10 gallon fert dosing regime...thoughts?

Hi everyone! I am still quite torn what I am going to do with my 10 gallon, but most of the options I am considering involve a planted tank...thus, I have devised a fertilizer regime that would work with a fairly wide variety of livestock. How does this sound?

*MACROS (Dose 1/3rd of this on days 1, 3, 5 after WC, do not dose any ferts on WC day)
-.6 ml Potassium chloride (roughly 1.12 gm/ml, 52% potassium by mass, adds
17.6 ppm TDS and 9.15156 ppm potassium)
OR (for harder water)
-.6 ml Potassium bicarbonate (roughly 1.2 gm/ml, 39% potassium by mass, adds 19 ppm
TDS, 7.43 ppm potassium, 11.4 ppm carbonate)
-.6 ml KNO3 powder(powder is 1.06 gm/ml, about 61.386% nitrate by mass, adds
16.82 ppm TDS, 10.328 ppm nitrate, and 6.39 ppm potassium)
-.3 ml KH2PO4 (.96 gm/ml, about .698% phosphate by mass, adds about 7.62 ppm tds,
5.3 ppm phosphate, and 2.28 ppm potassium)

*MICROS (1/3rd of this dosed on days 2, 4, and 6, with the possible exception of the calcium)
-1/8th tsp plantex CSM+B (adds .5 ppm iron)
-.9 ml epsom salt (about 1 gm/ml, 20% magnesium by mass, adds 23.76 ppm TDS and
4.75 ppm magnesium)
-1.25 ml Calcium chloride dihydrate flakes (.68 gm/ml? 27.2% calcium by mass, DO NOT
mix with plantex [they react], adds [assuming above density is correct] 22.4 ppm TDS, 6.11 ppm calcium)

Thanks for your thoughts

 

Hi everyone! I am still quite torn what I am going to do with my 10 gallon, but most of the options I am considering involve a planted tank...thus, I have devised a fertilizer regime that would work with a fairly wide variety of livestock. How does this sound?

*MACROS (Dose 1/3rd of this on days 1, 3, 5 after WC, do not dose any ferts on WC day)
-.6 ml Potassium chloride (roughly 1.12 gm/ml, 52% potassium by mass, adds
17.6 ppm TDS and 9.15156 ppm potassium)
OR (for harder water)
-.6 ml Potassium bicarbonate (roughly 1.2 gm/ml, 39% potassium by mass, adds 19 ppm
TDS, 7.43 ppm potassium, 11.4 ppm carbonate)
-.6 ml KNO3 powder(powder is 1.06 gm/ml, about 61.386% nitrate by mass, adds
16.82 ppm TDS, 10.328 ppm nitrate, and 6.39 ppm potassium)
-.3 ml KH2PO4 (.96 gm/ml, about .698% phosphate by mass, adds about 7.62 ppm tds,
5.3 ppm phosphate, and 2.28 ppm potassium)

*MICROS (1/3rd of this dosed on days 2, 4, and 6, with the possible exception of the calcium)
-1/8th tsp plantex CSM+B (adds .5 ppm iron)
-.9 ml epsom salt (about 1 gm/ml, 20% magnesium by mass, adds 23.76 ppm TDS and
4.75 ppm magnesium)
-1.25 ml Calcium chloride dihydrate flakes (.68 gm/ml? 27.2% calcium by mass, DO NOT
mix with plantex [they react], adds [assuming above density is correct] 22.4 ppm TDS, 6.11 ppm calcium)

Thanks for your thoughts

IMO, instead of dosing all of these different things, I would just get a good all in one fertilizer and dose it once a week on WC days.

 

IMO, instead of dosing all of these different things, I would just get a good all in one fertilizer and dose it once a week on WC days.

I could do that...but that wouldn't give me a lot of control over what gets dosed to this tank.

 

I could do that...but that wouldn't give me a lot of control over what gets dosed to this tank.

You could pick one that has stuff you want in and then dose if it is missing anything.

 

Joshaeus are you going for EI? Overall looks good IMO! For some reason Mg/Ca seem more neglected and has less info on dosing guides, but I think those levels might be a little low unless you already have decent GH

You could pick one that has stuff you want in and then dose if it is missing anything.

Beauty of dry ferts is that's what you're already doing, for cheaper! I am also switching from liquid to dry for more customizability

 

Joshaeus are you going for EI? Overall looks good IMO! For some reason Mg/Ca seem more neglected and has less info on dosing guides, but I think those levels might be a little low unless you already have decent GH


Beauty of dry ferts is that's what you're already doing, for cheaper! I am also switching from liquid to dry for more customizability

Not really. I was using the recommendations on 2 hr aquarist as a guideline (though that site does not give a targeted calcium value...the magnesium value is towards the higher end of what was recommended there, but of course I am willing to increase both if I don't decide on a soft water species). I don't want crazy high nitrate levels in the event they interfere with getting any red plants to show the desired coloration. The dosing regime was designed with a soft water tank in mind, so I was trying not to go crazy on how much I added in the event the TDS was increased excessively.

Yeah, cost is a big reason...liquid ferts are by definition diluted compared to their dry counterparts, so you get quite a bit less for the money.

 

Not really. I was using the recommendations on 2 hr aquarist as a guideline (though that site does not give a targeted calcium value...the magnesium value is towards the higher end of what was recommended there, but of course I am willing to increase both if I don't decide on a soft water species). I don't want crazy high nitrate levels in the event they interfere with getting any red plants to show the desired coloration. The dosing regime was designed with a soft water tank in mind, so I was trying not to go crazy on how much I added in the event the TDS was increased excessively.

Yeah, cost is a big reason...liquid ferts are by definition diluted compared to their dry counterparts, so you get quite a bit less for the money.

Ah I see! I was actually planning on following 2hr for macros as well.
I am super paranoid about Ca/Mg so maybe that's just me. I do have very soft water and dose extra anyways - EI calls for more Ca and Mg than 2hr. If you have soft water plans you're probably fine, Mr. Wong knows more than I do

 

I mean, what plants are you trying to grow? Seems like overkill to me unless you have something super rare and expensive. I just use thrive when I remember to.

 

I mean, what plants are you trying to grow? Seems like overkill to me unless you have something super rare and expensive. I just use thrive when I remember to.

It is a lot cheaper in the long run. And both Nilocg and GLA have kits that come with all the Micros and Macros as well as a bottle to premix your own if you want to go that route too. So it’s cheaper and gives you the ability to play if you want.

I don’t understand it enough to feel Comfortable tweaking it but I plan on going this route to once I run out of all in one.

 

It is a lot cheaper in the long run. And both Nilocg and GLA have kits that come with all the Micros and Macros as well as a bottle to premix your own if you want to go that route too. So it’s cheaper and gives you the ability to play if you want.

I don’t understand it enough to feel Comfortable tweaking it but I plan on going this route to once I run out of all in one.

Yea I'm not knocking dry ferts. I'm just real lazy so I can't be bothered. Lol.