Dosing Regimen for the Planted Aquarium - Page 2 - APE - Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts

mos901 · 10-27-2009, 10:17 AM

doing ei dosing in my 125 i found that i can only dose 1/16 tsp of kh2po4 a week or my phos get well above 2pmm. also i had to up my kno3 to 2 tsp every other day, my no3 still remains low with that dosing for some reason. i will check it again tonight.

i also question my need for magn and calcium. i dont have a test kit for that. i heard if mag is low iron is not absorbed properly. is this true.

dewalltheway · 10-27-2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _ReApEr

If infrequent measuring is what you want, use a pill box or multiple pill boxes. The ones with "S M T W T F S" on them. Use four and you can measure out once a month. Then, when it comes time to fertilize, just pour that day's contents into a bottle, add water, shake, pour. Simple and time saving.

Great Idea! Simple and easy.

findingjohn · 01-21-2010, 02:02 PM

I am new to this dry fertilizing thing. I got the N P K package to day. With a 1000ml bottle. How do I go about doing this the right way. Any help would be great. I have a 75 gallon planted tank. Or how to just use it dry.

Thanks

AquaZilla · 01-21-2010, 03:04 PM

Hi John!

This will help.

This is a version of the EI (Estimative Index by Tom Barr.) You want to dose NPK on one day, and your CSM+B the next day. DO this up to the end of the week. On day 7 do a 50% water change and start all over. You can add your measured amounts to a small cup, walk over to your tank with cup of dry compounds, add a little tank water and stir up, then poor into the tank. Easy as pie

This method will leave your tank rich in nutrients and will require adequate co2 levels and med-high-light. Its ok if you forget to dose one day or the next, but do not skip your water changes..

-Dry Dosing Plantex CSM+B... (NOTE: IF YOUR PREMIXING CSM+B, BE SURE YOUR BOTTLES ARE STERILE AND YOU USE RO/DI WATER)
Converting 1 tablespoon to 250ml H20,
20 ml = 1/4 teaspoon of dry fertilizer.
There are 12 - 1/4 teaspoons dissolved
250ml/12=20.83ml.

20~40gal
50% H20 change-weekly
1/4 Tsp-KN03 3x a week
1/16 Tsp-KH2P04 3x a week
1/2 Tsp-GH booster once a week
5ml or 1/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week

40~60gal
50% H20 change-weekly
1/2 Tsp-KN03 3x a week
1/8 Tsp-KH2P04 3x a week
3/4 Tsp-GH booster once a week
10ml or 1/8Tsp-Trace 3x a week

60~80gal
50% H20 change-weekly
3/4 Tsp-KN03 3x a week
3/16 Tsp-KH2P04 3x a week
1 Tsp-GH booster once a week
15ml 3/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week
__________________________________________________

10- 20 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/8 tsp KN03 (N) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp KH2P04 (P) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp (2ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

20-40 Gallon Aquariums
+/- ¼ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp (5ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

60 – 80 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 3/4 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- ¼ tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- ¼ tsp (20ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

100 - 125 Gallon Aquarium
+/- 1 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- ½ tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- ½ tsp (30ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

Mixing Trace Element and Iron, Plantex CSM+B, (NOTE: IF YOUR PREMIXING CSM+B, BE SURE YOUR BOTTLES ARE STERILE AND YOU USE RO/DI WATER)
Fe/Iron Chelate 10%- mix 1Tbsp per 250ml water-
one cap full=5ml

-Preheating your water in a cup/dosing bottle will help dissolve your salt much quicker.

findingjohn · 01-21-2010, 05:03 PM

75Gallon tank.

So for Kh2pO4 1/4 tsp 3 times a week

Kno3 3/4tsp 3 times a week

Plantex csm+b 1 Tbsp per 250ml water or 4 Tbsp per 1000ml 32oz in mix bottle with RO/DI water. How many days per week for this? How much?

How much for K2SO4? 3 times per week also?

Should this be done in any type of order? What test kits should I have on hand? Right now I have a general freash water test kit. My ph is around 6.0. I do not add anything to keep it at this level. I been doing a 30% water change every week. About 25 gallons. Could I get away with a 40% water change?

