Questions for the high-tech guys that dry-dose

[jcardona1]

Doing some early re-research as i prepare for my comeback to the green side of the hobby

with my previous tank, i would dose the typical N-P-K + trace minerals using the following:

- N: KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) for nitrates/nitrogen
- P: KH2PO4 (Mono Potassium Phosphate) for phosphates/phosporus
- K: K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate) for potassium/potash
- Plantex CSM+B for trace minerals.

This has always been the classic routine to follow for dry dosing a planted tank and this was thread I was using intially for details on dosing: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fertilizers-water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html

Now it looks like somewhere along the lines they changed the methodogy, because they have taken out K2SO4 for Potassium and replaced it with a GH booster. I'm pretty sure the reasoning is that the KNO3 mixture for Nitrogen is a Potassium Nitrate compound, which would dose Potassium (K) and Nitrogen (N) at the same time.

I do recall having issues with my general hardness dropping over time as the tank became more established, which is why I'm guessing they threw a GH Booster into the mix.

Okay so now my questions for the guys that dry-dose...Are you guys still adding Postassium Sulfate or did you skip that and are following the new recommendations of a GH Booster. What are the GH levels in your established tanks?

Any input?

 

[chonhzilla]

I have ran into the same problem just recently. I haven't been able to keep anykind of inverts due to the fact that my GH levels were way too low. Cant recall exactly where the level was but the GH has become a serious issue for me. I am also planning to order some GH booster. Its made it completely impossible for me to keep inverts besides pest snails with super fragile shells.

As of right now: ALso tank is a 40 breeder

- N: KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) for nitrates/nitrogen
- P: KH2PO4 (Mono Potassium Phosphate) for phosphates/phosporus
- K: K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate) for potassium/potash
- Plantex CSM+B for trace minerals.

KNO3........1/2 tsp
KH2SO4.....1/8 tsp
K2SO4.......1/8 tsp

CSM+B......1/2 tsp ( previously 1/8 tsp but now the tank has matured and I needed to bump it up, plants turning yellow fragile)



On another note the K2SO4 doesn't seem to be doing anything, much as this point. Possibly by next week I'll have another fresh order of KNO3 and some GH booster.

 

[jcardona1]

thanks for the input

do GH levels affect shrimp as well? i wonder if thats the reason why my shrimp population slowly disappeared over time. only thing i kept alive was pest snails as you said, besides the plants and fish.

damn i dont want to have to spend all this money all over again

 

[chonhzilla]

thanks for the input

do GH levels affect shrimp as well? i wonder if thats the reason why my shrimp population slowly disappeared over time. only thing i kept alive was pest snails as you said, besides the plants and fish.

damn i dont want to have to spend all this money all over again

I can argue that it may be the reason the same thing happened to me. After the cherry reds you gave me, I tried bubble bee's, bamboo shrimps and even killed assassin snails. It's sad really.

This question maybe premature, but what kind of fish to you intend to keep?

 

[MDK500]

thanks for the input

do GH levels affect shrimp as well? i wonder if thats the reason why my shrimp population slowly disappeared over time. only thing i kept alive was pest snails as you said, besides the plants and fish.

damn i dont want to have to spend all this money all over again

I've always dosed liquid ferts- ADA Brighty K and Step 1 and my inverts always did very well. Some liquid/dry ferts contain copper which can be harmful to many inverts, maybe try testing for it and see what happens.

 

[jcardona1]

I can argue that it may be the reason the same thing happened to me. After the cherry reds you gave me, I tried bubble bee's, bamboo shrimps and even killed assassin snails. It's sad really.

This question maybe premature, but what kind of fish to you intend to keep?

hmm not too sure, just the typical schooling fish i guess. or maybe even some of the ones you got, if i'm willing to spend the cash on those expensive little boogers!

 

[FSM]

I dose potassium sulfate too. KNO3 adds about .63 ppm K per 1 ppm NO3