What to buy? for a 20gallon - Fertilizing

DOJOLOACH · 09-04-2009, 05:59 PM

Hi guys. So I have a lightly planted 20 gallon, I am purchasing $35 worth of new plants from sweet aquatics. I am not dosing any ferts or co2. I have a diy co2 bottle but when I use it I don't see much difference. I have seachem flourite red substrate. I have 48 watts of light,24 of that is 6700k and the other 24 is 10000k. What kind of fertilizers do I need to buy? I have been looking at aquariumfertilizer.com and seachem excel. I don't want to spend a lot of money, especially when I buy something that costs $10 and I pay the same in shipping. Thanks

DOJOLOACH · 09-04-2009, 06:27 PM

Bump Bump Bump

Philosophos · 09-04-2009, 07:20 PM

You're going to need to spend more than $10. That or you can buy equilibrium and pay twice as much per gram, but get everything you need.

$50 at aquariumfertilizers.com with shipping will get you a great price per lb on all compounds, and they'll last a long while. If you don't know what you want, you need to do some more reading to figure that out. There are a multiple of sources to give NPK, Ca, Mg and trace.

If there is one thing I can assure you, it's that buying MgSO4.7H2O online is pointless, when you can get 4lbs of it for $2 at any supermarket with a pharmacy.

-Philosophos

DOJOLOACH · 09-05-2009, 05:56 AM

Ok. I was going to try the EI method and I know you dose KNO3 micros and another macro compound I can't remember what it is though. If I have diy co2, is there a need for excel?

Philosophos · 09-05-2009, 08:03 AM

My prefference for EI is the usual KNO3/KH2PO4/K2SO4. CSM+B is cheap and effective trace. I tend to like CaCl2 for calcium as opposed to CaSO4 though.

Given your light level, I'd tend towards excel, presuming all the plants are compatible. Do a double batch of DIY CO2 if you can; you're pushing the upper edge of what DIY/excel combos can accomplish in terms of light. If BBA becomes an issue, run part of your light cycle on 24 watts only.

-Philosophos

armedbiggiet · 09-05-2009, 11:33 PM

I am the same as this one...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosophos

You're going to need to spend more than $10. That or you can buy equilibrium and pay twice as much per gram, but get everything you need.

$50 at aquariumfertilizers.com with shipping will get you a great price per lb on all compounds, and they'll last a long while. If you don't know what you want, you need to do some more reading to figure that out. There are a multiple of sources to give NPK, Ca, Mg and trace.

If there is one thing I can assure you, it's that buying MgSO4.7H2O online is pointless, when you can get 4lbs of it for $2 at any supermarket with a pharmacy.

-Philosophos

DOJOLOACH · 09-06-2009, 11:30 AM

Ok so do I really need any other ferts besides those in the EI method? I want to grow foreground plants of some type such as HC or pygmy chain sword. Thanks

Philosophos · 09-06-2009, 01:13 PM

Everything I listed above can be bought at aquariumfertilizers.com and will work perfectly for EI, in fact it's what I use. Careful with the CaCl2 though; it burns on skin and heats up in water, so you need to premix it with some tank water if you're dry dosing.

-Philosophos

DOJOLOACH · 09-06-2009, 03:01 PM

OK Thanks. Do you think I could grow HC with my equipment?

Philosophos · 09-06-2009, 03:50 PM

While I'm sure HC could be grown with a large enough batch of DIY CO2 and excel, I tend to recommend starting with pressurized CO2 to anyone interested in the more demanding plants. Contrary to popular belief, HC does not require high light, it requires a ton of CO2.

A good substitute might be Marsilea quadrifolia or glosso. Both of these can and have been done lower tech without issue.

-Philosophos