# Dry fertilizer dosing- too little potassium, too much phosphate?



## Ctenopoma (Jul 2, 2011)

Things are going great with my planted tank so far, lots of growth, but I want to make sure I am doing the right nutrient dosing. On the EI guideline, it says:
60 – 80 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 3/4 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- ¼ tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- ¼ tsp (20ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change


So that's what I've been adding. When I plug these amounts into the fertilator, it indicates this will result in 9.72 ppm N03, 3.97 ppm PO4, and 7.76 K. What I'm wondering is if this ratio is off, at least according to the suggested ranges. Seems the phosphate is rather high and the potassium not quite high enough. Nitrate and phosphate will be "topped up" anyway by fish feeding. I do have Potassium sulfate as well, so wondering if I should change this and reduce the amount of KH2PO4 and increase (or at least start adding) K2SO4?

Also, wan tto share that I made gel caps with Miracle Gro shake'nfeed 19-6-12 and the plants (particularly the Echinodorus) responded well to it so far (couldn't find Osmocote in Canada, at least where I was looking).

Thoughts/comments?

Thanks!


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

You can dose K2SO4 at the same rate as KH2PO4. (¼ tsp 3x a week)

Do you have any GH Booster or Seachem's Equilibrium? You can add 1 tsp after water change. No more may not be needed the rest of the week. You will get Ca, Mg and K from all the GH "increasers." Some add Mn and Fe too.


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## Ctenopoma (Jul 2, 2011)

I dose MgS04 and CaCl. I think the phosphate amount might be too high though with all the KH2PO4 so maybe I should cut that in half and start dosing twice the amount of K2S04?


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## Jim Miller (Feb 3, 2003)

Your phosphates are fine.

Enjoy the tank.

Jim


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