Does anyone think this is a good plan?

[Zimmanski]

Im trying to figure out a good dosing plan for my tank and while searching the web I came across this plan from seachem:
http://www.seachem.com/support/PlantDoseChart.pdf

Now I know I should probably be using dry ferts(I would really like to) but Im not a plant genius so unless someone can put it in a format like this for me I think I would mess it up. I have all the seachem liquids, except for Iron and Phos, but theyre easy enough to get, but before I start to follow the plan above and buy the other two bottles Id like to know if its even a good plan.
Thanks in advance guys

 

[Florio]

Im trying to figure out a good dosing plan for my tank and while searching the web I came across this plan from seachem:
http://www.seachem.com/support/PlantDoseChart.pdf

Now I know I should probably be using dry ferts(I would really like to) but Im not a plant genius so unless someone can put it in a format like this for me I think I would mess it up. I have all the seachem liquids, except for Iron and Phos, but theyre easy enough to get, but before I start to follow the plan above and buy the other two bottles Id like to know if its even a good plan.
Thanks in advance guys

Message rivercats she is like the queen of dosing. And very nice

 

[Zimmanski]

Message rivercats she is like the queen of dosing. And very nice

Haha that was my plan B! She is the plant queen for sure. I would feel guilty asking one person to do all the work for my hobby though haha

 

[Florio]

Haha that was my plan B! She is the plant queen for sure. I would feel guilty asking one person to do all the work for my hobby though haha

Lol she loves to help, she basically coached me through my dosing of pps-pro.

Almost 200 private msg's later I'm doing pretty good .

I'm sure she won't mind.

 

[Rivercats]

Dosing dry ferts PPS-Pro really is easy. First you order the dry fert package and dosing bottles. When ferts come in you measure the proper amounts which I can tell you later using a gram scale. Add ferts to proper dosing bottles, fill with RO water, shake and let sit overnight before using. Then dosing consists of 1ml per solution bottle to every 10 gallons of tank water. That's it. It helps to have a phosphate kit as you'll want to monitor nitrate and phosphate levels weekly. It's no harder than having to add liquid ferts in the proper amounts weekly.

 

[Zimmanski]

Dosing dry ferts PPS-Pro really is easy. First you order the dry fert package and dosing bottles. When ferts come in you measure the proper amounts which I can tell you later using a gram scale. Add ferts to proper dosing bottles, fill with RO water, shake and let sit overnight before using. Then dosing consists of 1ml per solution bottle to every 10 gallons of tank water. That's it. It helps to have a phosphate kit as you'll want to monitor nitrate and phosphate levels weekly. It's no harder than having to add liquid ferts in the proper amounts weekly.

That would be ideal for me, would the PPS-Pro Fert Pack from GLA be best? comes with

• Two (2) 500mL Fertilizer Dispensers
• Micros / Trace Elements -
  • Plantex CSM + B - 1 / 2 lb
• Macros -
  • Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) - 1 lb
  • Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) - 1 / 2 lb
  • Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) - 1 lb
  • Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) - 1 lb

I do have a phosphate test kit, I got it along with phosguard when I though my high phosphates were causing algae but now Im thinking my lights are on too long, time to bust out the timer again.

 

[aqua_chem]

Assuming you have decent lights and CO2, the Estimative Index (EI) is about as idiot proof as you can get, and is basically set up the same way as the list you have:

AquaScaping World Magazine - Estimative Index Fertilization Method

 

[Florio]

Assuming you have decent lights and CO2, the Estimative Index (EI) is about as idiot proof as you can get, and is basically set up the same way as the list you have:

AquaScaping World Magazine - Estimative Index Fertilization Method

The reason I don't do this is I was told you have to do weekly 50% changes instead of 30%. Big pain for large tanks.

 

[aqua_chem]

With the advent of water changers though, thats really a moot point. Especially with larger tanks.

 

[Rivercats]

The biggest difference in PPS-Pro vs El to me is El as far as I understand it is about adding excess amounts of ferts so plants will have plenty of nutrients available. Whereas PPS-Pro you dose daily and can custom dose to keep specific levels in your tank. I run a high phosphate- low nitrate tank in which I want my nitrates and phosphates to be at specific levels which is why PPS-Pro is my choice. Plus with El a 50% WC is needed which I pretty much do anyway even with PPS-Pro.

