Questions, questions, questions. Beginner at work...

[grey_fox]

ranmasatome,

Appreciate the feedback. My bad for mixing up the Flourish & Equilibrium portion as well as misunderstanding the 'true' concept of what E.I is all about, pardon me for being a newbie.

I guess I will take my chances and do an O.D but well within the safe region at least.

On my shopping list are the following then.

Seachem's Flourish & Equilibrium
KNO3
Syringe



Since an O.D should be performed this is my current layout for the plant buffet.

Monday: Dose KNO3 (2.5 teaspoons ~19.68PPM of NO3) + KH2PO4 (fleet enema @ 1 ml ~ 1.64PPM of PO4)
Tuesday: Dose traces (5 teaspoons) - will replace it with Flourish & Iron
Wednesday: Dose KNO3 + KH2PO4
Thursday: Dose traces
Friday: Dose KNO3 + KH2PO4
Saturday: 50% water change, Dose KNO3+KH2PO4+Seachem Potassium (50ml ~ 6 teaspoons which equates to 6.17PPM + 12.41PPM from 2.5 tps from KNO3 of K)
Sunday: Dose traces
*This will be adjusted after I see how things go. I might then follow you routine/regime but have it customised to suit my tank.

My KH is now at 4, which means for the time being I don't need Equilibrium, but since I'll be going down to NA. I might as well just get myself a bottle or two for keeps-sake.

More importantly, I must get KNO3, KH2PO4 & Flourish & not forgetting a syringe

Once items are purchased, more or less, I will be able to judge, guage and see.

Can't agree more with you on the fact that plants grow fast, so does algae =\

[ranmasatome]

Hey greyfox..no worries la.. not frust or anything like that.. like i say loh.. i'm lazy..hahahaha.. no need to pardon..kekeke

Anyway..thnk you can drop your Kno3 dosage to around 12 ppm per dose

[grey_fox]

Heh, no hard feelings in the first place to begin with and you're imparting your knowledge since you're into this hobby longer than I have been in it. I don't need fancy words, just a better understanding of the E.I in layman terms.

Give me C++ programming or DB programming and I can do wonders, give me chemistry and experimenting with dosages, quite bad with that.

This will be my finalised dosage routine for the time-being.

Monday: Dose KNO3 (1.5 teaspoons ~11.81PPM of NO3) + KH2PO4 (fleet enema @ 1 ml ~ 1.64PPM of PO4) + Seachem Potassium (until the bottle runs dry - 6.17PPM + 7.45PPM from 1.5 tps from KNO3 of K = 13.62PPM)

Tuesday: Dose traces (5 teaspoons) (replacing with Flourish)

Wednesday: Dose KNO3 + KH2PO4 + Seachem Potassium (replacing with Equilibrium)

Thursday: Dose traces

Friday: Dose KNO3 + KH2PO4 + + Seachem Potassium

Saturday: 50% water change, Dose KNO3 + KH2PO4 + Seachem Potassium

Sunday: Dose traces

Total NO3 per week - 47.24PPM (too much for my fauna to handle?)
Total PO4 per week - 6.56PPM (induce algae?)
Total Fe per week - +1.6PPM
Total K per week - 54.48PPM
Ca, Mg, etc will gather from the Traces or Flourish

Sufficient or insufficient?

Any comments, Terence and Ranmasatome since I'm doing a copy of both your routines.

[PeterGwee]

You can lower your KNO3 dosage to about max 20-30ppm per week since it is unlikely your tank can eat that much (you pulling out trashbags of weeds weekly?) and the fact that some will come from the fish load as well. Excess isn't an issue though but within limits. Main key thing is to keep up on the CO2.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[grey_fox]

Hey Peter,

Currently there are no more weeds in my tank for the time being (after that 5 hours of back-breaking clearing up). More or less (infact more) I have cleaned up the entire tank from weeds.

Ok, If I should aim for 30 PPM per week, that would be 7.5PPM of NO3 (roughly equates to 1 tps or 5 ml) each time should there be a dosage.

