considering liquid ferts...

[wynx]

Hi guys...

I am still pondering if I were to go the ADA way and dose Brighty K Step 1....for my new 4x2x2. I have been previously using profito and got good results, i.e. no visible BBA in my tank..

Pondering if I am to go with ADA or stick with profito...wonders and ponders...Anyway, would someone enlighten me if I need to follow ADA's recommendation of 1ml per 20l of water/ day...

[illumnae]

ADA ferts are quite pricey for a large tank. perhaps you could consider lushgro or wondergro which are economical and effective?

[wynx]

ADA ferts are quite pricey for a large tank. perhaps you could consider lushgro or wondergro which are economical and effective?

I will not try that...I guess I need more time to ponder about it...I guess Profito still sounds good to me...wonders...

[RHX]

If you are comfortable with profito & have good results from it, why change? The ADA way of dosing is just a recommendation, not necessary to follow it. I've tried ADA liquid fertilizers before & tried ferka too. I don't see much improvements from the plant's growth when using ADA, therefore i've switch to ferka which is cheaper. If you know what you are dosing, it's no necessary to stick with all ADA products.

[StanChung]

There's no hard rule on fertilisers IME.

Wynx, as to your question, I find the 1ml/20L for ADA ferts is not enough for a tank that's fully planted with stem plants. I dosed 2-3X the amount for very good results. I've heard Amano doses like it's free for his tanks!

ADA's stuff is really good if you use it with their other stuff IME. Green gain, ECA, green Brighty Lights Special, Step 2 etc. Potassium you can use Brighty K but I've seen people get great results with Seachem and even dirt cheap dry ferts.

The trend now is to get the large bottles. For eg 5liter Step 2 and 500ml ECA. More cost effective, otherwise for people with large/many tanks like me can go broke in no time. LOL

I use the small bottles and refill them for usage.

[wynx]

There's no hard rule on fertilisers IME.

Wynx, as to your question, I find the 1ml/20L for ADA ferts is not enough for a tank that's fully planted with stem plants. I dosed 2-3X the amount for very good results. I've heard Amano doses like it's free for his tanks!

ADA's stuff is really good if you use it with their other stuff IME. Green gain, ECA, green Brighty Lights Special, Step 2 etc. Potassium you can use Brighty K but I've seen people get great results with Seachem and even dirt cheap dry ferts.

The trend now is to get the large bottles. For eg 5liter Step 2 and 500ml ECA. More cost effective, otherwise for people with large/many tanks like me can go broke in no time. LOL

I use the small bottles and refill them for usage.

Pardon me, what is ECA and how does it helps? I am pondering about dosing of step 1, and perhaps brightly K....

I guess I still have a long way to learn about ADA fert and its regime...sounds rather intimidating...ECA, Green Brightly Lights, Phyton Git....
I am

[StanChung]

ECA- is an iron supplement that's short for Effective Complex Acid i think. Lazy to google!
It's supposedly not easily oxidised and readily available for your plants. MAny swear by it for it's red plant boosting capabilities.

GBSL is needed for mature tanks with light hungry plants. It's NPK plus some trace if I remember correctly. I use this to boost plant size. Again people get great results with other NPK.

Phyton Git is dose once awhile. good for spraying onto wood to prevent BBA from forming in early setups. It's also good for plant and fish health. Something like a health shield.

It's intimidating...took me awhile to familiarize myself with a fraction of the products. I like to use bacter 100. I however think you should not pour this over any plant or the plant would be 'consumed'. Pour it near the filter inlet. Ideally when you service your filter every two months.

[zenscape]

ECA indeed enhances redness in red plants and I have tested it. But ECA is a killer to the wallet, considering the recommended 24 drops every 60 Litre. 50 ml a bottle for a 300 Litre tank... For small tanks it is still affordable to have it for weeks

Green gain is more conservative in its recommended dosage

[ranmasatome]

24 drops???? you sure?? last time i use 5 drops for my 2feet and 15 for my 3feet... you sure it is so much?

[zenscape]

The instruction papers in the box says so. Perhaps Thio can verify I will read it again tonight. I read once in the car and hope i am wrong

[zenscape]

Ok, got the exact dosage instruction from www.myfishforum.com. It is 24 drops per 60 litre once a week

[StanChung]

Imagine 3X that and for a 5ft tank and another 3ft tank, I thought it was impossible to keep up if using those small 50ml bottles. Luckily they sell 500ml bottles here. On my second bottle.

The other solution is to plant the red stem plants much later or use some generic iron for the 1st 3 trims then start getting serious with the dosing.

[zenscape]

I will check with Thio about the 500ml.

Generic iron like Seachem Iron? Thanks and that's a good suggestion.

[StanChung]

Ferka, Hagen Iron plus to name a couple more. Those work fine till you need to add boost...

[heeroyu16]

The regime I use on my 4x1.5x1.5 IOS on the side.
Monday
Seachem Nitrogen, 4.1ml
Seachem Phosphorus 4.1ml
Wondergro Macro+ 5.5ml
Seachem Iron, 6.1 ml
Seachem Excel, 33.5ml

Tuesday
Seachem Iron, 6.1 ml
Seachem Excel, 6.1ml
Lushgro/Wondergro Micro 13.5ml (Trace)

Wednesday
Seachem Iron, 6.1 ml
Seachem Excel, 6.1ml
Ferka Potassium 11 ml

Thursday
Seachem Iron, 6.1 ml
Seachem Excel, 6.1ml
Seachem Nitrogen, 4.1ml
Seachem Phosphorus 4.1ml
Lushgro/Wondergro Micro 13.5ml (Trace)

Friday
Seachem Iron, 6.1 ml
Seachem Excel, 6.1ml
Ferka Potassium 11 ml

Saturday
Seachem Iron, 6.1 ml
Seachem Excel, 6.1ml
Wondergro Macro+ 5.5ml

Sunday
Water change 20% - 40%
Change wool filter
Add 20gm baking soda,10gm epsom salt,25gm of K2SO4 and KH2PO4.

[torque6]

quite extensive.

i dose
Kno3 -20ppm
P04 - 1.5ppm per week
3 separate doses for the above.

K - 10pm, 1ml once per week,
traces + comprehensive , 0.5ml per week
seachem equilibrium 1 pint. during wc.

[BlackShrimp]

i salute heeroyu16!!! that's quite a fertiliser regime.

[Jervis]

i salute heeroyu16!!! that's quite a fertiliser regime.

Yupe... reminds me of my marine days

[zenscape]

Changing filter wool once a week is a very big challenge for me as I hate to open my filter

[StanChung]

The regime I use on my 4x1.5x1.5 IOS on the side....

I would love to see the results of doing so if you don't mind sharing. Sounds a bit complicated.