I need Dummy's guide to fertilizer dosing

[Tetra22]

I just recieved my kno3, kh2po4, and Seachem Flourish fertilizer and I need to know how much to add to the tank. I've searched around and all the sites and threads I've found are very confusing to me. This may be asking a lot, but if someone could just give me a dummy's version of dosing in american standard measurments for a 55g medium planted tank with medium light of 160 watts of t12 6500k and diy co2. I'm going to do a big water change so all my levels should be very low. I do have pretty hard water though.
Any help would be fintastic.
Thanks.

 

[jeremyblevins]

here from barr report
EI light: for those less techy folks - - Aquarium Plants

 

[mgamer20o0]

40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 3/4 tsp GH booster once a week(water change only)
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

personally i think its a good idea to start with half the amount and build your way up. EI is for heavy planted tank with co2. good thing to remember.

 

[Tetra22]

The EI method seems sooo wasteful though. But if that's what it takes....

 

[jeremyblevins]

Well the price of the dry ferts is much cheaper than test kits to properly dose ferts. So its cheaper

 

[timwag2001]

with the money you save you wont notice any waste

 

[mgamer20o0]

The EI method seems sooo wasteful though. But if that's what it takes....

its a start not the final answer. as time goes on change it up for whats best for your tank. some tanks need less of this or that. you paid what $10 a bottle? so for $30 you got what 2 months supply....

for $21 plus shipping you can get a year supply here.
http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=cats&Edit=2&EditU=1&Regit=2

$20 plus shipping here.
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html

$25 shipped here
http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html

• If you are dosing 60gallons of water with Flourish Potassium you would need 100 ml to get to 20 ppm.
• If you are dosing 60 gallons of water with Flourish Phosphorus you would need to dose 48 ml to get to 1 ppm.
• If you are dosing 60 gallons of water with Flourish Nitrogen you would need to dose 30 ml to get to 10 ppm.
• Flourish Potassium is $6 mail order for 500 ml. So if you dose once a week that bottle will last you 5 weeks. Cost would $1.25 a week to dose potassium.
• Flourish Phosphorus is $7.50 mail order for 500 ml. So if you dose once a week that bottle would last you 10 weeks. Cost would be 75¢ a week to dose Phosphorus.
• Seachem Nitrogen is $7.50 mail order for 500 ml. So if you dose once a week that bottle will last you 16 weeks. Cost would be 47¢ a week to dose nitrates.
• Total cost for one dose a week with Seachem $~2.75. Note there is no shipping factored in here and there are some rounding errors.

To dose the same tank with bulk nutrients.

• Nitrates 2¢ a dose.
• Phosphates .2¢ a dose. Note that is 5 doses for a penny.
• Total cost for one dose a week with dry nutrients 6.2¢

Seachem products cost 44X as much per week.

Fertilizing the Planted Tank | Nutrients | Rex's Guide to Planted Tanks

 

[Tetra22]

Ok, It's starting to come together now. The site I ordered from was currently out of csm+b, so I just got a pound each of dry kno3 and kh2po4. And I got liquid Flourish Comprehensive from Petsmart. So far, I have not seen any improvement in the growth of my plants, but I have not seen any problems either.
I know how to test for nitrates, but is there an easy way to test phosphates without buying a fancy kit?