# Help dosing dry ferts



## mattmathis77 (Dec 12, 2008)

How to dose dry ferts.

My dry ferts will be here in a few days and I"m trying to decide what to do. I like the PPS method best but I would like to control the KNO3 & KH2PO4 a little better. ((Other tank ifno. is below.))

Will this work?

Thanks!!!

*Macros*
In 1 liter bottle:
59 grams K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate)
41 grams MgSO4 (Magnesium Sulfate)
Fill with distilled water and shake well. Let sit overnight.
Dose 1ml per 10 gallons per day

Dose KNO3 & KH2PO4 according to testing.

*Micros*
In 1 liter bottle:
80 grams of CSM+B 
Fill with distilled water and shake well. Let sit overnight.
Dose 1ml per 10 gallons per day

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10 Gallon Tank
6.7 wpg - (1x15watt T-8 & 2x26watt Spiral CF's )I know it's probably not actually 6.7 wpg)
DIY CO2
aqua-clear 30
heater
1 Bag of fluorite
NPK & Plantex (ordering on-line)


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

mattmathis77 said:


> How to dose dry ferts.
> 
> My dry ferts will be here in a few days and I"m trying to decide what to do. I like the PPS method best but I would like to control the KNO3 & KH2PO4 a little better. ((Other tank ifno. is below.))
> 
> ...


mm: you have really done your homework! but a couple of comments as I believe that at 6.7wpg but live to regret what you are proposing.

If you dose at rate proposed serious algae is imminent.

You are doing very good with not including the phosphate and nitrate but instead of testing observation has proved much better for me.

I have found "even a little phosphate" is way too much and if you have fish in the tank the nitrates will not be necessary (the literature indicates that a concentration of 15ppm to 20ppm but I have found that 5ppm is sufficient).

You did not indicate the size of the DIY CO2 but even with a 10G (with which BTW I have el zippo experience) I doubt that you will be able to achieve a CO2 concentration above 10ppm with a 2L bottle.

IMHO doubling the concentration of CSM+B is appropriate and you may need to triple it for you lighting intensity.

Also a 1L bottle is 3 years worth of dosing and I believe that you will want to experiment on a much smaller scale (like a 20ml testing syringe).


TR

mm: what you are dealing with here is the fertilizer concentrations associated with PPS-Pro as well as otherwise published in the literature for use with the EI method, IMHO, have been established for the folks with high end CO2 injection systems (ie. 30ppm) and hence if you dose your proposed concentrations of fertilizer with 10ppm CO2 and 6.7WPG please be thinking "green" (as in the tank water, on the walls and on the plants).


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## mattmathis77 (Dec 12, 2008)

Thank you! I knew I could count on ya!  I really appreciate you helping!!!

On this other post you suggested that I use the below dosing method. Just checking before I start. 

1) How much water do I use to mix this solution? 
2) It is dose daily, correct?

_If this were my experiment with a 70G and a 10G I would (and this is just what I would do) start with:
2 Teaspoons of K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate)
0 Teaspoons of KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate)
0 Teaspoons of KH2PO4 (Mono Potassium Phosphate)
1 Teaspoon of MgSO4 (Magnesium Sulfate)
3 Teaspoons of CSM+B

Fill a glass vessel (like the size of a small jar of crystal bouillon) half full of distilled water and bring to a slight boil in the microwave; add the fertilizers; screw on the lid and shake vigorously; and keep repeating the bringing to a slight boil, screwing on the lid and shaking until the crystals appear to go away (you will need to this every time before you dose).

Dose the 10G with 1Ml of this solution (with the two exterior lamps turned on for 12 hours/day) and the 70G with 10Ml of this solution (with the lamps turned on for 12 hours/day) and report the results in a post after three days._


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