What Ferts For These Plants?

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Gurglar

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I've setup my 5 gallon tank with some ADA soil, 24watts of light and DIY Co2 and now need some ferts but not sure what I need?? Tank only has hairgrass in it at the moment but am ordering glossostigma and some blyxa this week coming.

Should I use dry ferts if I can find them since they are alot cheaper or should I use the seachem range since its such a tiny tank?? I don't wanna waste a heap of money on buying lots of seachem but I don't know anything about the dry ferts and how to mix them so what should I start out with?

What seachem products should I use out of the whole range for those plants??

Can't use TPN either as we don't get that in Australia
 
its up to you whether you choose dry or liquid. they are both the same to a plant in the end ;)

Make sure the CO2 is 30ppm as blyxa & glosso will melt if not as they are more picky with this than they are ferts, but for powders, here is the mixture:

Potassium Nitrate - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.
Potassium Phosphate - 15g to 500ml of water and adding 5ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 1ppm.
Trace mix - 25g to 500ml and dose 10ml per 50l


you want to dose 5ppm NO3 x3 per week
and 1ppm PO4 x3 per week

and with the trace also dose that x3 per week.

You need to make sure the plants recieve NPK & trace
 
Are they the only things I need cause i've noticed on another forum people use a few more things like a GH booster and other things??

Is the potassium nitrate KNO3?

The phosphate is KH2PO4?

Then just the trace mix?

Do I need a GH booster or will my tank be fine with the 3 you suggested??
 
GH bosster is a mix of calcium sulphate and magnesium suplhate (CaSO4 & MgSO4 respectively)
GH is a measure of these too ions so it raises the GH, aslong as it is above 4degrees then i wouldnt worry. Same with the KH as you should have enough Mg & Ca in the water.
some also use Potassium sulphate (K2SO4) to raise the potassium level, but enough is usually dosed with the KNO3 alone... there is also the KH2PO4.

you have the chemical formula names correct.
 
alright too easy so i'll just get those 3 and everything should be good??

Do I need to get a test kit or something to make sure i've got enough of everything else or do you just go by what you see??

Just to make sure is this how much I would need to dose in my 20 litre tank with the measurements you gave above:

KNO3 - 2ml three times a week
KH2PO4 - 1ml three times a week
Trace - 4ml three times a week

I'm guessing it would be much easier for me to pre mix them in bottle with your measurements rather than adding them dry to the tank cause its so small it would be harder to get the measurments right. How do I go about storing them do they only last a few days or do you have to keep them in the fridge or something??

I might have to make them into smaller batches cause the 500ml of water will last forever with the small dosages i've gotta do.

Ok i'm confusing myself I ain't good with maths so i'm lost lol
 
alright too easy so i'll just get those 3 and everything should be good??

yes

Do I need to get a test kit or something to make sure i've got enough of everything else or do you just go by what you see??

go by what you see, if there is yellowing leaves add more KNO3, pinholes in leaves you need more potassium either add more KNO3 or buy some K2SO4 etc.
The beauty of using dry powders is you know how much you are adding, so if you add non-limiting values then you can be assured you wont see any defficiencies.
Just to make sure is this how much I would need to dose in my 20 litre tank with the measurements you gave above:

KNO3 - 2ml three times a week
KH2PO4 - 1ml three times a week
Trace - 4ml three times a week

correct.

I'm guessing it would be much easier for me to pre mix them in bottle with your measurements rather than adding them dry to the tank cause its so small it would be harder to get the measurments right. How do I go about storing them do they only last a few days or do you have to keep them in the fridge or something??

On small tanks it is easier with liquid solutions because measuring out 1/32 of a teaspoon isnt easy, unless you buy some measuring spoons.
powders last forever.
liquid solution last about 6weeks before mould starts to grow, keeping them in the fridge will extend the life for a few more weeks. Also store them out of sunlight as it breaks down the chelator in the trace mix.

I might have to make them into smaller batches cause the 500ml of water will last forever with the small dosages i've gotta do.

Thats fine,

Ok i'm confusing myself I ain't good with maths so i'm lost lol

Youre in the same boat as me lol.
 
righto then i'll mix them all up and chuck them in the fridge and see how long they last if anything i'll half the batches just so I won't be throwing out as much if they do go bad.

Now all I gotta do is find someone who sells the powders thanks for everything man i'll know doubt post up some pics once I get all the plants or start up a journal in the next few days so keep an eye out :)

thanks again.
 
your welcome,

not sure where you are located but in the UK

aqua essentials
fluidsensor online
garden direct

US

aquarium fertiliser
 
I'm over in Australia so none of them :) i'll go threw a few forums and sites and see what I can find.
 
Do I need to get a test kit or something to make sure i've got enough of everything else or do you just go by what you see??

go by what you see, if there is yellowing leaves add more KNO3, pinholes in leaves you need more potassium either add more KNO3 or buy some K2SO4 etc.
The beauty of using dry powders is you know how much you are adding, so if you add non-limiting values then you can be assured you wont see any defficiencies.

true, but be aware that CO2 is as critical if not more so than nutrient levels, if you adding the "correct" dosage of ferts and still notice problems or deficiencies its likely that CO2 levels/distribution are to blame!
 
^^^ I've got a drop checker to monitor the DIY Co2 so I get enough of it :)
 

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