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

[Happi]

A little update.... been using the mix for around 10 days now, and the plants are loving it! It seems to be even better than the TNC Complete it replaced, with everything growing very well. Very happy with @Happi! Thank you!

Hi Cazza, do you have some pictures to share?

 

[Cazza]

Here you go. The Reds were doing really well until I added a couple of Amano's...

 

[Lincs Planter]

Thanks @Happi much appreciated due to start the system up after I've had time to nip to Aquarium Gardens and collect plants. Will be running quite high CO2 for the first three or four weeks and then slowly drop it back down. So dose the above three days out of every six and then water change on the 7th?

Cheers

 

[Lincs Planter]

Is it best to split these into smaller doses and dose every day or to split the macro and micro or doesn't it make any difference?

 

[jaisol]

A similar dry fertilizer to solufeed 2-1-4 is elixier garden supplies high-potassium-fertiliser, Cheaper .. and available on ebay, the declarations read the same

Bumper Crop High Potassium Fertiliser | N.P.K: 15-5-30+3Mg |

Bumper Crop High Potassium Fertiliser | 700g-20kg Weights Available | Perfect for Fruiting & Flowering Plants.

elixirgardensupplies.co.uk

High-potassium-fertiliser

Total nitrogen (N)	15.0
Nitrate nitrogen (N)	8.1
Ammoniacal nitrogen (N)	–
Ureic nitrogen (N)	7.0
Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5)	6.9(P:3.0)
Potassium oxide (K2O)	32.0(K:26.5)
Magnesium oxide (MgO)	3.0(Mg:1.9)
Boron (as polyborate)	0.021%
Copper (as EDTA)	0.010%
Iron (as EDTA)	0.175%
Manganese (as EDTA)	0.060%
Molybdenum (as molybdate)	0.005
Zinc(as EDTA)	0.075

[th width="49.6997%"]

Nutrient​

[/th][th width="49.6997%"]

Content(%)​

[/th]​

solufeed 2-1-4

Nutrient	Content (%)
Total nitrogen (N)	15.0
Nitrate nitrogen (N)	8.1
Ammoniacal nitrogen (N)	-
Ureic nitrogen (N)	7.0
Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5)	6.9 (P:3.0)
Potassium oxide (K2O)	32.0 (K:26.5)
Magnesium oxide (MgO)	3.0 (Mg: 1.9)
Boron (as polyborate)	0.021
Copper (as EDTA)	0.010
Iron (as EDTA)	0.175
Manganese (as EDTA)	0.060
Molybdenum (as molybdate)	0.005
Zinc (as EDTA)	0.075
Calculated EC at 1 gram per litre	1.1475 mS

 

[bazz]

Hi,
Presumably 412 never gets a mention because of the high Urea and low Nitrate content but I can't help wondering if it may or may not be a better option for daily lean dosing in a soft water CO2 injected tank, I wouldn't really want a ratio of 1-2 Nitrogen-Potassium although I know people are having great success using the 214. Possibly better still, what about a 50-50 mixture of 214 and 412?
I have been curious to ask this since the threads inception and I'm interested in peoples views/input.
Attached are the two products composition sheets for comparison.
Cheers!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I can't help wondering if it may or may not be a better option for daily lean dosing in a soft water CO2 injected tank,

I think it might be a better option, I know @Zeus. has regularly microdosed urea (CO(NH2)2) without any issue.

Possibly better still, what about a 50-50 mixture of 214 and 412?

I'm pretty sure <"some plants will do much better"> with more urea. I'd guess it is the <"Orchid / Tomato dichotomy"> and somewhere there maybe a happy medium <"where both will grow">.

....... If I wanted to create a fertiliser that produced a pretty instant greening response, it would be something with a lot of nitrogen, and probably in the form of urea, to reduce the risk of <"fertiliser burn"> in terrestrial plants ......

Presumably 412 never gets a mention because of the high Urea

That was what initially <"put me off">. When I didn't have any livestock <"I used Miracle Gro">, and the plants did really well.

I also felt that the 2 : 1 : 4 formulation was more widely applicable to people, including those people who had <"fish tanks with plants">, rather than <"planted tanks with fish">.

...... With efficient mechanical and biological filtration you can keep fish at <"insane stocking rates">, <"even without plants"> and <"we have plants">.

I thought the fish might supply some fixed nitrogen and if they used tap water as well it could be a "triple whammy" of nitrogen.

cheers Darrel

 

[Happi]

A similar dry fertilizer to solufeed 2-1-4 is elixier garden supplies high-potassium-fertiliser, Cheaper .. and available on ebay, the declarations read the same

Bumper Crop High Potassium Fertiliser | N.P.K: 15-5-30+3Mg |

Bumper Crop High Potassium Fertiliser | 700g-20kg Weights Available | Perfect for Fruiting & Flowering Plants.

elixirgardensupplies.co.uk

High-potassium-fertiliser

Total nitrogen (N)	15.0
Nitrate nitrogen (N)	8.1
Ammoniacal nitrogen (N)	–
Ureic nitrogen (N)	7.0
Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5)	6.9(P:3.0)
Potassium oxide (K2O)	32.0(K:26.5)
Magnesium oxide (MgO)	3.0(Mg:1.9)
Boron (as polyborate)	0.021%
Copper (as EDTA)	0.010%
Iron (as EDTA)	0.175%
Manganese (as EDTA)	0.060%
Molybdenum (as molybdate)	0.005
Zinc(as EDTA)	0.075

[th width="49.6997%"]
Nutrient

[/th][th width="49.6997%"]
Content(%)

