# Diluting liquid fertilizers?



## pitabread (Jul 14, 2006)

I have a 5.5 gallon tank that I'm going to be dosing ferts on. In particular, I want to use Flourish Excel for carbon. However, because it's such a small tank, the amount of Excel I would need each day is ridiculously small: about 1/2 a mL. Therefore, I was wondering if it's possible to mix up a batch of Excel diluted with pure water (RO/DI)? I'd much rather add 5 to 10 mL of diluted Excel each day, rather than measuring a tiny 1/2 mL amount.

Would diluting it and having it sit do anything to the Excel?


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

That's a very good question. I'm not sure of the answer myself and maybe you could ask Seachem in their forum here on APC. But I think since Excel reacts in water, it would be diluted but eventually rendered useless if stored this way. Again, I would see what Seachem reps have to say about this. 

However with my nano, I just add a couple of drops via syringe. I recently purchase some dispensing bottles with pumps on it, that dispense about 1 ml with each pump. Over dosing the nano for me isn't detrimental, and things are growing very quickly and algae free.

For other ferts, like NPKs and Micros you can make a diluted solution according to Chuck Glad's calculator (link in EI sticky) or APC's fertilizator.

-John N.


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## pitabread (Jul 14, 2006)

Doh, why didn't I think of a syringe? I even have a couple plastic ones kicking around.

That bottle idea sounds good too. What kind of dispensing bottle is it? And where did you get it?


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I got them from speciality bottles to dispense Excel, and my other ferts that I have yet to turn into liquid forms.

http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=20

Comes in Green, blue, clear and alluminum bottles.

Excel isn't photosensitive, so a clear bottle can be used.

Also US plastics has different sized and shaped dispensing bottles, and pumps you can purchase separately. http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&category_name=2&Page=1

-John N.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Pitabread, if you have fish in your Nano be careful with how much Excel that you use. If you overdose, your fish may not do well.

I use Excel everyday, and well I guess sometimes you have to learn things the hard way.

And if you use a syringe, 1/2 mL = 50 units.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...dosing-for-planted-aquarium-.xls?d=1156484641


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## pitabread (Jul 14, 2006)

*John N.*, thanks for the links.

*Jimbo205*, good to know. I don't have any fish at the moment, but I plan to. Actually, I don't have plants either yet. Hopefully next week...


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Daily Dosage Schedule Link (Microsoft Excel attachment) 
I adapted it with measurements for a 1 gallon, 2 gallon, 10 gallon and 30 gallon. 
My Betta Bowl at the Office is currently 1 gallon. 
My previous Betta Bowl at the Office was 2.5 gallons. I have had much success with the small Betta Bowls using Seachem's Daily Dosage Schedule.

But at home I got stupid and put a squirt into a Betta Bowl that only held 2-3 cups of water. It was stupid because both the Betta and Java Fern growing in his tiny 'bowl' were thriving. I had in the past added nothing but Betta Food. I added a 'squirt' of Seachem Excel on top of the Java Fern to see how much better it would do. Very stupid. The next day my son's Betta was dead.

The product is very, very good. Just be careful not to overdose if you have a fish in it. (Like the directions say - do not overdose!) There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Follow the directions and your 5.5 gallon will FLOURISH !


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