# Fertilizer levels for planted aquariums



## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

I need to come up with a new dosing regime and I'm pretty clueless. I have Seachem Flourish Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. I also have Seachem Trace also.

What PPM am I looking to dose, or looking to maintain of the Macro-Nutrients? and how often?


I have CRS in this tank so I don't want to dose too much, so I've probably been under dosing.


----------



## waj8 (Jun 30, 2010)

The theory of dosing is very simple: plants need everything in at least minimum amounts. There is some debate about minimum requirements though.

Dropchecker should always be green, min. 5 ppm Nitrate, min. 1 ppm Phosphate, GH should be a minimum of 3, not sure on Magnesium but my water has 7 ppm. Not sure on Potassium either but 20 ppm doesn't seem to be a problem. Unfortunately, if you shoot for minimum amounts you are probably going to end up with too little at some point so your target levels should be higher than minimum. Plants can uptake nutrients very quickly.

For dosing I would make my own fertilizer using PMDD recipe but also adding PO4 if you have a lot of light. Premixed fertilizers are stupidly expensive. You feel like you are throwing away money when you do a water change. Try http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm for dosing ideas. You can use that as a starting point and then test for Nitrate and PO4. Adjust your recipe accordingly. I would never try and test for micronutrients. Cheap tests are too unreliable for that. Just add them as recommended and allow water changes to keep them under control. I would go for 50% weekly water changes regardless of the method being used.


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

I would recommend taking a look at Tom Barr's forums for more information regarding EI dosing. It is a method of dosing that attempts to keep levels of nutrients in an excess state, thus allowing plants to have enough nutrients at all times.

The levels of fertilzers are removed during your weekly 50% water changes. The amount of fertilizer eventually levels off.


----------



## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

Ok, great. I will come up with a similar regimen like EI dosing. I didn't know if I could over dose the tank as I have CRS in it. I probably haven't been dosing enough and I do not have adequate CO2 diffusion.


----------



## waj8 (Jun 30, 2010)

Start with fixing the CO2. You can't use EI or other methods without fixing the CO2. If the CO2 is limited you will just be dumping fertilizer into your aquarium that will go unused. Only the algae will appreciate it. I don't know about the CRS. I have many, many in Cherry shrimp. I do not use EI. I have a high fish load and use the test kits for N and P. I am not crazy about the amount of fertilizer you have to add with E.I. I don't think it would be good for my Discus.


----------



## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

I need to get the CO2 in my tank distributed better I think. I took it off line until I can solve the problem. I might get a small power head and make a venturi diffuser to help with flow, etc.


----------



## Rmwbrown (Jan 22, 2009)

BettaBeats said:


> Ok, great. I will come up with a similar regimen like EI dosing. I didn't know if I could over dose the tank as I have CRS in it. I probably haven't been dosing enough and I do not have adequate CO2 diffusion.


Just be careful with the trace, the copper in that is the real worry. When I was over dosing my shrimp tank with trace it seemed like the copper may have been bioaccumulating.


----------



## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

The amount of copper in the majority of fertilizers is safe for inverts - in fact inverts need a degree of copper to properly function.

It's the medications you need to worry about, as the copper content is MUCH higher in some.


----------



## Rmwbrown (Jan 22, 2009)

Chris S said:


> The amount of copper in the majority of fertilizers is safe for inverts - in fact inverts need a degree of copper to properly function.


Wow, you just brought back some lingering flash-back from bio 1000. Not to hijack this post, but this is an excellent point. Does shrimp blood contain Hemocyanin opposed to Hemoglobin? If the blood is copper based opposed to iron based, it would make bioacumulation impossible. That said, though proper dosing is safe, long term over dosing, as was my case, is certainly not. If its is anything like iron poisoning in humans, it would corrode the digestive system from the inside out. eek.


----------



## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

Rmwbrown said:


> Wow, you just brought back some lingering flash-back from bio 1000. Not to hijack this post, but this is an excellent point. Does shrimp blood contain Hemocyanin opposed to Hemoglobin? If the blood is copper based opposed to iron based, it would make bioacumulation impossible. That said, though proper dosing is safe, long term over dosing, as was my case, is certainly not. If its is anything like iron poisoning in humans, it would corrode the digestive system from the inside out. eek.


I agree with the bio-accumulation of copper by dosing. They have plants to eat, so i use hiakari shrimp food as a treat here and there. I only put a tiny amount of micronutrients into the tank twice a week. The small amount probably gets used up quickly with my lights.

I'm noticing good growth so I think i have a good regimen.


----------



## Rmwbrown (Jan 22, 2009)

Honestly, for my medium light, diy Co2 planted tank (which contains shrimp) I have been using Seachem products and following the Seachem dosing guide with no problems and very little algae. When this get switched over to high light and pressurized Co2 i may switch it up if the results are poor and growth starts overtaking the dosing. Until then i'm just going with what works.


----------

