• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Understanding doseage amounts for ferts

Swim Shady

Member
Joined
15 May 2022
Messages
26
Location
UK
Hi all.
I've been doing a bit of light reading on the subject of ppm and doseage amounts.
Now math has never been my strong point but I don't seem to be able to get ppm fiqures to tally with the target amounts.
I currently use the 2hr aquarist APT 3 complete as my chosen fert and I dose this using a D-D P1 pump.
I currently have this set to dose 4ml daily spread over 8 hours before lights on.
I read on the 2hr website that ideally I should be targeting the following -
Weekly targetDaily target
NitratesNO320-30ppm2.8 - 4.2ppm
PhospahtesPO45-7ppm0.7 - 1ppm
PotassiumK20-30ppm2.8 - 4.2ppm
IronFe/traces0.5-1ppm0.07 - 0.14ppm
MagnesiumMg10ppm1.4ppm

Based on the above targets I thought I would attempt to work out if my doseage is anywhere near these targets.
The 2hr aquarist website gives the ppm fiqures based on 5ml daily for 100l.
APT-3 Complete PPM per 5ml-100l.png

I've calculated that my total volume of water including ext filter is 80l which made the math easier. I think im correct in saying a 4ml dose in 80l of water is the same a 5ml dose in 100l.
This gave me the daily ppm fiqures which I then multiplied by 7 to reach my actual weekly doseage fiqures as seen below. These fiqures seem to fall way short of the suggest targets.
5ml-100l daily35ml-100l weekly4ml-80l daily28ml-80l weekly
NitratesNO31.8ppm12.6ppm1.8ppm12.6ppm
PhospahtesPO40.7ppm4.9ppm0.7ppm4.9ppm
PotassiumK3.8ppm26.6ppm3.8ppm26.6ppm
IronFe/traces0.05ppm0.35ppm0.05ppm0.35ppm
MagnesiumMg0.4ppm2.8ppm0.4ppm2.8ppm

Now this is where I start to get very confused because if I use the 2hr aquarist doseage chart (seen below) to get my ppm in weekly target I would be using the suggested doseage for a much much larger volume of water! I think about 10ml daily would give the correct ppm but that seems far to much!
APT-3 Complete Doseage Chart.png

Am I making this to complex for my little head or have I mis-calculated something somewhere?
I just want to try and maximise my doseage and hit the suggest target ppm using the products I have. I hate throwing away perfectly usable products.
I also have a bottle of easy-life easy carbo and easy-life Profito.
I would be externally grateful if someone who understands this a lot better than I do could maybe create a good daily dosing schedule for me based on the products I have that meets the target ppm's.
Many thanks in advance.
 
I currently have this set to dose 4ml daily spread over 8 hours before lights on.
This is not really usefull, just dose one hour prior lighting is on or when your ph is at its lowest if you inject CO2

You calculation seems right, not every APT line is the same ratio. To reach out the ratio you want you would need the APT EI. I guess APT complete is to get a bit of nitrate limitation to accentuate color in some plants and reduce growth speed. I could be wrong about the later since i don't use them.
 
I read on the 2hr website that ideally I should be targeting the following -
Weekly targetDaily target
NitratesNO320-30ppm2.8 - 4.2ppm
PhospahtesPO45-7ppm0.7 - 1ppm
PotassiumK20-30ppm2.8 - 4.2ppm
IronFe/traces0.5-1ppm0.07 - 0.14ppm
MagnesiumMg10ppm1.4ppm


APT Complete is intended as a middle ground between ADA style lean dosing and Estimative Index. The IFC spreadsheet helpfully allows you to compare the different dosing regimes.
1653830052792.png
 
This is not really usefull, just dose one hour prior lighting is on or when your ph is at its lowest if you inject CO2

You calculation seems right, not every APT line is the same ratio. To reach out the ratio you want you would need the APT EI. I guess APT complete is to get a bit of nitrate limitation to accentuate color in some plants and reduce growth speed. I could be wrong about the later since i don't use them.
Thanks for your reply, I will change my auto dose setting to dose just the once daily then one hour prior to lights on. At least my math is correct then, was worried I was doing something wrong.
 

APT Complete is intended as a middle ground between ADA style lean dosing and Estimative Index. The IFC spreadsheet helpfully allows you to compare the different dosing regimes.
View attachment 189238
Perfect thankyou, Where do I find the above chart? Would like to have a good play around with that and get my head round how it all works.
 
Perfect thankyou, Where do I find the above chart? Would like to have a good play around with that and get my head round how it all works.
 
Thankyou for this. Will have a little look at this now whilst waiting for the F1 to start.
 
Back
Top