Proper Macro Fertilizer Levels?

[Patr1ck]

What should I keep my macro levels at in a 90 gallon, moderaterly planted, low tech tank?
N=____ppm?
P=____ppm?
K=____ppm?

Thanks,
Pat

[exv152]

Nitrates 10-20ppm
Phosphates 1.0-2.0 ppm
Iron 0.1-1.0 ppm
Potassium 10-20 ppm

[Patr1ck]

Nitrates 10-20ppm
Phosphates 1.0-2.0 ppm
Iron 0.1-1.0 ppm
Potassium 10-20 ppm

Thank you.

Pat

[exv152]

Although, the first two are easy to test for, the second two are not. You can test for iron but the test kits seem pretty expensive and the regent (test powder) doesn't really last too long, maybe it's just me. As for potassium, I find the test is not very accurate above like 10-20ppm, other than to confirm the presence of K.

[Harriett]

Go online and check Chuck Gadd's site--he has a program set up where you can enter data, # of gallons, etc and he tells you how much of what macros and micro nutrients to add
Harriett

[Patr1ck]

Although, the first two are easy to test for, the second two are not. You can test for iron but the test kits seem pretty expensive and the regent (test powder) doesn't really last too long, maybe it's just me. As for potassium, I find the test is not very accurate above like 10-20ppm, other than to confirm the presence of K.

Which potassium test kit would you recommend?

Pat

[exv152]

Which potassium test kit would you recommend?

Pat

None, as they're really a bit of cash grab, not accurate, and I've never read anything to suggest any problem associated with elevated levels of K, but I may be wrong.

http://www.petsolutions.com/Potassium-Test-Kit+I12516807+C1.aspx

http://www.firststopaquatics.co.uk/acatalog/Fauna_Marin_Potassium_Test__Kit.html

http://www.saltysupply.com/Zeovit-Potassium-Test-kit-p/kz2582.htm

[Apistomaster]

In a low tech planted tank if you use a good brand of time release substrate fertilizer and change 50 to 70% of the water every 4th day you do not need to test fertilizer levels. The plants and fish will do very well. The whole point of a low tech tank is to keep things mindlessly simple and still get excellent results, right?

[Patr1ck]

In a low tech planted tank if you use a good brand of time release substrate fertilizer and change 50 to 70% of the water every 4th day you do not need to test fertilizer levels. The plants and fish will do very well. The whole point of a low tech tank is to keep things mindlessly simple and still get excellent results, right?

Right! But, I cant find root tabs as cheap as I can find dry ferts.

Thanks,
Pat

[exv152]

Here are some guidelines I've used for dosing dry ferts, and they're really the best way to go. Substrate fertilizers tend to focus on micro nutrients mostly, and dry ferts are the best way to go for macro dosing. But to be honest, I run a high tech planted tank and I hardly ever need to dose for nitrates because of the fish load. WARNING, because you are dry dosing into your tank, you must pay particular attention to the size of the spoon you are using - not to overdose.:

0.3 grams of KNO3 will raise the nitrate level of 10 gallons of water 4.84 ppm
0.1 gram of KH2PO4 will raise the phosphate level of 10 gallons of water 1.84 ppm
1.0 gram of K2SO4 will raise the potassium level of 10 gallons of water 11.82 ppm


or

¼ teaspoon of KNO3 will raise 20 gallons of water to 11.25 ppm of nitrates
¼ teaspoon of KH2PO4 will raise the PO4 levels in 20 gallons of water to 12.86 ppm
¼ teaspoon of K2SO4 will raise the potassium levels in 20 gallons of water to 8.25 ppm

[Patr1ck]

Here are some guidelines I've used for dosing dry ferts, and they're really the best way to go. Substrate fertilizers tend to focus on micro nutrients mostly, and dry ferts are the best way to go for macro dosing. But to be honest, I run a high tech planted tank and I hardly ever need to dose for nitrates because of the fish load. WARNING, because you are dry dosing into your tank, you must pay particular attention to the size of the spoon you are using - not to overdose.:

0.3 grams of KNO3 will raise the nitrate level of 10 gallons of water 4.84 ppm
0.1 gram of KH2PO4 will raise the phosphate level of 10 gallons of water 1.84 ppm
1.0 gram of K2SO4 will raise the potassium level of 10 gallons of water 11.82 ppm


or

¼ teaspoon of KNO3 will raise 20 gallons of water to 11.25 ppm of nitrates
¼ teaspoon of KH2PO4 will raise the PO4 levels in 20 gallons of water to 12.86 ppm
¼ teaspoon of K2SO4 will raise the potassium levels in 20 gallons of water to 8.25 ppm

Thanks. I have a gram scale which should help with the accuracy of dosing. Just in case I did ovedose what would be the outcome? Also, does the amount of dry ferts that I add depend on the levels already in the tap water or are those levels so small that the recommended dose amount will be fine. Ive tested my nitrate and phosphate levels and neither of those need improvement so it looks like I just need to add iron and potassium. Do you have a general dose for Iron also?

Thanks,
Pat

[exv152]

...Just in case I did ovedose what would be the outcome?

You could kill your fish with an overdose of nitrogen, because KNO3 no matter what the source is something to be used in moderation. A phosphate overdose can be toxic as well, and like nitrates, it can cause algal blooms.


Also, does the amount of dry ferts that I add depend on the levels already in the tap water or are those levels so small that the recommended dose amount will be fine.

I recommend you test your water first, and then go from there.