My CO2 now is within a range of 30-35PPM, healthy? Also, what other things should I look out for, is 6.56PPM of PO4, 54.48PPM of K too much?

Also my Fe doses, is that too little just at 1.6PPM?

I'll be heading down to NA later in the day (after work) to purchase the KNO3 and KH2PO4 as well as Flourish & Equilibrium.

Any idea how much a packet of KNO3 & KH2PO4 should cost?

*PPM numbers are based on a weekly calculation.

[|squee|]

They're not in packets, they're in cylinders. Check out my gallery, pictures are in there somewhere.

They should amount to less than $30 if I remember correctly (most likely wrong ) but they should last a long time. Mine has lasted for 1 and a half years already for my 2ft tank.

[ranmasatome]

Squee you mean the Kno3?? i bought the big one leh?? like the 500grm or 1kg one... that one i think comes in packets.. the lushgrow one comes in cylinders of 100grms but that runs out too fast for me.. everytime i make a stock solution its like 75grams..hahaha..

Grey.. your Fe is fine. If like what Peter said is true and your tank is not fully stocked and dense then you dont need to dose so much.... my personal tank i need to dose more No3 cos the effects are quite visible when i dont do that... if that is the case for you..then you can also probably cut back on the K to about 20-30 per week and the po4 to about 4 or 5.

[StanChung]

Great detailed explanation on EI.

complicated imo.

i always thought it was dump in some macros and some TMG then reset with WC. all the while keeping watch on the plants and algae[or lack of it]

...with experience, less WC...and better estimation of plant needs. it is after all an estimative index.

if it was any other beginner i think give up already...[that's a compliment to you greyfox!]

[grey_fox]

Hey Terence, how big are these cylinders that your purchased? Can use for 1 1/2 years means should be big...

Hey ranmasatome, will have to experiment on the dosage to see what is lacking and what is too much, only way I guess, like you mentioned, that's what E.I is all about. Btw, how much is a 1KG packet of KNO3 and a bottle of Flourish? I'll be going down today, so all I need to inform them is I want a packet of KNO3 and they will know what it is? Or should I ask for potassium nitrate?

Hey standoyo,

Heh, thank yah. Taking baby-steps now to E.I. Thanks for the compliment.

[grey_fox]

Ok, just called NA, their stock for KNO3 is finished.... where else can I get it from?

[Goondoo]

Ok, just called NA, their stock for KNO3 is finished.... where else can I get it from?

I got mine from the florist beside Ang Mo Kio Library... $5 per 1kg packet I think.

[grey_fox]

Hey there Goondoo, can I know the name of the shop? Is KNO3 that difficult to get?

[Goondoo]

Hey there Goondoo, can I know the name of the shop? Is KNO3 that difficult to get?

I cant remember the name....
Anyway, there is only one florist beside Ang Mo Kio Library.

[ranmasatome]

i just get mine from a friend.. he used to be on the forum as well.. think you can hunt him down if you want.. his nick is andrewtyr

[grey_fox]

Hey Goondoo,

Thanks, any idea if it closes early or late?

*UPDATED*
The place is Ang Mo Kio Floral & Landscape....

Bah... they informed that it is not packed yet and to wait 1 week??

is KNO3 really that difficult to attain?

[|squee|]

Hey Terence, how big are these cylinders that your purchased? Can use for 1 1/2 years means should be big...

They're just 1L ones... I can use so long because mine is a 2ft tank while yours is much bigger... obviously you'll use up at a faster rate!

If you want, I have a tauhway tub of KNO3 spare FOC for you, but you got to collect it from Ang Mo Kio Ave 4 Block 615. PM me for more details.

It's really unfortunate for you , can try Ecoculture, or try Dr Mallick's place himself (you drive right?):
Block 461 #01-81 Crawford Lane, Singapore - 190461
Contact Tel: 6291-8153

Another source: Humvee from Arofan. Just ask for the two powders.

Can't give you prices... it's been ages since I bought KNO3 and KH2PO4.

