Need help with live plants.

[Ac30fan]

Ok sorry to OP for highjacking their thread:

But how are people obtaining their RO or distilled water? I'm sure it's available for direct purchase, but after searching google I see various contraptions to do conversion.

Is this how serious enthusiast go?

I want healthy beautiful tanks, but my wife is beginning to worry at the mention ($$) of every new device that I find is the next critical step in this endeavor (c02 injectors, diffusers, bubble counters, drop checkers, etc). I guess this is the admission price for taking this "hobby" to the next level. I'm not capable if tackling DIY projects, and building these systems myself...

I think she secretly wishes I'd go back to buying guitars & microphones.

 

[aqua_chem]

For the tank or for fert mixtures? I get distilled water from Walmart for mixtures.

 

[tiger terror]

You need a gram scale and this is how you mix them:

In a 1 liter bottle add:

59 grams of K2SO4 Potassium Sulfate
6 grams of KH2PO4 Mono Potassium Phosphate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

65 grams of KNO3, Potassium Nitrate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

80 grams of CSM+B

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, and let sit overnight.

Then you dose 1ml per every 10 gallons of tank water daily. I suggest taking a nitrate and phosphate reading right before your weekly WC so you can see if you need to continue to dose nitrates and the phosphate/potassium at the same level or not. This allows you to custom dose your tank to the levels you want. Generally you want to shoot between 10-20ppm nitrates and 1-3ppm of phosphates.

The above weights are for 1000ml bottles so if you get and use the 500ml bottles you need to use half the amount listed.

Did you forget to mention adding excel or glut to the individual bottles?

 

[Rivercats]

Usually you can pick up RO or Distilled water at the grocery store. You only need to buy a gallon which is under $1 and you won't even use it all for mixing the ferts up.

And yes I forgot to mention after mixing your macro and micro solutions add 5ml of liquid carbon to every 250ml of solution in each bottle. This helps keep mold and fungus from growing in the solution.

 

[tiger terror]

Usually you can pick up RO or Distilled water at the grocery store. You only need to buy a gallon which is under $1 and you won't even use it all for mixing the ferts up.

And yes I forgot to mention after mixing your macro and micro solutions add 5ml of liquid carbon to every 250ml of solution in each bottle. This helps keep mold and fungus from growing in the solution.

Atta girl....LOL

 

[Ac30fan]

You need a gram scale and this is how you mix them:

In a 1 liter bottle add:

59 grams of K2SO4 Potassium Sulfate
6 grams of KH2PO4 Mono Potassium Phosphate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

65 grams of KNO3, Potassium Nitrate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

80 grams of CSM+B

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, and let sit overnight.

Then you dose 1ml per every 10 gallons of tank water daily. I suggest taking a nitrate and phosphate reading right before your weekly WC so you can see if you need to continue to dose nitrates and the phosphate/potassium at the same level or not. This allows you to custom dose your tank to the levels you want. Generally you want to shoot between 10-20ppm nitrates and 1-3ppm of phosphates.

The above weights are for 1000ml bottles so if you get and use the 500ml bottles you need to use half the amount listed.

Every reference to phosphate testing kits ive seen seems to involve marine tanks. Am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[Rivercats]

I have an API Phosphate test kit... API Phosphate Test Kit (150) Liquid Aquarium Saltwater Test Kits.