This is Cut and Paste for other posts and web info... That's all I know about it:
What is PPS-Pro?
PPS-Pro is the latest generation of the Perpetual Preservation System developed by
Edward from
www.aquaticplantcentral.com
The goal of PPS-Pro is growing healthy plants with minimal effort.
Isn?t this just fertilizer?
Yes, it is just fertilizer. The importance however is the ratio in which the nutrients are added to create a balance and promote growth.
What do plants need to grow?
Light, carbon, nutrients (macro and micro), and proper water.
What kind lighting of lighting do I need with PPS-Pro?
PPS-Pro works with lots of different lighting setups. The general guidelines are:
Low Light ( Under 2 wpg) 10-12 hours a day
Medium Light (2.0 ? 3.0 wpg) 8-10 hours a day
High Light ( 3.0 ? 4.0 wpg) 7-8 hours a day
Very High Light (4+ wpg) 6 (Expert level)
What do you mean by wpg?
?wpg? stands for Watts Per Gallon. Basically take the number of total watts of the fluorescent bulbs over your tank and divide by the number of gallons the tank is.
This a very loose sort of formula to determine light levels above your tank.
Why do plants need carbon and how do they get it?
48% of a plant?s mass is carbon, it is the basic building block of plant life (actually most life).
Plants in nature and in most aquariums get if from CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the water. Plants take the CO2 and release O2 (Oxygen) back into the water via a process called photosynthesis during hours of sufficient light
How does the CO2 get in the water?
CO2 gets in the water several different ways.
From the air: There is CO2 in the air we breathe and lots in the air we breathe out, many other sources as well.
From the fish: Fish taken in O2 and release CO2, just like a human. Since the fish are breathing in water the CO2 is released into the water.
From us: In most medium to heavy planted tanks, we add supplemental CO2 to the water via pressurized CO2 (100% recommended) or DIY (yeast/sugar brew).
How much CO2 do I need in the water?
Long ago we targeted in the teens for co2 levels. The last few years have pushed co2 higher and higher to deal with the excess nutrient approaches. PPS - Pro is bringing the pendulum back and targeting the teens again. I usually start at a bubble a sec per 25 gallons.
Even a tank planted with low light plants can benefit from added CO2
What happened to the ?30 ppm Ideal??
Maintaining 30ppm can be challenging and risky for the fish. Moderate levels about 15ppm are natural and provide plenty of carbon for the plants and allows a much greater safety margin.
What nutrients do plants need to grow?
Plant nutrients breakdown into two categories: Macro (Larger quantities) and Micro (small quantities)
Macro: Nitrates, Phosphates Potassium, Calcium, Carbon, Sulfur, and Magnesium
Micro: Manganese, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Boron, Nickel and Molybdenum
Is there where you give us the formula?
Yes!!
Macro Solution
In 1 liter bottle:
59 grams K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate)
65 grams KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate)
6 grams KH2PO4 (Mono Potassium Phosphate)
41 grams MgSO4 (Magnesium Sulfate)
Fill with distilled water and shake well. Let sit overnight.
Micro Solution - if you dont have Seachem flourish or TMG
In 1 liter bottle:
80 grams of CSM+B or equivalent trace element mix
Fill with distilled water and shake well. Let sit overnight.
How do I dose PPS-Pro solutions?
Dose 1 ml of each solution per ten gallons of tank size. Dose prior to lights turning on.
***If you are using TMG or Flourish for your micro nutrients, start with the recommended dosing from the bottle.
Do I need a scale? Can?t I just measure the stuff with a spoon?
You need an accurate scale The scale needs to measure to the gram. Dry chemicals are very powerful and quantities need to be specific.
Where can I get a scale?
Ebay
Where can I get the chemicals?
There are many options. I get mine pre-mixed from a guy in Montreal that ships worldwide.
Can I mix the two solutions in one bottle?
No. The solution must be kept separate. The trace elements in the Micro mix react badly with the Macro components of the other mix at the concentration present in the solutions.
Why do I need to add them in the morning?
The goal is to have the nutrients in the water ready to use when the lights come on. An hour before the lights come on is good.
What do you mean by proper water?
Good water is water that has consistent water parameters, such as pH, hardness, etc. without a build up of potentially toxic chemicals. Ironically the parameters we worry about with fish the most: Ammonia and Nitrites, don?t matter that much to plants.
What do I need to test the water for?
For most part nothing more than you test for when you just have fish. PPS-Pro does not really require any additional testing. If you want to measure KH and GH fine, but no real need.
Do I need to do regular water changes?
No ? Maybe ? Yes
No: PPS-Pro does not add excessive nutrients to the tank, so I plants only tank no water changes should be required.
Maybe: In a tank with high fish load like discus fish, the waste from the fish and food could lead to less than desirable water quality. Watch your NO3 nitrate levels. That will give you a good idea.
Yes: Certain substrates leach into the water and require the water to be changed. Leaching KH for example.
Water changes do not hurt. So if you have fish go for it.
If I do Water Changes, how much?
I personally recommend 30% a week. It is a balance between refreshing water for fish health, and conditioning altering effects of large water changes.
Do I need to shut off my CO2 at night?
No. CO2 is available in the water full-time in nature, no reason to change that here. Since we are dosing at a lower level (15ppm) we have plenty of safety margin. And stable levels help plants and fish, making it harder on algae.
The dosage seems awfully small?
The dosage seems to be is small, the goal is to give the plants what they need, not to overfeed and have nutrients build up in the water.
I am planning on doing a massive water change tonight and then start dosing tomorrow. Should I add a larger dose to start?
No. The dosing should always be the same. The goal is to feed the plants what they can use in a day.