I use RO water only in my tank.
I was told 50% water change was not good.

Do I need to use a GH booster at all.

I will fellow your instructions.

Thanks

AquaZilla · 01-21-2010, 05:12 PM

From the above post.

60 – 80 Gallon Aquariums
+/- ¼ tsp K2So4 3x a week M-W-F-Sun.
+/- 3/4 tsp KN03 3x a week M-W-F-Sun.
+/- ¼ tsp KH2P04 3x a week M-W-F-Sun
+/- ¼ tsp (20ml) Trace Elements 3x a week This is CSM+B Tues-Thurs-Sat
50% weekly water change on Sunday and start over.

AquaZilla · 01-21-2010, 05:16 PM

If your water is hard out of the tap you dont need GH booster. You can dose all of these dry right into the tank. Just dump them in.

But, sense you are using RO you will need GH booster , or you will need to add 1/2 tap water to bring mineral content up. Either way will work fine..

50% water changes are fine. I have been doing this for years, no problems..

findingjohn · 01-21-2010, 05:31 PM

What does gh booster do for the water? What kind of GH booster do I use. I have well water. I do add RO liquid in the RO water during water changes. How can I tell if my water is hard or not? Did I need any extra test kits? Sorry for all the questions I been asking. You have been a big help.
Thanks

AquaZilla · 01-21-2010, 05:37 PM

Regular Nitrate,GH and KH kits are ok. Make sure you buy one with a good expiration date.

If your using 100% RO you will need this, Seachem. Equilibrium OR!

The Ultimate GH Booster | Green Leaf Aquariums

Both of these will have ample Potassium as well so you could even skip K2so4 unless your tank shows signs of deficiency.

01-21-2010, 03:04 PM	#14 (permalink)
AquaZilla Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,176	Hi John! This will help. This is a version of the EI (Estimative Index by Tom Barr.) You want to dose NPK on one day, and your CSM+B the next day. DO this up to the end of the week. On day 7 do a 50% water change and start all over. You can add your measured amounts to a small cup, walk over to your tank with cup of dry compounds, add a little tank water and stir up, then poor into the tank. Easy as pie This method will leave your tank rich in nutrients and will require adequate co2 levels and med-high-light. Its ok if you forget to dose one day or the next, but do not skip your water changes.. -Dry Dosing Plantex CSM+B... (NOTE: IF YOUR PREMIXING CSM+B, BE SURE YOUR BOTTLES ARE STERILE AND YOU USE RO/DI WATER) Converting 1 tablespoon to 250ml H20, 20 ml = 1/4 teaspoon of dry fertilizer. There are 12 - 1/4 teaspoons dissolved 250ml/12=20.83ml. 20~40gal 50% H20 change-weekly 1/4 Tsp-KN03 3x a week 1/16 Tsp-KH2P04 3x a week 1/2 Tsp-GH booster once a week 5ml or 1/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week 40~60gal 50% H20 change-weekly 1/2 Tsp-KN03 3x a week 1/8 Tsp-KH2P04 3x a week 3/4 Tsp-GH booster once a week 10ml or 1/8Tsp-Trace 3x a week 60~80gal 50% H20 change-weekly 3/4 Tsp-KN03 3x a week 3/16 Tsp-KH2P04 3x a week 1 Tsp-GH booster once a week 15ml 3/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week __________________________________________________ 10- 20 Gallon Aquariums +/- 1/8 tsp KN03 (N) 3x a week +/- 1/32 tsp KH2P04 (P) 3x a week +/- 1/32 tsp (2ml) Trace Elements 3x a week 50% weekly water change 20-40 Gallon Aquariums +/- ¼ tsp KN03 3x a week +/- 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week +/- 1/16 tsp (5ml) Trace Elements 3x a week 50% weekly water change 40-60 Gallon Aquariums +/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week +/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week +/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week 50% weekly water change 60 – 80 Gallon Aquariums +/- 3/4 tsp KN03 3x a week +/- ¼ tsp KH2P04 3x a week +/- ¼ tsp (20ml) Trace Elements 3x a week 50% weekly water change 100 - 125 Gallon Aquarium +/- 1 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week +/- ½ tsp KH2P04 3x a week +/- ½ tsp (30ml) Trace Elements 3x a week 50% weekly water change Mixing Trace Element and Iron, Plantex CSM+B, (NOTE: IF YOUR PREMIXING CSM+B, BE SURE YOUR BOTTLES ARE STERILE AND YOU USE RO/DI WATER) Fe/Iron Chelate 10%- mix 1Tbsp per 250ml water- one cap full=5ml -Preheating your water in a cup/dosing bottle will help dissolve your salt much quicker. __________________ The Planted Aquarium Blog

