Advice needed on the below stated dosing method?

[coolbucks]

Hi all,

Any expert can share wtih me whether this type of calcuation is correct, effectives and which lighting combination is effective??If any changes needed, kindly higlight in red colour wording below that sentences...

Calculation of the dosage of dry chemicals n schedule to dose

Mondays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Tuesdays: LUSHgro-MIRCOS
Wednesdays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Thursdays: LUSHgro-MIRCOS
Fridays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Saturdays: LUSHgro-MIRCOS
Sundays: KNO3 + KH2PO4

Composition of each dosage at any one time.
Mondays : KNO3 – (Each 4ml) ~ 1.92 PPM + KH2PO4 - (4ml) ~ 0.36 PPM
Tuesdays : 20 drops ~ 200 litres of water
Wednesdays : KNO3 – (Each 2ml) ~ 0.96 PPM + KH2PO4 - (2ml) ~ 0.18 PPM
Thursdays : 20 drops ~ 200 litres of water
Fridays : KNO3 – (Each 2ml) ~ 0.96 PPM + KH2PO4 - (2ml) ~ 0.18 PPM
Saturdays : 19 drops ~ 190 litres of water
Sundays : KNO3 – (Each 2ml) ~ 0.96 PPM + KH2PO4 - (2ml) ~ 0.18 PPM

Composition of dosage per week
KNO3 – 10ml ~ 4.8PPM, Target requirement from Chuck’s planted aquarium calculator ~ 5PPM
KH2PO4 10 ml ~ 0.9PPM,Target requirement from Chuck’s planted aquarium calculator ~ 1PPM
Traces – Fe, Mn, Zn Cu, B, Mo ~ 59 drops – 590 litres. Instruction as per LUSHgro-MIRCOS traces of one drop per 10 litres)
Should I use Tropical master grow or LUSHgro-AQUA rather than LUSHgro-MIRCOS ?

Calculation of the amount of dry chemical mix with 250ml of water
KNO3 – 116 grams with 250 ml ~ each ml ~ 0.48 PPM
KH2PO4 – 20 grams with 250ml ~ each ml ~ 0.09 PPM

Lighting requirements (Still consider which combination is effective to use yet)
1 – 6 nos of T5 80watts
2 – 3 nos of 150 watts of MH
2 – 3 nos of 70 watts of MH with 2 nos of T5 80 watts


* Tank Specs *
Tank size : 6(L) x 2(B) x 2.5(H) Feet
Tank vol : 158 Gallon (US) or 656 litres
Actual water vol ~80% of the water being fill with 5 inch gravel ~ 590 litres
CO2: Maintained at 24 PPM daily
Ph ~6.7
Kh ~ 4

[|squee|]

You haven't planned in the water changes But yours is a 6 feet. This makes water changes a bit of a chore?

I'd go(for water changes in this case):

Mon KNO3&KH2PO4
Tue Traces
Wed KNO3&KH2PO4
Thu Trace
Fri KNO3&KH2PO4
Sat Water Change, Seachem Equilibrium 1/2 dosage, KNO3&KH2PO4.
Sun Traces

You can seriously go much higher than 5ppm of KNO3 and 0.1 ppm of KH2PO4. But that's depending on personal preference

I think Lushgro Aqua will be more economical in the long run. Tropica MasterGrow (Now it's called Plant-Nutrition if I'm not wrong) works too, but it's more expensive I believe.

Move the CO2 up to 35ppm.

That's all I can give my thoughts on.

[coolbucks]

Hi Squeel,

Ic, wat is your meaning of trace? represent those lushgro micros, lushgro aqua,tropical master grow??

i got this three on hands, master grow going to finish liao.. funny matter is that the lushgro got some white particles within the bottle, it is consider spoilt already? l will withdraw using the lushgro micros...

How much of water to change? 50% or can change slightly like 20% every week? ya loh, a bit chore but i got a strong hand pump to suck out the water all the way to the toilet...

[Rupert]

Hi Coolbucks

Trace elements equals Lushgro Micros. Don't worry about the white particles; however do try to keep the material out of the sun/heat.