Ive tested my nitrate and phosphate levels and neither of those need improvement so it looks like I just need to add iron and potassium. Do you have a general dose for Iron also?

Iron and potassium are two elements that get used up extremely quick in a heavily planted high tech tank. What kind of iron are you planning to use? If you're using chelated liquid iron like Seachem, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 50 gallons or as required to maintain 0.10 mg/L. Then there's PLANTEX CSM+B which is a lot cheaper and doses trace elements and iron, but don't mix KH2PO4 and PLANTEX CSM+B or iron, at the same time because it can cause problems.

[Patr1ck]

You could kill your fish with an overdose of nitrogen, because KNO3 no matter what the source is something to be used in moderation. A phosphate overdose can be toxic as well, and like nitrates, it can cause algal blooms.



I recommend you test your water first, and then go from there.



Iron and potassium are two elements that get used up extremely quick in a heavily planted high tech tank. What kind of iron are you planning to use? If you're using chelated liquid iron like Seachem, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 50 gallons or as required to maintain 0.10 mg/L. Then there's PLANTEX CSM+B which is a lot cheaper and doses trace elements and iron, but don't mix KH2PO4 and PLANTEX CSM+B or iron, at the same time because it can cause problems.

I was planning on using this for Iron: http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=6&ReturnOption1=cats&ReturnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=
And this for Potassium: http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=13&ReturnOption1=cats&ReturnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart= I thought about using this http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=5&ReturnOption1=cats&ReturnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart= for the trace/iron but the level of copper is much higher than flourish and I have dwarf crayfish that dont like copper very much. Is that level of copper in the csm+b too high for them? I have a copper test from API would its accuracy be reliable?

Thanks,
Pat

[exv152]

...I thought about using this http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=5&ReturnOption1=cats&ReturnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart= for the trace/iron but the level of copper is much higher than flourish and I have dwarf crayfish that dont like copper very much. Is that level of copper in the csm+b too high for them? I have a copper test from API would its accuracy be reliable?

Yes, that level of copper is no good for shrimp. I would stick with the Flourish as I know others that have even accidentally overdosed with Flourish, in a shrimp tank, with no ill effects. That said, a planted tank needs some level of copper and the problem for shrimp is just the concentration level. Unless you can rehome your shrimp to another tank, then you can use the plantex csm+b. It's a lot cheaper to dry dose than to buy liquid ferts. And, considering you're planning a moderately planted tank, you won't be using much of the ferts too often, and they should last a long time. Hope that helps.

[Patr1ck]

Yes, that level of copper is no good for shrimp. I would stick with the Flourish as I know others that have even accidentally overdosed with Flourish, in a shrimp tank, with no ill effects. That said, a planted tank needs some level of copper and the problem for shrimp is just the concentration level. Unless you can rehome your shrimp to another tank, then you can use the plantex csm+b. It's a lot cheaper to dry dose than to buy liquid ferts. And, considering you're planning a moderately planted tank, you won't be using much of the ferts too often, and they should last a long time. Hope that helps.

If I use the csm+b in the tank and remove the shrimp and crays it should have some control of snail populations as well right? Are the api iron test kits any good?

Thanks,
Pat

[exv152]

If I use the csm+b in the tank and remove the shrimp and crays it should have some control of snail populations as well right? Are the api iron test kits any good?

I've used it extensively and haven't seen much in the way of snail control, in fact, I have to manually remove snails every 1-2 weeks. I've thought about getting a couple of clown loaches to help control their numbers, I've found the best solutions are natural, rather than chemical. I think the API test kits are reliable. I've never used API for iron, but all my other test kits are API and I find them very accurate and reliable.

[Patr1ck]

I've used it extensively and haven't seen much in the way of snail control, in fact, I have to manually remove snails every 1-2 weeks. I've thought about getting a couple of clown loaches to help control their numbers, I've found the best solutions are natural, rather than chemical. I think the API test kits are reliable. I've never used API for iron, but all my other test kits are API and I find them very accurate and reliable.

Thanks for all of your help

Pat

[exv152]

Thanks for all of your help
Pat

No worries Pat, my pleasure. Planted tanks are a whole other bug, apart from discus husbandry, but if you can master that and combine the two successfully, the rewards are huge.

[Patr1ck]

Here are some guidelines I've used for dosing dry ferts, and they're really the best way to go. Substrate fertilizers tend to focus on micro nutrients mostly, and dry ferts are the best way to go for macro dosing. But to be honest, I run a high tech planted tank and I hardly ever need to dose for nitrates because of the fish load. WARNING, because you are dry dosing into your tank, you must pay particular attention to the size of the spoon you are using - not to overdose.:

0.3 grams of KNO3 will raise the nitrate level of 10 gallons of water 4.84 ppm
0.1 gram of KH2PO4 will raise the phosphate level of 10 gallons of water 1.84 ppm
1.0 gram of K2SO4 will raise the potassium level of 10 gallons of water 11.82 ppm


or

¼ teaspoon of KNO3 will raise 20 gallons of water to 11.25 ppm of nitrates
¼ teaspoon of KH2PO4 will raise the PO4 levels in 20 gallons of water to 12.86 ppm
¼ teaspoon of K2SO4 will raise the potassium levels in 20 gallons of water to 8.25 ppm

I know its been awhile but Im finally getting around to it. I bought some k2so4 and it says 0-0-50. Do the above doses apply at this amount? Is k2so4 always 0-0-50?

Thanks,
Pat