To mix or not to mix, that is the question

[JDogg]

1. do you mix your dry ferts with water, or do you just add them dry to the tank?

2. why, if there is a reason, is one way better then the other?

i used to pre-mix my ferts, but now i just add them dry to the tank, recently i have felt like i got better results when i pre-mixed, but that could just be my imagination :?

 

[neilanh]

I premix... I figure there's less room for error that way in regards to overdosing.

 

[An t-iasg]

I premix too. I have all my dry ferts pre-measured and labeled for the week. I went to the pharmacy and bought the smallest little amber pill containers to store my dose for each day.

To add the ferts to the tank, I pour just a little bit of bottled water into a plastic (aquarium-only) cup. I heat that in the microwave for 9 seconds (takes the refrigerator chill off) and pour my pre-measured dry fert dose in and stir. I pour that water into the tank right in front of my little powerhead/pump.

 

[bs6749]

I don't think it matters to be quite honest. If it were me though, I think I would be more inclined to premix that way I can stir the stuff up and help it dissolve so it is ready to go right away. Another reason that I would premix is simply because of overdosing. It is easier and less expensive to add a small amount of a high concentration solution rather than change half of the tank water because "oops, I added way to much!" Know what I mean? You can catch your mistake BEFORE it is added to the tank and still have time to correct it and make it right. Just my two cents.

 

[rkilling1]

I dose KNO3 dry, but everything else is mixed. The only reason I mix them is to make dosing easier.

 

[rich311k]

I just toss the dry ferts in the tank. I have a dozen little measuring spoons, I measure the right amount and drop the stuff in front of the spray bar.

 

[Purrbox]

I use dosing solutions because I'm dosing such small quantities since my aquariums are small. If are were dosing a larger aquarium, I'd probably only use solutions for any of the ferts that are easier to measure in solution if the dosing amounts were still fairly small but dose the rest dry. For dry dosing I'd probably predisolve the ferts in some tank water, mostly for my own peace of mind more than anything else.

 

[SparKy697]

I premix everything. I feel it gives me better control and distribution in the tank. Also, if you are doing straight EI dosing, you have the option of mixing a cocktail for the week and just pouring from one container into the tank for macros.

Something just feels wrong about watching my fish try to eat the little granules of ferts when they first hit the water.

 

[Michael]

I add dry.

 

[Atl300zx]

i add dry, but i want to move to pre-mix b/c of the fish trying to eat the fertilizer granules.

 

[Cliffz]

Add dry to tank--Like sparky said--I dont like it when fish eat the granules on way down.

CSM+B is a solution with epsom salt and 167 ml H20 per Greg watson.

 

[fish 'n' fries]

I do dry for the big tank...put it in the HOB filter to dissolve. Each bag has the appropriate sized measuring spoon in it so I don't have to think about how much to dose. The small tank I had to mix because it was too small of amounts to measure dry.

 

[zenkatydid]

i don't pre-mix. i have a dosing glass that i put a bit of tank water and dissolve the ferts, then pour the glass into the tank at each dosing, mostly to stop the fish from eating it. wet-dry dosing