Dry ferts

[epiphysis]

I've recently starting to get some algae problems in my tanks. But before I try to take evasive action I'm going to give dry-ferts a try. But let me explain my setup first.

29gal fully stocked. Actually I think its over-stocked. 2 water changes a week, 20% and 50-60%. Use to dose Tetra Plantamin but as of the last week I started with Seachem Flourish and Excel. Currently underdosing on both just to phase the Tetramin out and the Flourish in, and to see how the plants adapt to the Excel. Also have root tabs that I got from a nursery containing 5:1:5 NPK. Set-up is about 3 months old. Light is 30W T8. In other words very low tech.

Plants include: Vallisneria nana (loads of it), Anubias Petit, Java Fern 'Windelov' and Alternanthera (was and impulse buy, don't think its going to make it).

After about 6 weeks I started to notice small green spots on the glass. GSA, but nothing serious. A light scraping removed most of it. But this last week I noticed some blue-green algae on the substrate and its spreading. So I assume that there is a nutrient imbalance. And from there I started my research.

Worked out the following mixture for dry ferts, but before I go ahead and put it in, just want to hear some opinions.

In 500ml distilled water I'll mix the following:
50 g Potasium Nitrate (Saltpeter)
25 ml Lenolax (Fleet Enema)
100 g Potasium Chloride (No-Salt)
And a 1ml of dechlor just to take out some of the chloride.

10ml dose of this will give me 6,13ppm NO3, 0.66ppm PO4 and 14.36ppm K.

So what do you guys think, should I maybe up the Lenolax to up the Phos? Or is there anything else I can do to improve my recipe?

Thanks in advance

 

[epiphysis]

What I'll do is run a trail this week and let you guys know. It might be a huge disaster or a huge sucess. But I feel confident

 

[BigJim]

Dry ferts are a bit of trial and error. Every tank has different needs. I tried a formula that worked for someone else and it put too much PO4 in my tank. Good luck.

 

[Aspencer]

One good pearl of wisdom to remember is that "things happen slow in an aquarium."...usually

 

[aqua_chem]

One good pearl of wisdom to remember is that "things happen slow in an aquarium."...usually

Good things tend to happen slowly. Bad things seem to happen really quickly.


plants are growing, plants are growing, plants are growing, plants are BAM Algae Bloom.

 

[jetajockey]

What's the dosing routine like? I would think with that setup your fert dosing would be pretty sparse.

 

[epiphysis]

Not that much. 1Oml of this mix a week.

Its been 2 days and no big difference. But the algae is not getting more either.

When I started to use Seachem flourish and excel my plants boomed in a matter of days. That's why I thought a bit of macro's might help.

But will keep on observing.

 

[jetajockey]

Excel often makes a big difference in and of itself since it's a carbon supplement.

 

[epiphysis]

Yeah I thought it would. But the plants that is effected the most are my vallis. Instead of melting away they are multiplying! Already have twice the amount I had last week when I started with excel and there's more little buds forming. And my swords are doing just as well.

 

[epiphysis]

Its been 2 weeks and nothing has been dying off. The algae is still there but not getting more. Will give it a good cleaning on my next pwc.

But, my water use to get a slight green colour about 3 days after a water change. Now it happens much later, about 6 days. Its not a cloudy green. The water is still clear, just with a bit of a green colour. Might be that things are still settling in.

 

[OasisKeeper]

Interesting thread... particularly since I probably have everything but the phosphate laying around.

Also reminds me I have to do something with the vals in the 10 junk tank...

 

[epiphysis]

I'm taking a bag down to the lfs next week. My vals are popping up all over the place.

 

[OasisKeeper]

Yeah, unfortunately I wouldn't wish my LFS on anything living.. and probably not for somethings that are dead

 

[epiphysis]

Just a quick update, since its been over 2 months ive been using dry ferts.

Plants are crawling out of the tank and water and glass is crystal clear. Maybe an odd spot of algae, but nothing to be worried about. Mainly got algae on my driftwood, but that actually makes it look more natural. And give my bristlenoses a snack.

So I'll be sticking to dry-ferts. And will continue to promote the use of it.

Unfortunately I'll be moving house in the next 2 weeks, so this tank will go down. The good news is I got a new tank ready to be set up. Exact same same as the 29g, just 6 inches higher. Lots more growth space for plants vertically. Expect a thread on that soon.

 

[meegosh]

Glad the dry ferts are working out for you. I highly recommend them to anyone serious about getting into planted tanks. They are cheap and will last years.

Just remember, the higher the tank, the more intense lighting you will need to penetrate to the bottom.

 

[epiphysis]

At the moment i got a 25w T8 in my tank. And for some reason it works. Recently got some water sprite and the few small twigs turned brown but the new shoots formed a huge bush in the one corner.

But yeah, I'm getting another 25w for the new tank. Just a bit cash-strapped at the moment to fully upgrade to a T5 system.