 

[aqua_chem]

The biggest difference in PPS-Pro vs El to me is El as far as I understand it is about adding excess amounts of ferts so plants will have plenty of nutrients available. Whereas PPS-Pro you dose daily and can custom dose to keep specific levels in your tank. I run a high phosphate- low nitrate tank in which I want my nitrates and phosphates to be at specific levels which is why PPS-Pro is my choice. Plus with El a 50% WC is needed which I pretty much do anyway even with PPS-Pro.

This is true and while there are situations where one might prefer low nitrates, they are fairly limited. EI also brings a level of simplicity that makes PPS-Pro look complicated (as easy as it is).

 

[Zimmanski]

I did look at the EI way, but quit after I saw the conversions. I do 50% water changes weekly anyway just for kicks, problem with this is my plants take in nitrate just about as fast as my tank produces them. I've skipped a week before and nitrates were <5ppm at 2 weeks, I now have seachem's nitrogen. I have a coralife dual HOT5, with a 10k daylight and 6.7k geissmans and dose excel but I don't have co2, I'm thinking eventually maybe I'll get a fluval 88 like i have on my 20g with a converter for a PB tank but that wouldn't be for another month or so.

 

[Rivercats]

That would be ideal for me, would the PPS-Pro Fert Pack from GLA be best? comes with

• Two (2) 500mL Fertilizer Dispensers
• Micros / Trace Elements -
  • Plantex CSM + B - 1 / 2 lb
• Macros -
  • Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) - 1 lb
  • Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) - 1 / 2 lb
  • Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) - 1 lb
  • Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) - 1 lb

I do have a phosphate test kit, I got it along with phosguard when I though my high phosphates were causing algae but now Im thinking my lights are on too long, time to bust out the timer again.

You can use that one but I suggest ordering a 3rd dosing bottle as I mix the nitrates KNO3 in one dosing bottle, Phosphate KH2PO4 and Potassium K2SO4 in the 2nd bottle, and the micro's in the 3rd bottle. I don't use Magnesium. If you have hard tap water that you use for water changes and has a Gh of 4 or over you get enough magnesium from it that you don't need to add extra.

This is the fert package I use... Micro & Macro | Aquarium Fertilizer | Green Leaf Aquariums

I get three of this size dosing bottles.. Fertilizer Dispenser | 1000 mL (32 oz) | Green Leaf Aquariums

Here's a thread to read about PPS-Pro dosing. You only need to read the openning post not all the comments.... Newbie Guide to PPS-Pro - PPS Analysis and Feedback - Aquatic Plant Central

 

[Zimmanski]

I like the idea of PPS-Pro so I guess I'll be buying the GLA stuff and a GH test kit this Saturday and I'll probably need a little help with the measurements so thank you rivercats haha. For now though, until I get the dry ferts in the mail and run out of the liquid stuff was the chart I posted at least decent for now or should I be dosing more? Less? Side note, I notice for 24 hours after my water changes and large dose of excel my plants pearl like crazy, wish I could get that every day haha

 

[Rivercats]

That chart is fine for right now BUT I wouldn't do anything it says on day 7, except use the Excel. IMO you don't need all those chemical buffers and equalibrium at all. You don't use RO water only do you?

My plants pearl after WC's also. It's got to do with the added CO2 in the fresh tap water your adding during the WC.

 

[Zimmanski]

That chart is fine for right now BUT I wouldn't do anything it says on day 7, except use the Excel. IMO you don't need all those chemical buffers and equalibrium at all. You don't use RO water only do you?

My plants pearl after WC's also. It's got to do with the added CO2 in the fresh tap water your adding during the WC.

Yea I know about day seven, I've already done the math to figure out exactly how many ml of each I need every day and put it into an excel sheet, I took out day seven though and replaced it with what I thought was next in the pattern.

That's interesting about the WC though, makes me want to do it every couple of days haha. I don't use any RO water