# Dry Ferts for planted



## Teemote (Aug 13, 2016)

So been reading a lot lately, right now I am using all Seachem stuff - since my's a 20 gallon tank, it's not too too bad.

each 250 ml bottle can last 2-3 months, but it's about 50 bucks every time... so been reading up on some dry ferts.

The first one I was looking at is:

http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html

or

http://greenleafaquariums.com/produ...age-with-2-x-500ml-fertilizer-dispensers.html

Not sure what the diff between EI dosing, and PPS?

Looks to be the same... also Greenleaf doesn't seem to be shipping to Canada?

Other any alternative?

Right now I am also using API root tabs, about 11 bucks every 2 months, thinking of doing a either DIY or something.

Thanks for input.


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

This explains the difference well

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...i-dosing.html#/topics/139384?page=1&_k=e72xwu

Dry ferts are getting harder to find. Most hydroponic stores use to carry the dry stuff years back but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I bought tons a few years back and I'm still going through it. But I am going to need some myself soon.


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## cb1021 (Sep 21, 2009)

Angelfins and Canadian aquatics both have dry ferts.


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

Yeah but the hydroponics shops had the best prices. I bought tubs of dry ferts for 5 bucks back in the day.


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## vincel892 (May 23, 2012)

Hydrotech hydroponics sells dry ferts. Around 6 bucks I believe for 800 grams 

Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

Homegrown Hydroponics also sells all the dry ferts we'd need.

https://hydroponics.com/shop/dnf-six-pack-raw-nutrients/

They have locations all over the place.


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## infolific (Apr 10, 2016)

This site theplantguy.org is Canadian and sells PPS and EI in premixed packets. Might be a good way to get into this sort of fertilizing without having to mix your own. Of course, you give up the option to increase/decrease certain ingredients.


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## Teemote (Aug 13, 2016)

Thanks for the info, 

Infolific, I checked out that site from your other post I think - my problem with the pre-mix might be the Nitrate, since I am getting steady 10-15 ppm with just load, not sure if I need to dose extra. 

even though I am doing 'EI' dosing like with Seachem, I am not really using the Nitrogen part cause of the load. 

Attempting to remove fishes out, but it's impossible to get all the platy frys.. ha, got rid of the mommy, but not before she pooped out like 30 of them.

Time to do more research with fertz and get ready or decide to switch to dry once my current batch of Seachem runs out.

Also, I know this question would be depends, but do you guys run into the need of dosing Iron? I can't really tell if I need it or not, I mean, it's pale in color for new growth, but it's kinda hard to tell if it's really pale or just new growth.


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## default (May 28, 2011)

I would normally not recommend doing EI unless you have the time to change 50% every week. From my experiments, what I found is that it's not very forgiving if you push back maintenance. Also, are you injecting pressurized co2 at the moment?


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## Teemote (Aug 13, 2016)

Hey Default,

So my current set up today is: 20 Gallon

Ferts : Comp, K, P, and root tabs. 
I used to dose Excel, but was able to find sale for a CO2 set at Big Al's, so now I am using the ISTA Professional 1L CO2 set with timer for 8 hours of light and CO2, staggered of course.

CO2 is coming on at 12, light comes on at 8 to 10, CO2 off at 8.

The light is an ISTA brand too, they dont' sell it here in Canada - I got it in Taiwan for a very good price (it was on sale plus things there are generally cheaper).

Excuse the chinese but this is the light - it's got the right spectrum of light. Can't find none TW website for it, but the youtube has some specs.






I think I can still make due with excel, I am really only dosing K and some P at this point at a higher amount, the Comp is lasting a while, still got half of a bottom from 4 months ago.


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## default (May 28, 2011)

Could you please explain your staggered cycle? Co2 on at 12 and lights on at 8/10? 
State the on/off for both co2 and lights.


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## Teemote (Aug 13, 2016)

CO2 on for 2 hours before lights, so CO2 goes from 12 to 8.

Light is on from 2 - 10.

I am doing just a little quicker than one bubble a sec - started with 1 hour before light is on, but the checker is still blue, noticed around 2 hours it's dark green, so I figure I let the CO2 run for 2 hours before turning on light.

Still playing around with the timing.


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

Drop checkers take a few hours to change color they should only be used as a guide.


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## default (May 28, 2011)

It's quite unreliable to use drop checkers to measure co2 in the water column, from my experiences, an exact concentration is rarely needed and using the growth as an indicator is more than sufficient. It's quite apparent in tanks that are injecting co2 when existing plants start showing stalls in growth patterns, personally I just use a rough approximate of bps and adjust it depending on results, another plus to using at least one species of fast growing stems in a new set up, these normally acclimate and sprout new growth immediately so there's really no stall.
Also, on the matter of co2 injection, the use of a good diffuser is very beneficial, what are you using at the moment?

IMO having the co2 on two hours before lights on is somewhat of a waste of co2, for a 20g? tank half an hour or an hour prior to lights on is more than enough to 'saturate' your waters/plants, and personally I'd want the co2 to run until just one hour before lights off. All comes back to the use of a drop checker - unfortunately it's just not a very practical tool, I find more hobbyist run into issues when they try to tweak their tanks based on drop checker readings.


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## Teemote (Aug 13, 2016)

Default,

Thanks for the input, and insights, really appreciated. I've been reading a lot lately and really haven't found any medium ground - just.. too much information out there and I guess the real answer is always depends since no two tanks are the same.

From all the reading I have gathered as much the drop checker is not as reliable as we'd like, it's a reactive method. I didn't really have any base reference point for my CO2 injection which is why I started that method. (only got the ISTA system 2 weeks ago! haha). Also looked up the CO2 table and it will definitely work less for me as my GH is 9-10 and KH is about 5 with PH 7.8.. so that's out of the table really too.

I will give your method a try - using plant growth. I did notice even with just few days into it, my Wisteria and ludwigia repens had quite a bit of new growth.. and the repen started to turn red at the top. So I can only agree with you that the plant is growing in a positive way.

Just before the CO2 injection started I had some Staghorn on my swords and BBA on some leaves, so on top of figuring out CO2 method, also trying to not have too much light to promote Algae - I think with my dosing today, there shouldn't be lack of plant food.

Trying to increase the K dose to get about 15 ppm a week, and P dose to maybe 1 ppm a week + fish poop.

Hopefully I don't get an burst of algae... hahaha


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