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Start up ferts with Amazonia substrate

Chrispowell

Member
Joined
18 Apr 2014
Messages
385
Hi all,

Im just about to fill my tank and start planting. Looking online and with the aid of some people around the forums I have come to the conclusion that the amazonia substrate requires a slightly different approach to tank fertalisation to begin with...

My plan is to follow the instructions with daily water changes in the first week, every other day in the second and 3x a week for a month or two after..

Would it be recommeneded to add trace elements alone at maybe 50% to begin with? Apparently Macros wont be needed? Also I am going to dose Potassium ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Potassium-...1469957344&sr=8-9&keywords=potassium+aquarium ) Should I do this daily too at a smaller %?

Thanks for any help, I need to try get my head around ferts as they will obviously be key to keeping a good looking tank in the future!

Chris
 
Your approach looks good. Add potassium with the full daily dose starting Day 1. I would start adding trace elements with the half of recommended dose after the first week and slowly increase the dosage when plants settle in and start growing. I've seen your water report so you should be fine with macros, at least with nitrates which are at around 30 ppm however it didn't state the readings of magnesium. So you might consider adding it a bit later as well as the phosphates.
 
Thank you! I do plan on dosing the macros but starting the same at 50% recommended doseage once the tank has settled in abit (2-6months).

I'm going to do some good research on EI now to try and work out what's often required/ lacking and when.

Chris
 
Yep...I'm too lazy to work out the finer points of fertz dosing.
There is an Amano methodology to using Amazonia but I think it involves using a system of other ADA products as well.
Also the idea behind EI is that it's a simple way to ensure plants don't suffer deficiency; it can be fine tuned if need be.
Which allows you to concentrate on the important business of getting the right balance btw CO2, flow and distribution, and lighting.

P.S. the overriding assumption is that inorganic fertz don't cause algae...organics and inappropriate lighting do.
 
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