# Influence of OverDose on plants



## ofer elijah (Jul 13, 2008)

hii,
i have a 500 liter tank
100% planted
90% of RO water and 10% tap water
with 6XT5 54 Watt each
PH=6.3
Temp 24 C
PO4=1.5
KNO3=20
KH=4
GH=17
25% water change ones a week

i dose with aqua medic dosing pump
1 pump for plantex csm+b (50g for 1500ml RO water)
1 pump for KH2PO4 (330g for 1500ml RO water)
1 pump for FERROUS GLUCONATE (330g for 1500ml RO water)
1 pump for KNO3+KCL+ MgSO4 solution (ratio of 40% KNO3 , 40% KCL and 20% of MgSO4) (200g of KNO3, 200g of KCL and 50g of MgSO4 to 1500ml RO water)

I dose every 35 Hours 13ml of plantex csm+b, 5ml of KH2PO4, 5ml of FERROUS GLUCONATE and 13ml of the KNO3+KCL+ MgSO4 solution

all the plant looks fine very good color with no algae

BUT,
the plant seems to have some problem. there growth is slow, very slow compared to the times before i installed the aqua medic dosing system

what seems to be the problem?


----------



## suaojan (Oct 21, 2006)

It seems strange to me that you use 90% of RO water and your tank's GH=17.
You may want to check your GH again as well as Ca.

-Oliver


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You didn't mention CO2 or Excel. With about 3 watts per gallon (effectively) you have to supply a generous supply of carbon to the plants. And, I'm not sure what dosages of the fertilizers you are using. It looks like you are just under dosing at least one of the major nutrients.


----------



## ofer elijah (Jul 13, 2008)

suaojan,
the water is Israel are very hard, and ms in tap water is about 1800 (in the tank is 800)
its look fine to me but i will duble check it with anoter test
i will buy Ca whats the chemical formula?

hoppycalif,
the PH is 6.3 and KH is 4
i have enough CO2 all the plants are doing photosynthesis
so i guess its not CO2, i dont use Excel i use pressure gas.

so, what is that major nutrients that you think i am under dosing?


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

ofer elijah said:


> hoppycalif,
> the PH is 6.3 and KH is 4
> i have enough CO2 all the plants are doing photosynthesis
> so i guess its not CO2, i dont use Excel i use pressure gas.
> ...


Using tank water pH and KH to determine the concentration of CO2 in the water doesn't work. When you have other sources of alkalinity or acidity in the water besides carbonates and CO2, that table isn't correct. I suspect you are low on CO2, considering how much light you have. Why not make or buy a drop checker and use it per the stickie in the DIY forum here? That will work much more accurately.


----------



## ofer elijah (Jul 13, 2008)

i will check later after work
i have a CO2 test (here its 7 AM)
i have 5-6 bubble per sec!
this is my reactor:








with power head of 2000LPH

i sure it not CO2

the slow growth started when i installed the aqua medic dosing system

but i am nut sure what the missing nutrient

i will buy today CaCl2

i will increase the boric acid dosin 
and will start to dose calcium


----------



## ofer elijah (Jul 13, 2008)

OK
i just saw the PPS method

i want to try this pps system.

on my calculation, i need:
TE: 
18ml per day (mix is 4tbsp of plantex csm + 1tsp of boric acid for 1500ml RO water)
SS:
18ml per day (mix is 3.6tbsp of kno3 + 1.2tbsp of kh2po4 + 2.6tbsp of kcl for 1500ml RO water)

1. how i make solution for the FERROUS GLUCONATE, and how much to dose per day?
2. how i make solution for the mgso4 and cacl2, and how much to dose per day?

3. can some one tell me if my calc for TE & SS are right?

thanks you all.
i will post a pic of my tank after work.


----------



## ofer elijah (Jul 13, 2008)

this is my 38 liter nano at work:









this is my 133 liter tank (in the bedroom):









and this is my main tank ~500 liter (in the livinroom):






sorry for the poor camera


----------



## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

Overall slow growth is generally a macronutrient deficiency. With the amount of light you're using, I think your nitrogen level is low. It's possible that phosphorous is as well, but after calculating your dosing, I think your P is fine, your N is highly suspect.

Well growing tanks, with good CO2 and all other nutrients available, can chew through nitrogen at a staggering rate. I don't think it's calcium deficiency. One way to find out: triple your KNO3 amount and in about 2 days you'll know. You're only dosing a paltry 2ppm of N every 35 hours. My own tanks go through about 5-6ppm per day.


----------



## ofer elijah (Jul 13, 2008)

Avalon,
thanks for your reply
the No3 after dosing is aroud 15 and after 30 hours is ~7
i will duble check


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Several years ago people found that the slow nitrate usage you find was because they were dosing too little phosphate. Once they increased their phosphate dosing the nitrate usage went up so high they had to increase the nitrate dosing by a substantial amount.

Just to be sure, are you calibrating your nitrate test kit? Those kits may not be accurate unless you calibrate them to be sure. To calibrate them, mix a nitrate/water solution with a known, calculated concentration of nitrate, then compare that to what the kit tells you. Then dilute the solution with more water to get half the concentration and again compare that concentration to what the kit tells you.


----------

