# What to buy? for a 20gallon



## DOJOLOACH (Aug 5, 2009)

Hi guys. So I have a lightly planted 20 gallon, I am purchasing $35 worth of new plants from sweet aquatics. I am not dosing any ferts or co2. I have a diy co2 bottle but when I use it I don't see much difference. I have seachem flourite red substrate. I have 48 watts of light,24 of that is 6700k and the other 24 is 10000k. What kind of fertilizers do I need to buy? I have been looking at aquariumfertilizer.com and seachem excel. I don't want to spend a lot of money, especially when I buy something that costs $10 and I pay the same in shipping. Thanks


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## DOJOLOACH (Aug 5, 2009)

Bump Bump Bump


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

You're going to need to spend more than $10. That or you can buy equilibrium and pay twice as much per gram, but get everything you need.

$50 at aquariumfertilizers.com with shipping will get you a great price per lb on all compounds, and they'll last a long while. If you don't know what you want, you need to do some more reading to figure that out. There are a multiple of sources to give NPK, Ca, Mg and trace.

If there is one thing I can assure you, it's that buying MgSO4.7H2O online is pointless, when you can get 4lbs of it for $2 at any supermarket with a pharmacy.

-Philosophos


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## DOJOLOACH (Aug 5, 2009)

Ok. I was going to try the EI method and I know you dose KNO3 micros and another macro compound I can't remember what it is though. If I have diy co2, is there a need for excel?


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

My prefference for EI is the usual KNO3/KH2PO4/K2SO4. CSM+B is cheap and effective trace. I tend to like CaCl2 for calcium as opposed to CaSO4 though.

Given your light level, I'd tend towards excel, presuming all the plants are compatible. Do a double batch of DIY CO2 if you can; you're pushing the upper edge of what DIY/excel combos can accomplish in terms of light. If BBA becomes an issue, run part of your light cycle on 24 watts only.

-Philosophos


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

I am the same as this one...



Philosophos said:


> You're going to need to spend more than $10. That or you can buy equilibrium and pay twice as much per gram, but get everything you need.
> 
> $50 at aquariumfertilizers.com with shipping will get you a great price per lb on all compounds, and they'll last a long while. If you don't know what you want, you need to do some more reading to figure that out. There are a multiple of sources to give NPK, Ca, Mg and trace.
> 
> ...


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## DOJOLOACH (Aug 5, 2009)

Ok so do I really need any other ferts besides those in the EI method? I want to grow foreground plants of some type such as HC or pygmy chain sword. Thanks


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Everything I listed above can be bought at aquariumfertilizers.com and will work perfectly for EI, in fact it's what I use. Careful with the CaCl2 though; it burns on skin and heats up in water, so you need to premix it with some tank water if you're dry dosing.

-Philosophos


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## DOJOLOACH (Aug 5, 2009)

OK Thanks. Do you think I could grow HC with my equipment?


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

While I'm sure HC could be grown with a large enough batch of DIY CO2 and excel, I tend to recommend starting with pressurized CO2 to anyone interested in the more demanding plants. Contrary to popular belief, HC does not require high light, it requires a ton of CO2.

A good substitute might be Marsilea quadrifolia or glosso. Both of these can and have been done lower tech without issue.

-Philosophos


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## DOJOLOACH (Aug 5, 2009)

Does the Marsilea stay short and carpet like HC? I heard glosso is harder to take care of.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Both can stay down, marsilea is thought of as easier than glosso. I haven't kept marselia my self though. Glosso isn't a high demand plant, it's just tricky to get it to carpet some times.

-Philosophos


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## DOJOLOACH (Aug 5, 2009)

Ok I think I'll try some glosso and marsilea. I am just going to get a few different foreground plants and see which ones live.


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