Solufeed Ca-EDTA (Na free)

[Simon Cole]

I noticed that Solufeed do a <Sodium Free Ca 8.5 EDTA 1kg> that they describe as follows:

"A spray agglomerated microgranule formulation of calcium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (Ca EDTA) containing:
Water soluble Ca: 8.5% , Ca chelated by EDTA: min 8.5%
Practical pH stability range: 4 – 9 (in aqueous solution) EC (1 g/ltr) 0.5 mS/cm @ 20°C"

Where I live the water has miniscule amounts of calcium, lots of magnesium, and it is soft. I have had calcium defficiency in terrestrial potted plants. I am cautious setting up a few high-tech aquascapes without any readily available source of calcium. I was very much taught the notion that the ratio Mg/Ca should be 1:3.
Is there any harm in using this fertiliser in a planted tank?

 

[Oldguy]

Ca chelated by EDTA: min 8.5%

I have no experience of using this product, the only option when I bought a lifetimes supply of Iron EDTA was sodium. Calcium is relatively strongly bonded to EDTA and may not be that readily available for plants, could be wrong.
However I use rain water and moderately soft tap water for water changes and use magnesium nitrate and calcium nitrate as part of remineralisation.
In your case as you are calcium deficient have you thought about 'Hydrofeed' calcium nitrate. You can buy it from ebay as small granules in a plastic tub.
I think it is a double salt: 5[Ca(NO3)2] + [NH4NO3] + 10[H2O]. I have found it to be non hydroscopic and easy to weigh out and readily soluble in water.
I have good results using it with other chemicals to give a nutrient rich water column.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Where I live the water has miniscule amounts of calcium, lots of magnesium, and it is soft. I have had calcium defficiency in terrestrial potted plants.

I'd just use some "shell grit", in both tanks and potted plants, you don't need very much and it costs about £2 a kilo

Cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

.. I have no experience of using this product, the only opti
However I use rain water and moderately soft tap water for water changes and use magnesium nitrate and calcium nitrate as part of remineralisation.
In your case as you are calcium deficient have you thought about 'Hydrofeed' calcium nitrate. You can buy it from ebay as small granules in a plastic tub.
I think it is a double salt: 5[Ca(NO3)2] + [NH4NO3] + 10[H2O]. I have found it to be non hydroscopic and easy to weigh out and readily soluble in water.
I have good results using it with other chemicals to give a nutrient rich water column.

Or calcium nitrate tetrahydrate etc.

Cheers Darrel

 

[Simon Cole]

have you thought about 'Hydrofeed' calcium nitrate.

@Oldguy - Thank you, good idea. Solufeed are out of chelated calcium and it's more expensive.
Do I need a three-phase dosing strategy for calcium nitrate? ...


@dw1305 - Thank you Darrel for the idea of shell grit. I would normally add pummice to external filters, but somehow over the years I have come to see them as "pumps in a bucket" <lucky number 7>. I just can't be bothered with them. I am throwing a skimmer into provide flow and seeing where I can go from there. I might actually order some and use it to raise the height below the substrate. Would you go for pummice or shell grit under aquasoil? I still have a bag of Vaxer pummice by Ikea from when it was £4 for 3Kg.

 

[Oldguy]

Do I need a three-phase dosing strategy for calcium nitrate?

Could be wise because of the ammonium nitrate. I run CO2 so the pH is acid to neutral and I add about 2/3 of a dose at water change and the balance over the following week.
Watch your fish, skittish it may be ammonia.
In the past I experimented with ammonium sulphate (could not get the nitrate, even in a rural area) and gave up because of the above behaviour.
However the ammonium component of 'Hydrofeed' is quite low. One advantage of using a soluble magnesium salt is that it is easy to regulate and vary the dose according to plant growth.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I still have a bag of Vaxer pummice by Ikea

Pumice is likely to be neutral, or acidic, just because of the <"mechanism of formation">.

...... shell grit under aquasoil?

