Tpn+ Question

[Twinklecaz]

Hi

My TPN+ bottle says to dose once a week. This is fine as I planned to do it after my weekly water change. I had a slight Ammonia and Nitrite reading yesterday after my water change so I had to do another 50% today. My question is should I dose some more? If I ended up having to do a water change every day this week should I dose it every day or will I end up with an overdose.

P.s has anyone ever found either that or Easy Carbo to mess with their water parameters and given them a Ammonia or Nirite reading? It was just a thought I had.

 

[PDSimon]

I have heard of dosing ferts and easycarbo can effect the results of the tests, but not sure about this. I havn't ever had this problem..

If you dose 1ml, and do a 50% waterchange, add another 0.5ml.

I put my TPN+ in everyday rather than once a week as it apparently is better to keep the algae away.

 

[RadaR]

Dose it everyday rather than weekly. Much better that way. Ensures the plants dont run out.
After adding a load of TPN+ you may see a false reading of ammonia. Not nitrite though, which suggests something else is a foot here.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Oh that's interesting thanks. My Nitrite reading was very very slight. Less than the Ammonia.

So if I dose every day, do I dose less? I've worked out my tank (officially 60L but prob more like 58L) needs about 6ml a week.

If I dose every day will I get Ammonia readings every day then?

 

[PDSimon]

This dosing stuff confuses me too, at the moment I dose 2ml a day for 100L of water but if RadaR has any input here it'd be much appreciated.

If you dose everyday, just find your weekly dose and divide it by 7 so 6ml a week approx 0.8ml a day

and caz because your ammonia seemed to noticibly turn into nitrite it would seem something else has effected it, not the ferts

 

[Twinklecaz]

God knows what it was. It better be ok later when I test it

yeah that's what I was thinking. I'll do 0.8 ml later unless RadaR has anything different to tell us

 

[RadaR]

You are right about dividing by 7. Typically we dose 1ml per 20litres. This can go up or down though depending on how much light you have.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Wow so that would mean I'd have to dose nearly 3ml a day???

 

[RadaR]

Yeah. Try it out for 2 weeks and see how things go.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Ok thanks.

 

[scotty]

so if i'm getting this right,i should dose my tank with 6ml tpn + everyday as my tank is a 125 litres,a bottle ain't going to last long,and i also seem to be getting ammonia readings after i dose with tpn+!!!

cheers

scotty

 

[ian]

Fert dosing is another reason why planted tank keepers don't use a test kit

 

[Twinklecaz]

LOl! But I'm right in assuming it's a fake reading? There's not actually Ammonia?

 

[ian]

I'm no chemistry expert, but i'm sure it has something to do with one of the regents used. Its not actually ammonia. But, it is the truth Caz, test kits are a waste of time and money, when having a planted tank.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Because all your readings or wrong or coz they're highly unlikely to ever be bad? I don't know what level of planted you'd call me tank, whether it's lightly planted, moderate or what. I guess I'd say it's moderate. It's got more than a couple of plants but it doesn't cover the substrate or anything.