Noobie Dosing w/ KN03, KH2P04, K2S04 please help. - Fertilizing

Danger69 · 06-17-2009, 05:47 PM

Here is my tank setup...

25g long
light/medium plants
T5H0 24" Guiessman bulbs
Excel Co2
Eco complete substrate

I don't own a freshwater test kit. But I hear doing EI dosing will help out. I have KN03 (Potassium Nitrate granules), Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4), Monopotassium phosphate-(KH2PO4). The LFS told me to do the following for my tank....

1/4 tsp KN03
1/16 tsp KH204
1/15 tsp K2S04

Will this be okay? How do I dissolve the KN03 granules to get 1/4 tsp? Please help.

Seattle_Aquarist · 06-17-2009, 06:34 PM

Hi Danger69,

If you have a 25 gallon tank, with substate, my guess is you have less than 25 gallons of water. For Estimative Index dosing for a 20 gallon you would dose the following:

KNO3 = 1/4 tsp 3X week
KH2PO4 = 1/16th tsp 3X week
Trace Elements like CSM+B = 1/16th tsp 3X week
50% weekly water change

I dose my nutrients dry, just use a measuring spoon. I had to go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond for set of small measuring spoons for 1/8th, 1/16th, 1/32nd tsp sizes.

Danger69 · 06-17-2009, 09:15 PM

Thanks. I will give it a try. I hope for the best.

Oreo · 06-18-2009, 12:56 PM

Another option- my preference for a tank that size is to use the dry ferts to mix up your own liquid solutions. Then you can use something like a shot glass to dose your ferts which is much more accurate then those fractional spoons. The other alternative is using a miligram scale to weigh each dry fert dose which I found to be a PITA.

For mixing your own liquid solutions get a few gallon jugs of distilled water and make up a whole gallon of each at a time. Then get some 500ml lab equipment wash bottles for easy dispensing.

That method is working like a champ for me anyway.

Danger69 · 06-20-2009, 06:48 PM

Thanks Oreo for the tip. But how do I know how much of each fert to put in a gallon? And how would I know how much of each fert to dose in my tank since it is in such a big volume.

Tex Gal · 06-20-2009, 09:46 PM

Some people mix up the ferts with water. Some dry dose. It's all pretty much the same thing. I find it easier to just dry dose. Remember not to forget you weekly water changes.

Danger69 · 06-20-2009, 10:32 PM

Thanks mod.

Danger69 · 06-26-2009, 01:11 PM

Out of curiousity can I do a water change every 2 weeks instead of every week?

rich815 · 06-26-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danger69

Out of curiousity can I do a water change every 2 weeks instead of every week?

Not a good idea. It may work, may not. That's a lot of ferts to build up over 2 weeks.

BTW, make sure your light period is not too much. I'd suggest 8 hours until your plants are filling in then maybe 9-10. Otherwise it will be algae galore.....

Aquaticz · 06-28-2009, 06:01 AM

Hi,
Seems many folks fertilize using the EI method to produce great plants. I am a builder/inspector I like to know how it happened

So I keep logs for water parameters or testing results, gor the amounts dozed and a photo log as well. In doing so I can tell what I am doing. This to me is the biggest flaw in EI method. Sure you can dose the recommended amount ( which is to hign by definition). I think if you hit the targets Barr recommends that is fine. How you do it I suppose makes no diffrence. I just like to understand what I am doing

Hope this helps

and do water testing