Dry Ferts

[jehenry89]

I see Rivercats and a few others on this forum talk really highly of dry fertilizers. Because of the prices, I really want to try it. The only thing that was holding me back was the fact that my space is VERY limited but I have a few things I can get rid of in my room for the sake of my aquariums and my wallet. There was a link posted on a different thread : Estimative Index | Aquarium Fertilizer | Green Leaf Aquariums
I opened it but it all really looks like jibberish, can someone give me the DL as to how these work? Its only $15 dollars for all the micros and the macros?! I am assuming for my first purchase, I would have to get the $30.00 package with the dispensers.

 

[Super_Blueberry]

When I got my dry ferts, they came in a ziplock bag...not much space taken up by them. I was cheap and used 3 old glass grenadine bottles to mix them, do that doesn't use much space either. In fact, the gallon of distilled water I use to mix it takes up more space than the rest. I don't have the ratios to mix the ferts in front of me, but someone here does

 

[jehenry89]

I was thinking they all came in 1lb bags no? The website had an excel spreadsheet I downloaded that i typed in the bottle size and it told me how many grams to mix into each bottle. I'm assuming I can mix them in separate bottles if I want? My tap water has Phosphates in it so I wont need to dose as much of that. Also wondering how dosing works with dry because I normally go by capfuls for the liquid.

 

[Super_Blueberry]

1 pound bags are not large. I have three bottles, kno3 in one, plantex in another, and the rest in the third. They are typically mixed with RO or distilled water making it a liquid fert, so you dose by capful or something similar.

 

[jehenry89]

Found all my answers lol Someone just made a thread about this
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/pps-pro-is-here-286832.html

 

[Rivercats]

As for dry fert this $15 package is all you need and will last a couple years... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html.



You need 3 dosing bottles found at the bottom of this page... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizer.html.



This is a good thread about dosing PPS-Pro. Only read the opening post not all the comments after it.... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html.



There are two things I do different from the article. First I use 3 dosing bottles as I split the macro nutrients for better custom dosing to the needs of the tank. Nitrates in one bottle, phosphates and potassium in one bottle, and micro's in the 3rd bottle. The other thing you'll notice the recipe calls for using MgSO4, magnesium sulfate, which you don't need if your gh is above 4.

 

[jehenry89]

Ya I just saw that someone made a post about this a while ago. Found all my answers on there lol.