[/th]​

solufeed 2-1-4

Nutrient	Content (%)
Total nitrogen (N)	15.0
Nitrate nitrogen (N)	8.1
Ammoniacal nitrogen (N)	-
Ureic nitrogen (N)	7.0
Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5)	6.9 (P:3.0)
Potassium oxide (K2O)	32.0 (K:26.5)
Magnesium oxide (MgO)	3.0 (Mg: 1.9)
Boron (as polyborate)	0.021
Copper (as EDTA)	0.010
Iron (as EDTA)	0.175
Manganese (as EDTA)	0.060
Molybdenum (as molybdate)	0.005
Zinc (as EDTA)	0.075
Calculated EC at 1 gram per litre	1.1475 mS

Hi,
Presumably 412 never gets a mention because of the high Urea and low Nitrate content but I can't help wondering if it may or may not be a better option for daily lean dosing in a soft water CO2 injected tank, I wouldn't really want a ratio of 1-2 Nitrogen-Potassium although I know people are having great success using the 214. Possibly better still, what about a 50-50 mixture of 214 and 412?
I have been curious to ask this since the threads inception and I'm interested in peoples views/input.
Attached are the two products composition sheets for comparison.
Cheers!View attachment 222354View attachment 222355

Just for comparison:



as you can see why I choose to Mix one or the other, #4 and #5 are likely your best options, #4 and #5 can be used in both soft or hard water but #5 will be superior due to its DTPA Fe Chelation, especially for hard water.

Recipe for #3 in case

 

[Happi]

I can't help wondering if it may or may not be a better option for daily lean dosing in a soft water CO2 injected tank,

this is still a good option for lean dosing

 

[SplantedTanx]

I have just about depleted my current fertilizer and noticed this easy Mix via @Happi and I would really like to try it out. I am going to order Solufeed Coir Tek and the 2:1:4 as listed. I will go for the #5 option and come back to you all with the results. I have a 200ltr fully planted tank and I will be micro dosing daily. I keep lots of nano fish so I am just checking up here to see if the Solufeed 214 and Coir Tek will be fine for these little nano fish I keep ? As I have noticed the Urea in it etc. My water parameters is basically the same as @bazz

Thanks all 😉

 

[Aeropars]

I've read all 9 pages and am non the wiser on this 🙁

So i understand theres a couple of products that can make an all in one solution. But which recipe is right and what is it based on?
I'm looking to move from the dry ferts i've been using for years as they are becoming increasinlgy hard to come by.

Could anyone summarise this for me?

Yours,
A complete numpty.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

So i understand theres a couple of products that can make an all in one solution

Yes.

But which recipe is right and what is it based on?

So @Happi used his extensive knowledge of nutrient solutions to produce a mix of the two solufeed products that closely replicated an "ideal" ratio of plant nutrients.

Commercial fertilisers aren't like aquarium ones, they have a quantifiable end result (a crop yield) and a bottom line.

Starting from a mix is less fully customisable than using "dry compounds", but we know that Solufeed "works" because it is a commercial mix designed for horticulture. If it didn't "work"?, or wasn't cost effective? The "Solufeed" manufacturer would have become insolvent long ago.

The difference between <"aquarium"> and commercial horticultural fertilisers is that horticultural fertilisers have to work.

In horticulture no one can get away with selling the <"World's most expensive water"> etc. If fertilisers didn't work, or weren't cost effective? No-one would buy them and the company making them would have gone out business. It is as simple as that.

All you need to do is follow the recipe, and just change the volume of solution added dependent upon the size of your tank, so 10 ml for a 90 litre tank etc. You can dose a set amount (lean dose or EI etc.) or use the <"Duckweed Index">, it is infinitely flexible.

rom my perspective 5.3 K is plenty for a weekly dose, we can adjust this if someone really want to add more. This dosing can be used in low or high tech setups just like EI style dosing. It is my advice to maintain lower PH less than 7.0 just to be safe while using a fertilizer that usually contain Urea or NH4. I use to dose Urea in PH above 7.0 water without any issue, but with extra precaution.

The recipe below is based on 50-gallon (189.27 liter) aquarium and you can adjust the dosing to your own tank if needed.

500 ml solution, 20 ml per 50 gallon

Step #1
start with 450 ml Distilled water

Step #2
Add 0.25 gram potassium sorbate and mix till fully dissolve

Step #3 (Pick one from the list below, White Vinegar is Preferred) and mix till fully dissolve
Add 0.25 gram sodium benzoate
Add 0.5 gram Ascorbic acid
Add 5-10 ml White Vinegar

Step #4
Add 31.545 gram Solufeed 2:1:4 and mix till fully dissolve
Add 5.721 gram Solufeed Sodium Free TEC and mix till fully dissolve

Step #5
after mixing all the chemicals, add distilled water to reach the 500 ml solution

20 ml per 50 gallon (189.3 Liter) dose will add the following:

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

EI style 3x a week dose:

N 3 (1.4 Urea-N, 1.62 NO3-N) this will add 7.18 ppm NO3, Rest of the N from Urea
P 0.6
K 5.3
Fe 0.335
Mn 0.08454
Cu 0.01
B 0.0375
Zn 0.057
Mo 0.006438
Mg 0.38

cheers Darrel

 

[LFNfan]

which recipe is right and what is it based on?

It depends. I have a non-co2 tank with moderate light and I decided that I am targeting 7.5ppm no3 using Solufeed 2.1.4 and targeting 0.5ppm Fe using Solufeed Sodium-free Trace Elements Chelated ('TEC'). I find that that, plus patience, supports an awful lot of plant growth.

The IFC is invaluable for working out how many grams of product to use in mixing your fertiliser to achieve your target no3 and fe.