01-21-2010, 05:12 PM	#16 (permalink)
AquaZilla Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,176	From the above post. 60 – 80 Gallon Aquariums +/- ¼ tsp K2So4 3x a week M-W-F-Sun. +/- 3/4 tsp KN03 3x a week M-W-F-Sun. +/- ¼ tsp KH2P04 3x a week M-W-F-Sun +/- ¼ tsp (20ml) Trace Elements 3x a week *This is CSM+B* Tues-Thurs-Sat 50% weekly water change on Sunday and start over. __________________ The Planted Aquarium Blog

01-21-2010, 05:16 PM	#17 (permalink)
AquaZilla Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,176	If your water is hard out of the tap you dont need GH booster. You can dose all of these dry right into the tank. Just dump them in. But, sense you are using RO you will need GH booster , or you will need to add 1/2 tap water to bring mineral content up. Either way will work fine.. 50% water changes are fine. I have been doing this for years, no problems.. __________________ The Planted Aquarium Blog

01-21-2010, 05:37 PM	#19 (permalink)
AquaZilla Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,176	*Regular Nitrate,GH and KH kits are ok. Make sure you buy one with a good expiration date.* If your using 100% RO you will need this, Seachem. Equilibrium OR! The Ultimate GH Booster \| Green Leaf Aquariums *Both of these will have ample Potassium as well so you could even skip K2so4 unless your tank shows signs of deficiency.* __________________ The Planted Aquarium Blog

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

10-27-2009, 10:17 AM	#11 (permalink)
mos901 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 6	doing ei dosing in my 125 i found that i can only dose 1/16 tsp of kh2po4 a week or my phos get well above 2pmm. also i had to up my kno3 to 2 tsp every other day, my no3 still remains low with that dosing for some reason. i will check it again tonight. i also question my need for magn and calcium. i dont have a test kit for that. i heard if mag is low iron is not absorbed properly. is this true.

01-21-2010, 02:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
findingjohn Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ann Arbor MI Posts: 6	I am new to this dry fertilizing thing. I got the N P K package to day. With a 1000ml bottle. How do I go about doing this the right way. Any help would be great. I have a 75 gallon planted tank. Or how to just use it dry. Thanks

01-21-2010, 05:03 PM	#15 (permalink)
findingjohn Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ann Arbor MI Posts: 6	75Gallon tank. So for Kh2pO4 1/4 tsp 3 times a week Kno3 3/4tsp 3 times a week Plantex csm+b 1 Tbsp per 250ml water or 4 Tbsp per 1000ml 32oz in mix bottle with RO/DI water. How many days per week for this? How much? How much for K2SO4? 3 times per week also? Should this be done in any type of order? What test kits should I have on hand? Right now I have a general freash water test kit. My ph is around 6.0. I do not add anything to keep it at this level. I been doing a 30% water change every week. About 25 gallons. Could I get away with a 40% water change? I use RO water only in my tank. I was told 50% water change was not good. Do I need to use a GH booster at all. I will fellow your instructions. Thanks

01-21-2010, 05:31 PM	#18 (permalink)
findingjohn Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ann Arbor MI Posts: 6	What does gh booster do for the water? What kind of GH booster do I use. I have well water. I do add RO liquid in the RO water during water changes. How can I tell if my water is hard or not? Did I need any extra test kits? Sorry for all the questions I been asking. You have been a big help. Thanks