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Talk to me about Ferts

sh4d0w

Member
Joined
30 Jun 2020
Messages
73
Location
Stockport, Greater Manchester
I am going to be re-planting my new setup over the weekend.
High Energy tank.
I have avail but not planning on using them all:
x1 Bucephalandra Theia
1x Bucephalandra sp. Lamandau
4x Anubias Petite
3x Bucephalandra Green Velvet
3x Bucephalandra 'Kedagang'
3x Microsorum pteropus Trident
3x Bolbitis heudelotii
3x Rotala H'ra
5x Rotala Orange Juice
X8 Taxiphyllum barbieri
X3 Vesicularia ferriei 'Weeping'
X3 Vesicularia montagnei 'Christmas Moss'
X3 Riccia fluitans
X3 Pogostemon helferi
X6 Micranthemum tweediel 'Monte Carlo'
X3 Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
X3 Rotala wallichii
X3 Cryptocoryne undulatus 'Broad Leaf'
X3 Cryptocoryne crispatula
X2 Salvinia auriculata
X1 Limnobium laevigatum
X3 Nymphoides hydrophylla 'Taiwan'
X1 Heteranthera zosterifolia
X2 Sagittaria subulata
X1 Staurogyne repen
X3 Eleocharis pusilla
X30 Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini'
X2 Hygrophila “Siamensis 53B.Potted
X2 Cryptocoryne x willisii. Potted
X1 Lilaeopsis brasiliensis. Potted
X2 Lobelia cardinalis. Potted
on my previous i dosed EI but had very mixed results so now i am thinking to go more specialsed, i have 3 Sentia Dosers so the Seachem range appeals to me to make most use of them but am i wasting money when an AIO will do the job.
I know there is no round and fast answer to this but i just need some help to decide!

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Nice hardscape and big plans. Salts are salts and plants dont care what make they are so I would say make your own. We have the IFC calculater now so making your own is very easy and you can also clone many commercial ferts with it also.

Many folk look for a magic fert, but there isnt one. Flow is King of the high tech tank. Getting the flow right is more important IMO.
 
Thank you Zeus.
So with that in mind, i did mix my own EI and have all the salts left from that.
Where can i read more on this method, its totally new to me and given the amount of money i have just dropped on plants, i need to get it right with minimal risk.
 
on my previous i dosed EI but had very mixed results
This is important. If you had mixed results with EI previously with your high-tech setup, that means something else was causing the mixed results so you might give some thought as to what that might be since switching up ferts isn't likely going to sort out your problem.
 
This is important. If you had mixed results with EI previously with your high-tech setup, that means something else was causing the mixed results so you might give some thought as to what that might be since switching up ferts isn't likely going to sort out your problem.
Noted and spot on.
I have changed my lights to much stronger WRGB pro, Ive added a second filter, i have upgraded my CO2 system to a Life Aqua dual stage over my JBL and i have added a Nero 3 powerhead to keep flow.
 
Having good water is a big help. Think the OP has soft water in his location which will be nice.
Yea, i have super soft water here.
OLD Tank water in the left collum and Tap on the right.
Ph. 7.3. - 6.8
Kh. 8. 9
Mg. 25? - 25?
No2. 0.025.- 0.025
No3. 1 -. 0
Po4. 0.2. -1.8
Si02. 0.2. - 4
K. 13. -1
 
Yea, i have super soft water here.
OLD Tank water in the left collum and Tap on the right.
Ph. 7.3. - 6.8
Kh. 8. 9
Mg. 25? - 25?
No2. 0.025.- 0.025
No3. 1 -. 0
Po4. 0.2. -1.8
Si02. 0.2. - 4
K. 13. -1
Very nice water to start with, which makes more plants feasible.
 
ea, i have super soft water here.
OLD Tank water in the left collum and Tap on the right.
Ph. 7.3. - 6.8
Kh. 8. 9
Mg. 25? - 25?
No2. 0.025.- 0.025
No3. 1 -. 0
Po4. 0.2. -1.8
Si02. 0.2. - 4
K. 13. -1

Assuming the KH number above is degrees KH, 8-9 is actually quite alkaline (85 ppm of CO3) and hard. Assuming this is all from Calcium Carbonate, 8 dKH from CaCO3 provides 57 ppm of Ca. (8 dGH)

Also I am bit curious about the 25 ppm of Mg? That seems very high for tap water in your part of the world. (25 ppm adds another ~6 degrees to your dGH).

Do you have a water report we could study by any chance?

Otherwise it's fine and even the hard / alkaline water (14 dGH/8 dKH based on the quoted numbers and my assumptions) will allow you to grow +90% of all plants. That said, you should check your plant list to make sure none of you selected species specifically require very soft and acidic water.

Cheers,
Michael
 
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Assuming the KH number above is degrees KH, 8-9 is actually quite alkaline (85 ppm of CO3) and hard. Assuming this is all from Calcium Carbonate, 8 dKH from CaCO3 provides 57 ppm of Ca. (8 dGH)

Also I am bit curious about the 25 ppm of Mg? That seems very high for tap water in your part of the world. (25 ppm adds another ~6 degrees to your dGH).

Do you have a water report we could study by any chance?

Otherwise it's fine and even the hard / alkaline water (14 dGH/8 dKH based on the quoted numbers and my assumptions) will allow you to grow +90% of all plants. That said, you should check your plant list to make sure none of you selected species specifically require very soft and acidic water.

Cheers,
Michael
will get back to you sir,
 
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