Newbie Guide to PPS-Pro - Page 2 - PPS Analysis and Feedback

eklikewhoa · 04-21-2007, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJSimoneaux

May I ask why it is important to add before lights on? And how soon before lights on is correct timing? Could you do it the night before, at lights out or before bedtime?

Not entirely sure but some fert/nutrients stay in the water column easy for plants to uptake only for a certain amount of time and to dose according to the photo-period would have the nutrients available to the plant when it needs it.

snickle · 04-21-2007, 06:48 PM

RJ,

I am still a newbie and learning. Hopefully Edward will chime in here and enlighten us, but I suspect the previous posters have it right.

Left C · 04-21-2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Left C
Hi snickle

That's a great write up that you did about the PPS-PRO.

Shouldn't this be included in your write up about PPS-PRO?...

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJSimoneaux

May I ask why it is important to add before lights on? And how soon before lights on is correct timing? Could you do it the night before, at lights out or before bedtime?

Hi RJ

Edward and snickle are better qualified to answer your questions instead of me. I was just adding one of the pieces to the puzzle, so to speak.

But, since you asked; here's my 2¢ worth. From what I've read about iron, I think that it is more critical to dose the trace mix right before the lights come on because iron doesn't stay in the water column as long as the other nutrients. You will be maximizing it's use.

I just made my macro-solution. I'm going to test drive the PPS-PRO on one of my tanks. I have CSM+B, but I am going to be using Seachems trace line according to their dosing plan. I have plenty of Flourish, F. Iron and F. Trace.

RJSimoneaux · 04-22-2007, 10:39 AM

Thanks for the replies,

Good circulation would spread the ferts out. I was thinking the the lights would degrade the fert and before light would allow plants to absorb more for usage when photosynthesis starts.

Edward do you have specific reason for before lights and how much before do you recommend?

Edward · 04-22-2007, 07:08 PM

Dosing before lights go on works better. Why? Not sure. Maybe because it takes plants 20 minutes to take PO4 and all day to take NO3. What the exact timing is we don’t know yet. But I think, plants do better when they have fresh nutrients available during each photoperiod.

Left C · 04-23-2007, 12:30 PM

Are there aquarium water parameters or guidelines (minimum and mazimum levels) for PPS-PRO? What are the specs in your tanks using PPS-PRO, Edward?

My main concern is about NO3, PO4 and GH levels. My tap water has very low KH, GH, NO3 and PO4 levels. All my tanks use pressurized CO2.

snickle · 04-23-2007, 01:18 PM

Left C,

Good question. I'll be interested to see Edward's response. My understanding is the KH and GH don't matter too much.

NO3 levels need to be kept safe for the fish. If the bioload is too high more frequent water changes may be necessary.

As for PO4, I believe what we are adding is sufficient.

Edward · 04-23-2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Left C

Are there aquarium water parameters or guidelines (minimum and mazimum levels) for PPS-PRO? What are the specs in your tanks using PPS-PRO, Edward?

My main concern is about NO3, PO4 and GH levels. My tap water has very low KH, GH, NO3 and PO4 levels. All my tanks use pressurized CO2.

Plants are extremely adaptable. With PPS-Classic we saw what they look like in well managed levels. Then we found what plants need as a minimum requirement and put it into PPS-Pro. So here we have the minimum levels.

The maximum levels are controlled by plants uptake. However something can still go wrong and have an effect on nutrient accumulation. Here are some possible reasons, too few plants, unreasonable fish load, dissolving substrate, wrong lighting, wrong CO2, etc.

Left C · 04-23-2007, 09:50 PM

Hum....I was really asking for some #'s.

These are Tom Barr's old parameters. Is your system leaner than this?
pH 6.5 to 7.0
KH 3-6 degrees
GH 2-8 degrees
Nitrate (NO3) 5ppm-10ppm
Phosphate (PO4) 0.2ppm to 0.5ppm
Potassium(K+) 20-30ppm
Iron (Fe) 0.2ppm to 0.7ppm+

I started using PPS-PRO this past Sunday (4/22). My test tank is a 10g that has 76w of PC lighting (40w 6700K/10,000K + 36w ADA 8000K) and an automatic pressurized CO2 system.

LilLou · 04-24-2007, 07:08 AM

Left C

According to my calculations, and I remember reading it somewhere here

NO3 is dosed at 2 ppm per day
K is dosed at 2.7 ppm per day
PO4 is dosed at .2 ppm per day
MG is dosed at .2 ppm per day

As far as pH, kH, gH, & Ca I don't know where the ideals should fall for these
I would assume the ranges you mentioned are okay.

Now my question is with larger fish (namely Discus in my case) should we lower the amount of NO3 we are adding to the water? Or a least be testing weekly to check on the levels till we get everything perfect?

Lou