[grey_fox]

Hey Terence,

Contacted Dr. Mallick earlier, bought 1 KG of KNO3 from him and LushGRO Aqua too. Total of S$16 only.... Finally....

Yeah, always the case when you want to get something and it runs out everywhere. Just got to search even harder.

Anyways, Dr. Mallick is a very friendly chap, really made my day better when he said that he will personally see me at the shop.

Yup I do drive. Luckily I called N.A or else I'll be making a wasted trip down there.... KH2PO4, I'll substitute that with Fleet Enema. Only thing lacking now are the following items.

Flourish
Equilibrium
Syringe

Guess I'll still have to drive down to N.A... Any idea if Petmart's prices are competitive to N.A or N.A wins hands down?

After gathering all the information and advise from yourself (|squee|), Ranmasatome, standoyo, Peter Gwee, Goondoo & of course, Tom Barr).

This will be my cocktail for the plant buffet.

Mondays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Tuesdays: Traces + Seachem Iron
Wednesdays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Thursdays: Traces + Seachem Iron
Fridays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Saturdays: 50% WC, KNO3 + KH2PO4 + Seachem Potassium
Sundays: Traces + Seachem Iron

Composition of each dosage at any one time.
KNO3 - 1 teaspoon (5ml) ~ 7.87PPM
KH2PO4 (Fleet Enema) - 0.1 teaspoon (1ml) ~ 0.83PPM
K - 4.96PPM from KNO3 + 6.17PPM (Saturdays)
Fe - 0.4PPM from K + 0.25PPM from Seachem Iron
Traces - 20ML each time.

Compostion of dosage per week
KNO3 - 39.35PPM

(Peter, is this still too high? I read from Tom Barr's E.I write-up that anything above 40PPM could cause health issues on fishes - is this 40PPM range based on a weekly dosage or otherwise?)

If this is indeed to high, I will have the KNO3 dosage changed to 0.6 teaspoons or 3ml of KNO3 in each dosage to reach 23.6PPM per week. If this should be recommended, I will have more K added in - 120ml on Saturdays to reach a total of 29.71PPM per week of Potassium

What do you think guys?

KH2PO4 - 4.15PPM
K - 30.97PPM
Fe - 2.75PPM
Traces - Mg, Cu, Ca, etc (unknown range - instruction as per Seachem traces of 5ml per 80 litres)

Btw, I have another question I need advise on. As posted previously, my water temp ranges from 27.3 to 28.2 and I read that it is bad for mosses... I'm thinking of either D.I.Y fan (x2 - by the way, which is the quieter one? The bigger one or smaller?) or purchasing a chiller (I think I need a 1/10HP) Need your advise on which should be a better buy in the long run... to D.I.Y or to get a chiller?

[albert]

Btw, I have another question I need advise on. As posted previously, my water temp ranges from 27.3 to 28.2 and I read that it is bad for mosses... I'm thinking of either D.I.Y fan (x2 - by the way, which is the quieter one? The bigger one or smaller?) or purchasing a chiller (I think I need a 1/10HP) Need your advise on which should be a better buy in the long run... to D.I.Y or to get a chiller?

Hi,

If $$$ is not a problem to you, a chiller is definitely better since it can bring your temp to 25 degree and below. A over-powered chiller is always better than under-powered ones. Please do consider the electricial bill you have to bear later as well.

As for DIY fans, the lowest you can get is ~26 degrees on normal days. I would think a bigger fan (those 12V rating) is better (wider wind area coverage) since you can adjust the speed of the fan by tuning your DC adapter output voltage. I am currently using 4 x 12V DC fans for my 3 footer and is absolutely quiet.

[grey_fox]

Hey albert,

Thanks for your feedback, I think DIY fans would be sufficient since it can get up to ~26 degrees. Probably 2 big ones would do for me.

[StanChung]

hi greyfox,

if your current temp is 27-28c, putting in diy fans will do. it should bring it down 2c or more depending % surface evaporation.

chillers are IMO weird for the fish because of the constant temp. something about metabolism...bla bla which i know nothing about.
i plan to get one but i won't turn i on 24/7. saves electricity too. haha...