Aquatic Plant Central - View Single Post - How to balance NPK, Ca, Mg and micros

kekon · 07-05-2007, 01:46 AM

EI method is good for many plants but not for all of them. I had some plants that grew like crazy under EI fertilization in GH of about 4..5: Blyxa, Cabomba, Zosterifolia. Other plants were horribly stunted and deformed. High CO2 levels didn't help. There was 50 ppm CO2 in my tank with no good effect. We don't have to believe entirely what T.Barr and Wolfen say. They don't know all the water parameters they have in their tanks. They didn't have all the plants species either. It's very easy to patronize someone how to do things when they work very well for them. But in my opinion, one must analyze someone's problem first before telling how to solve it.

I notice that high N and P levels are not good for plants. They do better in lower NO3 and PO4 levels. However, K must be kept at high levels.
I imagine such a situation (i don't mean to offend him; i know he's extremely good at the hobby): T.Barr comes to my house and sees stunted plants in my tank

Then he tells me:

"bring me those bags of KNO3 and KH2PO4"

Then he takes a few big spoons of KNO3 and KH2PO4 and pours them into the tank... Also, he increases CO2 valve to set 3..4 bubbles per second. He takes a bottle of TMG and pours some into the tank. And what will we get 3 days later ? Deformed, twisted and curled leaves on many plants... I did the same routine in the past with the same effect.

Now i keep GH of about 6..7, NO3 5, PO4 0.2..0.5, K 20 ppm added to changed water and 2 ppm daily. Under those conditons plants grow much, much better; they have rich colors. I no longer have issues with stunting. It seems that K is very important factor to succesfully grow aquatic plants. Also, Mg must be taken into account. Mg and K deficiency may look nearly the same - lack of these elements can cause disappearing of growing tips and deforming of young leaves (most folks may disagree as they believe that Mg and K deficiency appears as yellowing on younger leaves only)

p.s. I also use Eudrakon N

It's very good N fertilizer. However, i make it myself because i have lots of KNO3, urea and NH4NO3 which the fertlizer is made of.

07-05-2007, 01:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
kekon Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bialystok, Poland Posts: 369 iTrader Ratings: 0 Plant Points: 15335	Re: How to balance NPK, Ca, Mg and micros - new experiments EI method is good for many plants but not for all of them. I had some plants that grew like crazy under EI fertilization in GH of about 4..5: Blyxa, Cabomba, Zosterifolia. Other plants were horribly stunted and deformed. High CO2 levels didn't help. There was 50 ppm CO2 in my tank with no good effect. We don't have to believe entirely what T.Barr and Wolfen say. They don't know all the water parameters they have in their tanks. They didn't have all the plants species either. It's very easy to patronize someone how to do things when they work very well for them. But in my opinion, one must analyze someone's problem first before telling how to solve it. I notice that high N and P levels are not good for plants. They do better in lower NO3 and PO4 levels. However, K must be kept at high levels. I imagine such a situation (i don't mean to offend him; i know he's extremely good at the hobby): T.Barr comes to my house and sees stunted plants in my tank Then he tells me: "bring me those bags of KNO3 and KH2PO4" Then he takes a few big spoons of KNO3 and KH2PO4 and pours them into the tank... Also, he increases CO2 valve to set 3..4 bubbles per second. He takes a bottle of TMG and pours some into the tank. And what will we get 3 days later ? Deformed, twisted and curled leaves on many plants... I did the same routine in the past with the same effect. Now i keep GH of about 6..7, NO3 5, PO4 0.2..0.5, K 20 ppm added to changed water and 2 ppm daily. Under those conditons plants grow much, much better; they have rich colors. I no longer have issues with stunting. It seems that K is very important factor to succesfully grow aquatic plants. Also, Mg must be taken into account. Mg and K deficiency may look nearly the same - lack of these elements can cause disappearing of growing tips and deforming of young leaves (most folks may disagree as they believe that Mg and K deficiency appears as yellowing on younger leaves only) p.s. I also use Eudrakon N It's very good N fertilizer. However, i make it myself because i have lots of KNO3, urea and NH4NO3 which the fertlizer is made of.