# making my own liquid fertz



## shikari

I want to make my own liquid fertlizers and i want to know what I should order and from where.I would appericiate all the advice I can get.
Thanks
P.J.


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist

Hi shikari,

I live on the West Coast, so I use aquariumfertilizer.com. I have heard that Green Leaf Aquarium offers a good selection of ferts as well.

I use the Estimative Index (EI) dosing method so I use Potassium Nitrate (KNO3), Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4), Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4), and CSB+B. In addition I also dose extra Iron, Seachem Flourish Comprehensive, and Seachem Excel.


----------



## darkoon

or try Rex, I think he's got the best price around.


----------



## Franzi

+1 on aquariumfertilizer.com.

low shipping cost and it was sent to me in a Priority box so I got it 2 or 3 days after placing the order.


----------



## darkoon

if you have heavy fish load, you can skip Nitrate (KNO3) and Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4). Fish waste and uneaten food left in the tank will get you enough NO3 and PO4. 
you will also need to find out the hardness (GH) of your water. Add GH booster if you water is too soft, the recommended GH is 5.


----------



## Diana K

How to mix these things:
Start with EI. 

10- 20 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/8 tsp KN03 (N) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp KH2P04 (P) 3x a week
(Add extra potassium with K2SO4 if you want)
+/- 1/32 tsp (2ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
(Add Chelated iron if you want.)
(Add GH booster if needed.)
50% weekly water change
(I am ignoring the dosing of the 'add if you want stuff')

1) Add up all the gallons you want to dose. Lets say you have several tanks that all together add up to 100 gallons. 

2) Figure out how much of each fertilizer you will dose in 2 weeks (Longer seems to grow stuff in the fertilizer bottles)

100 gallons / 10 gallons (the tank size in that EI recipe) x 6 doses (3 days a week for 2 weeks) x 1/8 teaspoon KNO3 = 60/8 = 15/2 = 7-1/2 teaspoons of Potassium Nitrate. 

100 gallons / 10 gallons (the tank size in that EI recipe) x 6 doses (3 days a week for 2 weeks) x 1/32 teaspoon KH2PO4 = 60/32 = 15/8 = 1-7/8 teaspoons of Monopotassium Phospate. 

Put these in a jar. 

3) Figure out how much water you want to dissolve these ferts with. 
Lets say you will add 1/8 teaspoon of the mix per gallon of tank water when you dose. You have 100 gallons of tanks, and you will dose 6 times in the 2 weeks we are working with. 
1/8 x 100 x 6 = 75 teaspoons. 
So put 75 teaspoons of water in the jar with the dry ferts. (75 teaspoons = 25 tablespoons = 12-1/2 oz. = 1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon. 

4) Make a mix of Micros the same way:
add 1/32 x 10 x 6 teaspoons of CSM+B to a jar. 
Add chelated iron if you want.
Add 1-1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon water. 

5) Shake well. Dose 1.25 teaspoons per 10 gallon tank. (1/8 teaspoon x 10 gallons = 10/8 = 5/4 teaspoons)
M, W, F dose macros. 
Tu, Th, Sa dose micros.
Su water change.

6) Monitor your tanks, the plants, the fish, whatever tests you have, and adjust the recipe as needed. 

My tap water is hard enough that I do not need to dose GH booster through the week. When I do a water change I will add if needed, but only my hard water tanks need it. 
I run low tech tanks, so the KNO3 in EI is too high. I have cut that amount down. 
I do need to add iron, so I add equal amounts of CSM+B and Chelated Iron to the micros bottle. 

I have more tanks, about 700 gallons worth.
I put the ferts I want into 2100 ml of water. (just a bit over 2 liters)
Then I dose @ 1 ml per gallon. 
This lasts for 1 week.


----------



## ray-the-pilot

Diana K said:


> How to mix these things:
> Start with EI.
> 
> 10- 20 Gallon Aquariums
> +/- 1/8 tsp KN03 (N) 3x a week
> +/- 1/32 tsp KH2P04 (P) 3x a week
> (Add extra potassium with K2SO4 if you want)
> +/- 1/32 tsp (2ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
> (Add Chelated iron if you want.)
> (Add GH booster if needed.)
> 50% weekly water change
> (I am ignoring the dosing of the 'add if you want stuff')
> 
> 1) Add up all the gallons you want to dose. Lets say you have several tanks that all together add up to 100 gallons.
> 
> 2) Figure out how much of each fertilizer you will dose in 2 weeks (Longer seems to grow stuff in the fertilizer bottles)
> 
> 100 gallons / 10 gallons (the tank size in that EI recipe) x 6 doses (3 days a week for 2 weeks) x 1/8 teaspoon KNO3 = 60/8 = 15/2 = 7-1/2 teaspoons of Potassium Nitrate.
> 
> 100 gallons / 10 gallons (the tank size in that EI recipe) x 6 doses (3 days a week for 2 weeks) x 1/32 teaspoon KH2PO4 = 60/32 = 15/8 = 1-7/8 teaspoons of Monopotassium Phospate.
> 
> Put these in a jar.
> 
> 3) Figure out how much water you want to dissolve these ferts with.
> Lets say you will add 1/8 teaspoon of the mix per gallon of tank water when you dose. You have 100 gallons of tanks, and you will dose 6 times in the 2 weeks we are working with.
> 1/8 x 100 x 6 = 75 teaspoons.
> So put 75 teaspoons of water in the jar with the dry ferts. (75 teaspoons = 25 tablespoons = 12-1/2 oz. = 1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon.
> 
> 4) Make a mix of Micros the same way:
> add 1/32 x 10 x 6 teaspoons of CSM+B to a jar.
> Add chelated iron if you want.
> Add 1-1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon water.
> 
> 5) Shake well. Dose 1.25 teaspoons per 10 gallon tank. (1/8 teaspoon x 10 gallons = 10/8 = 5/4 teaspoons)
> M, W, F dose macros.
> Tu, Th, Sa dose micros.
> Su water change.
> 
> 6) Monitor your tanks, the plants, the fish, whatever tests you have, and adjust the recipe as needed.
> 
> My tap water is hard enough that I do not need to dose GH booster through the week. When I do a water change I will add if needed, but only my hard water tanks need it.
> I run low tech tanks, so the KNO3 in EI is too high. I have cut that amount down.
> I do need to add iron, so I add equal amounts of CSM+B and Chelated Iron to the micros bottle.
> 
> I have more tanks, about 700 gallons worth.
> I put the ferts I want into 2100 ml of water. (just a bit over 2 liters)
> Then I dose @ 1 ml per gallon.
> This lasts for 1 week.


See my signature!


----------



## shikari

thanks everyone,I ordered from aquariumfertilizer.com and should have it monday.the only other question i am wondering is what is the use of the pmdd mix?


----------

