Nutrients? Fertilizer?

[hforney]

55g planted tank
2 x 65 pc lighting
Pressurized CO2 with ph controller

I have had my CO2 up and running for a week. Things seem to working well. The ph is constant 7.0-7.2. How do I start testing to see what nutrients, trace elements or fertilizer I need to start using.

Thanks

 

[malkore]

you'll need a nitrate and phosphate test kits. Keep nitrates at 10 - 15ppm, phosphates 0.5 - 1.0ppm.

You'll probably wanna dose iron every 3 days, and traces every other day. Dose potassium at 10-15ppm after a water change (you don't test this, you just add enough to equal 10-15ppm).

Also, what is your Kh in this tank? need to make sure your CO2 level is good, and not too much, or too little.

 

[hforney]

you'll need a nitrate and phosphate test kits. Keep nitrates at 10 - 15ppm, phosphates 0.5 - 1.0ppm.

You'll probably wanna dose iron every 3 days, and traces every other day. Dose potassium at 10-15ppm after a water change (you don't test this, you just add enough to equal 10-15ppm).

Also, what is your Kh in this tank? need to make sure your CO2 level is good, and not too much, or too little.

Also, what is your Kh in this tank?

My Kh range is 4 to 5. I readjusted my ph controller so my ph will range between 6.8 and 7.0 which should keep my CO2 at a low of 12ppm to a high of 24ppm. Somone on this board referred me to Chuck's Planted Aquarium Pages. I found the CO2 levels in their chart.

I have a nitrate test kit so I will have to order a phosphate test kit, Iron, Traces and Potassium. I have read your reply several, several times. It seems to me sinking in my brain. I guess there is no one bottle cures all.

One part I don't understand is the phosphates 0.5 - 1.0ppm. How do I accomplish this?

 

[malkore]

On your 2wpg tank, you're probably not going to have to add phosphates. You'll likely have a natural level within that range.

You need to keep ratio of nitrates to phosphates to avoid algae blooms. The exact ratio isn't set in stone. I shoot for 15:1 Others say 10:1....I've run at 20:1 without problems, but wouldn't exactly recommend it.

2wpg tanks are a little more mellow than 3wpg setups.