I'd probably put it somewhere where you can see it, that way you have a visual representation of the dGH / dKH of the tank. It could still be in a mesh bag etc., but just tucked out the way somewhere.

cheers Darrel

 

[Simon Cole]

@Oldguy - Thank you. I have a bottle of CalMag knocking around somewhere, so that should be 3:1 but I will check for the ammonium component on the bottle. I'm putting in a large order of different salts. Is there anything I can get you, like the Na-free EDTA micronutrient chelate by Solufeed? I'm not going to need 1Kg of the stuff I doubt. I have a cheap supplier of potassium nitrate to order too if you need any?

@dw1305 - Thank you. I think I have a bag of it somewhere. I will get some proper water test results and plan it from there, although I do have a 1,000 litre water but ready to be plumbed in when the weather warms up.

 

[Oldguy]

Is there anything I can get you,

Many thanks for the offer. I have a life times supply of both Na EDTA Iron and Na EDTA Iron with trace elements. The latter I bought as a 'burst bag' because at that time it was only sold in 25Kg bags. It is now available in 1Kg packs.
Interested in the Pot Nitrate but concerned about postage.
The cheapest source that I found was in Devon, I got this from a firework making site, but the quantities were massive i.e. pallet load.
Keep me posted.

 

[Simon Cole]

Interested in the Pot Nitrate but concerned about postage.

I use Surfy's: <425g delivered to your doorstep tomorrow> for £9.99 with Amazon Prime. I'm going to have a chat with him when he reopens on the 22nd January to see whether he can do larger orders, so let me know if you are minded for larger quantities. I am going to put in an order with Solufeed at roughly the same time, and I'm happy to break up larger quantities and send out a pack to you in the post, plus I've got some Anubias var. pangolino spare.

 

[Oldguy]

I have a cheap supplier of potassium nitrate to order too if you need any?

Just checked on ebay Pot Nitrate £14.95 per Kg post paid. Hidden under 'potassium nitrogen'
Interested in the Anubias var. pangolino, but best to wait till the weather warms up
Manty thanks.

 

[Simon Cole]

Well it looks like calcium nitrate tetrahydrate is about £199 per Kg (19% Ca), whereas Solufeed Ca-EDTA (Na-free) (8.5% Ca) is £20 if it comes back in stock - plus it is compatible with soluble phosphates and other chelates. I think this will be the winner.
@Oldguy - Thank you - also for mentioning that standard calcium nitrate fertilisers are ammoniacal. Great advice.

 

[Simon Cole]

Well the calcium situation looks fairly desperate. Solufeed replied to me and they aren't selling enough of it.
Part of me is thinking that I should deal with the ammoniacal calcium nitrate fertilisers by letting them sit for a week in a tub with some pothos with added EDTA solution to bind any available calcium. But I will admit - this one has me boggled. What I am after is a relatively sodium-free and ammonium-free source of calcium to give me the best shot of EI dosing. I'll write to the water company board next and get some figures.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

What I am after is a relatively sodium-free and ammonium-free source of calcium to give me the best shot of EI dosing

You can use calcium chloride (CaCl2.nH2O), or dry dose calcium sulphate (CaSO4.2H2O) if you don't want to add extra chloride ions (Cl-)? They are both cheap to buy.

Food grade CaCl2.2H2O is "E590", you can buy it as an additive for cheese making etc.

cheers Darrel

 

[Maf 2500]

Solufeed also sell Easy-Feed Extra, an all in one liquid hydroponic fertiliser which includes calcium. Reasonably priced if you ignore the one litre size and go straight to five litres.

 

[Simon Cole]

or dry dose calcium sulphate

This one is a winner! Thank you Darrel 🥳
It will dissolve to 2 grams per litre, so I should get 200 ppm in a 10 litre bucket (adjusting for impurities). About £7 per kg.
I might throw in some shrimp to mix it up for me.
Welsh Water have offered tapwater testing for free! They have always impressed me as a company. Lovely honourable people.

Solufeed also sell Easy-Feed Extra,

This does look very good. Thank you. It's so affordable, everyone might consider it.