For the water changes go for 50% and you might be able to reduce to fortnightly changes, but if you have sensitive critters they may object/die if your water parameter swing to much.

[coolbucks]

Hi Rupert,

okok...thanks...

[dc88]

...
Calculation of the amount of dry chemical mix with 250ml of water
KNO3 – 116 grams with 250 ml ~ each ml ~ 0.48 PPM
KH2PO4 – 20 grams with 250ml ~ each ml ~ 0.09 PPM
...

Hi coolbucks

I was discussing with grey_fox in another thread on pre-mixing of dry fertilizers. I think you will have difficulty to dissolve that much of KNO3 (116 grams) into the 250ml premix. I found maximum may be not more than 10 grams per 100ml the most. 116 grams definitely no way.
I think for you folks with larger tank liked 4 - 6 ft, dry dosage may still be the way to go. Or alternatively you can find a larger bottle (may be a 500ml or even a 1.5 liter drink bottle) and prepare to pour in more (may be using a small dosing cup liked those came with the Yamichu tonic wine).

BTW the difference between LGA and LGM is that LGA contain N, K, S and Mg but LGM without (just the micro nutrients, or also known as "trace" ). Do a search on this forum for "DMDD" and you can find the spreadsheet for calculating the LGM and LGA dosage.

[coolbucks]

Hi DC88,

Icic, so guess that dosing directly is the better solution... guess i might purchase those cooking items that indicate by how many gram per scope...

[dc88]

You can look for it in NTUC super market.
Those scoop usually indicate 1 TBSP, 1/2 TBSP, 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp & 1/4 tsp. It does not indicate gram per scoop but you can work that out easily. (TBSP - Table Spoon, tsp - Teaspoon. 1 TBSP = 3 tsp)

[grey_fox]

yah... trying to mix more than 100g of KNO3 in a 250ml bottle, you won't be able to do that at all.

"been there done that".

The only solution I got about mixing is the KH2PO4 and also, not the suggested 37.5g in.

Currently the others are being dosed directly into the tank. Besides, Estimative Index is still an estimate. Since my dosage is quite high, having the 50% water change weekly is a definite must for me for sure.

I learnt more after getting tips from |squee|, ranmasatome, standoyo & PeterGwee and have the E.I's dosage modified to fit my tank's requirements. Currently I'm using APC's fertilator and only Chuck's calculator for the PO4 mix.

So far, so good.

[aquarius]

I would like to add that when mixing the stock solution, use distilled water which can be purchased from provision shops cos the tap water contains alot of other chemicals and the mixture may lose it's potency faster.

[coolbucks]

Hi Dc88,

okok.. wll take note of your information's..

Hi Greyfox...

icic...must be in tip top condition liao for your tank...

Hi Aquarius,
icic..Using distilled water easily dissolve those stock solution... it is costly for the distilled water??? Are u using it ???

[dc88]

I would like to add that when mixing the stock solution, use distilled water which can be purchased from provision shops cos the tap water contains alot of other chemicals and the mixture may lose it's potency faster.

Is it true ?
I thought KNO3 and KH2PO4 pretty stable so even pre-mix in tap water should be no problem ?

[grey_fox]

Hi coolbucks,

Best way to maintain your tank is to not loose interest in it No skipping of dosage and definitely no skipping of water changes as well.

[coolbucks]

Hi bro..

Definately and agreeded.. interest is the most important factors.. will maintain constantly... care and effort is needed...


cheers...

[aquarius]

Hi coolbucks,
i'm currently using distilled water which i bought for less than a dollar. The KNO3 and KH2PO4 dissolves just as easily with tap and distilled water - no difference.

Hi dc88,
The reason why i used distilled water is because usually when you mix powdered medicine in tap water the potency of the medicine will not last as long due to the other compounds in it. That's why i thought it may hold true as well for ferts and also it's hard to imagine seachem or tropica using non-distilled water to mix their ferts right? Anyway the distilled water is cheap so why not.