SeaChem Equilibrium

[Sleepy_lancs]

Hi Experts out there,

Just wanted to check this information. I think I am having Calcium problem.. leaves are all curving. I would like to use SeaChem Equilibrium. I am quite lost after reading all about it from the posts here. This is what I am intending to do:

Just for record purpose:
Tank Size: 4 x 2 x 2 ft (water is about 98G estimate)
Lights: 5 x 38 watts + 4 x 36 watts
CO2: enough to bring ph down to 6.8 - 6.9 (test pen)
KH= 4 - 5
NO3 = dose weekly at water change trying hard to maintain at 7 ppm to 10 ppm
K = dose weekly at water change (20 ppm to 30 ppm)
PO4 = add enough to bring it up to 0.5ppm
Mg = recently just stop. Used to be about 5ppm weekly
Ca = not dosed at all
Fe+Trace = 2ML per day using Dr Mac solution
Weekly: 50% water change

Plan:
I wanted to use Equilibrium to balance the K, Mg and Ca instead of adding the K2S04, Epsom Salt and CaCO3 individually. According to what I gather from the posts here, I could use 1 full dose and add 10ppm of K to the water change (which is 30% of tank water) which will be performed once every 2 weeks. Would that be sufficent?

Would like people to comment.

[vinz]

should be sufficient. no tank is alike.... differences in plant species, number of plants, fert used, light, etc make a diff. Try that and see what happens. If you see improvement, great, if not, increase the dosage.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Oops I missed some details in the plan:

Plan:
I wanted to use Equilibrium to balance the K, Mg and Ca instead of adding the K2S04, Epsom Salt and CaCO3 individually.

According to what I gather from the posts here, I could use 1 full dose and add 10ppm of K to the water change (which is 30% of tank water) which will be performed once every 2 weeks. I hope to maintain at 25 ppm for K

However, I do add KC03 (Sera KH-plus) to the tank to maintain the KH at 4-5 and I need to add KH2PO4 for the PO4 and KNO3 for NO3.

Would that be sufficent or too much of K? Should I not dose the K from K2SO4?

[vinz]

Skip the extra K from K2SO4. Many hobbyists worldwide are experiencing Calcium deficiency like symptoms which seem to be related to dosing of K. Freeman has discovered that his tanks consume much less K then the 20 to 30ppm that many (including myself) used to recommend. If you dose equilibirum as recommended by the label, you should be fine where K is concerned.

Some hobbyist do not get this problem. I do not know why they don't, but I do. After experimenting with vaious routines, my tank seems to do better with less K dosage and more traces nowadays. My arowana doesn't seem to like the extra K either, but I don't know about the other fishes. I suspect K in my tank is way too high due to long term 20-30ppm weekly dosages and nows the time to let it drop thru water change.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Okay.. sounds good to me.

Just to add, I'll do a massive reset of 50% water change every 3 mths. Would that be alright or any suggestions?

[vinz]

Not necessary IMO if you are doing regular water change. A 50% reset every 3 months don't make much of a diff if you're doing regular water changes. You might end up upsetting the balance if things are already ok.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Cheers Vinz. Just finish replanting all my plants.. Thanks for the information. Will let you know the results...

[IUnknown]

I agree with vinz. I stopped using equilibrium because the recommended dose gives you 60ppm. We are aiming for 10ppm. Since then my Ca issues have stopped. Look over your K dosing, maybe you've made a mistake somewhere and have been overdosing from the start.

[Sleepy_lancs]

----------------
On 12/6/2003 5:55:01 AM

I agree with vinz. I stopped using equilibrium because the recommended dose gives you 60ppm. We are aiming for 10ppm. Since then my Ca issues have stopped. Look over your K dosing, maybe you've made a mistake somewhere and have been overdosing from the start.
----------------

Okay.. I am a little lost here. You mean dosing 1/3 of the recommended dosage will result in overdosing K? I plan to change 30% of water and do a full dose of that 30% which is 30 gal into my 96 gal tank which means 1.5 tablespoon into 30 gal of water. Is that wrong?

