Ei Help Please!

[baron von bubba]

hi,

just trying to get my head around all this stuff!

in a 250 litre tank with pressurized co2 and 2 x 54W T5 (or 4x 54w T5 if needed)
with tap water
phosphate 3-4ppm
nitrates 12ppm
kh8
gh11

what ammounts of the dry ferts should i be mixing and adding?

i'm sure the info is readily available, but my head is spinning!! :0/

 

[baron von bubba]

ok, now this has been moved from the noobs section i see the sticky in here! :0/

 

[aaronnorth]

2 x 54w T5 will be fine (with reflectors).
I would raise the NO3 to 20-30ppm,
KNO3 - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.
so dose 50ml (10ppm) whenever you dose

no need for the KH2PO4. Because you wont need the KH2PO4 you may get some K defficiencies, so if you want, you could add some KH2SO4.
potassium should be around 30ppm, however just use your plants as a test kit (K defficiencies - pinholes/ burnt leaves)

Potassium Sulphate - 55g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm
so add 50ml whenever you dose with this aswell.

 

[baron von bubba]

2 x 54w T5 will be fine (with reflectors).
I would raise the NO3 to 20-30ppm,
KNO3 - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.
so dose 50ml (10ppm) whenever you dose

no need for the KH2PO4. Because you wont need the KH2PO4 you may get some K defficiencies, so if you want, you could add some KH2SO4.
potassium should be around 30ppm, however just use your plants as a test kit (K defficiencies - pinholes/ burnt leaves)

Potassium Sulphate - 55g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm
so add 50ml whenever you dose with this aswell.

I will have the stuff to be able to do calibrated tests on my tap water tonight, so will have a better idea of its real phosphate content.
I think that there are only very small amounts of K added with the potassium phosphate anyhow.
I'm plannin to use a gh booster as i already have those ferts! So if i use this on my nitrate dose day i wont need the potassium solphate?
I'm i right in thinking this?
Thanks

Oh yeah, and how often should the drop checker fluid be changed? Thanx

 

[aaronnorth]

2 x 54w T5 will be fine (with reflectors).
I would raise the NO3 to 20-30ppm,
KNO3 - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.
so dose 50ml (10ppm) whenever you dose

no need for the KH2PO4. Because you wont need the KH2PO4 you may get some K defficiencies, so if you want, you could add some KH2SO4.
potassium should be around 30ppm, however just use your plants as a test kit (K defficiencies - pinholes/ burnt leaves)

Potassium Sulphate - 55g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm
so add 50ml whenever you dose with this aswell.

I will have the stuff to be able to do calibrated tests on my tap water tonight, so will have a better idea of its real phosphate content.
I think that there are only very small amounts of K added with the potassium phosphate anyhow.
I'm plannin to use a gh booster as i already have those ferts! So if i use this on my nitrate dose day i wont need the potassium solphate?
I'm i right in thinking this?
Thanks

Oh yeah, and how often should the drop checker fluid be changed? Thanx

Yes, most of the K comes from the KNO3, there is a more in depth thread here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=272981
GH Booster adds some KH2SO4. So you will probably be fine then with the K levels.

Change the solution every 2 weeks max IMO. I do it weekly to make sure it is always as fresh as possible.