe . I believe we can Continue the DIY Micros/Fe on your Journal ? Unless members believe that we continue here?

 

[Davey]

@Davey in case you missed it.

404 Not Found - Top Quality Speciality Water Soluble Fertilisers | Solufeed

The Solufeed Shop provides a carefully selected range of good value, no-nonsense, professional grade products tailored to meet the needs of the professional grower and keen amateur alike.

shopfront.solufeed.co.uk

we kind of drifted away from Modifying the "Solufeed 2:1:4 or Solufeed Sodium Free TEC " to completely going DIY Micros/Fe . I believe we can Continue the DIY Micros/Fe on your Journal ? Unless members believe that we continue here?

@Happi I'm happy to continue anywhere you prefer. Journal would be handy for me as it'll all be in the same place for me.

Aswell as your 4th recipe, do I need to get the solufeed Tec Na free?

I work with a lab so I should be able to get very pure sulphates.
I really appreciate your time and effort.

Kind regards
Dave

 

[Happi]

@Happi I'm happy to continue anywhere you prefer. Journal would be handy for me as it'll all be in the same place for me.

Aswell as your 4th recipe, do I need to get the solufeed Tec Na free?

I work with a lab so I should be able to get very pure sulphates.
I really appreciate your time and effort.

Kind regards
Dave

if you truly want to get into DIY Micros/Fe, I suggest getting these, you will also need Ammonium dimolybdate and Boric Acid. I suggest getting the Solufeed Sodium Free TEC as well in case you end up using it. the sodium free version is better than the other one. try to find the EDDHSA Fe if you can and obtain that one as well.

if you are on a budget, then we can make some compromise and only get the stuff recommended in #88

and we can now continue on your journal from this point.