[vinz]

According to my calculations based on the ingredients listed in the Seachem website, the recommended dose will raise about 39ppm K. If you dose according to volume of water change, 30% in your case, you will raise the K in your tank by about 13ppm. Seems acceptable, IF your tank is not already overdosed with K.

I am assuming that the 19.5% of K listed in equilibrium is part of the 23% of the K20 listed. The calculations makes sense...
- K2O consist of 84.something% of K.
- 84% of 23% is 19.3%.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Ahh.. okay.. sounds good to me.. I'll stick to this... besides my plants looks better and greener since I started using Seachem Equilibrium. Okay.. I am back to my battle field with that blasted green water. Cheers Vinz.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Hi Vinz,

After 2 weeks, the following have been observed: Red plants has crumpled leaves and fast growing plants have transparent leaves. After speaking to Geoffrey, it could have been because of K overdose. I think I forgot to mention to you that I use Potassium Carbonate to buffer the water. I have up the useage of iron and trace to keep my plants from turning transparent.

Just a question, how can I manage the Equilibrum to ensure K is slightly below 10ppm (say about 7-9?). Whats the formula to calculate?

I will be adding Coral chips to ease the crumpled leaves (Ca deficiency).

[vinz]

Yep, sounds like too much K to me too.

The recommended dosage on Equilibriums will raise:
- K, 39ppm
- Ca, 16.12ppm
- Mg, 4.82

Its quite easier to calculate. K is 19.5% of Eq, so K in mg = 0.195 x 16000mg (recommended dosage of Eq). So if you know how many mg of K is dosed to 80l of water, you can calculate the mg/l.

Note: if you dose the recommended dosage by the volume of water changed, remember to do the maths for the actual ppm raised for the actual tank volume.

As you can see, it's alot of K. If you dose enough to raise the tank water by 1dGH, you will have raised about 13ppm of K at the same time.

If you are already having problems with high K, then I suggest you stop K completely (accept from KNO3, if you are using that). So, no more Equilibrium. Do 50% water change per week to reduce the K levels faster.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Hi Vinz,

Sorry. But I still don't get you.

Say in 30 Gallons of water how much of it must I put in order that I achieve 10ppm (max)? Mind showing me the calculation so that I can do it myself with other tanks. By the way thats how much water I change weekly. Would that be enough to cover Ca and Mg requirement for my tank?

Thanks in advance.

[vinz]

It depends. How much water can each galleon hold?

Ok, recommended dose is 1 flat tablespoon for every 20 US gallons of water. That dose will raise 39ppm of K. To raise by 10ppm only, quarter the dose. I.e. dose 1tbsp or 3 tsp for every 80USG of water.

1 tablespoon(tbsp) = 3 teaspoons(tsp).

For 30USG, dose:
30USGx(3tsp/80USG)
= (9/tsp
= 1 and 1/8 tsp

For simplicity, 1 teaspoon to your 30 USG will raise slightly less then 10ppm K.

Got it?

[Sleepy_lancs]

Loud and clear.

Thanks Vinz. I'll just re-dose it 4 weeks later after the K reduction process. Btw. In Equilibrium, the amount of Mg and Ca is enough? I still need a buffering solution. I have not figure it out. If Mg and Ca isn't enough, then I will buffer using Crushed coral chips. If its enough, then I have to use something else. What do you use for buffering? Baking Soda?

[vinz]

That dose will raise 4 and 1.25 ppm of Ca and Mg respectively. Not enough for my tank. For yours, try and see. For KH, I use baking soda, maintained at 4 to 5dKH.

[geoffrey]

Do not use baking soda as buffer here. The Na in baking soda together with your high K may make things worse.

[Sleepy_lancs]

[quote:1a2ad751b1="geoffrey"]Do not use baking soda as buffer here. The Na in baking soda together with your high K may make things worse.[/quote:1a2ad751b1]

Yes boss. By the way, why? Just curious

[geoffrey]

The links I provided thru email should explain.

Plants have an affinity for K than Na than Mg than Ca. Seems like an excess of ionic elements in front affects those at the back. Ca being way back. Although plants do not uptake Na but I really don't know how it affects.

Juggler may have the link to Roger Miller's post in AB on this. I hope he is listening in now.