# how often do you add dry ferts?



## troybernard (Oct 29, 2006)

So I was just wondering how often the greg watson ferts should be added and how often everyone is checking their water and with what kits? Thanks.

Troy


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I add fertilizers as needed, which is different for each of my NPK tanks. For the one tank, I dose on a daily basis using automatic dosing pumps, and on another of my tanks I use E.I. and dose 1-2 times a week.

Basically, you should dose ferts just as much as your plants need to keep growing healthily. Whichever dosing system you choose to use, giving plants the nutrients in sufficient quantities to grow healthily is the underlying idea with all NPK dosing systems.

I no longer use test kits to measure my nutrient levels. I mostly use the plants/other organisms in the tank to tell me which nutrient to add/what to do. However, in the beginning I tested quite a bit, maybe once a week before water changes, then it changed to whenever I was curious about my water, and finally not at all.

Hope that helps


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Read this thread, it'll give you some good info on IE dosing:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...zing/15225-estimative-index-dosing-guide.html

And welcome to APC!


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

It really depends on your tank/system. If you have a high light, low fish load tank you will probably need to add 2-3x/week. If it's a moderate light tank with a good fish load 1-2x/week will probably do. In my case, I was adding macros twice a week, and have now cut back to once a week at water change. It depends.


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## gregwatson (May 24, 2004)

Bert H said:


> It really depends on your tank/system.


You've received great replies here ... and I really like Bert's answer best. Each tank is different ... however, in my opinion, any method that consistently provides an adequate supply of nutrients that meets *your* tank's specific nutrient uptake requirements is good ... the key there is consistency ...

Greg


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## Moo (Apr 27, 2006)

consistency!
I bought Mr. Watson's dry ferts.
To tell you the truth I was doing injected co2 3wpg and seachem ferts for the longest time, and algae was my biggest enemy.

But I have since downgraded the light a bit, trashed the co2 system and dose small amounts of ferts regularly and I haven't seen algae in months.

It's amazing how making sure your plants have all of the right nutrients in balance will cut down on algae.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You made a mistake in trashing the CO2 system. CO2 will not cause algae. Reducing the 3 watts per gallon down to under 2.5 watts per gallon should have been sufficient. All of this, assuming you were using pressurized CO2 and not DIY. If you were using DIY it is possible that being unable to maintain consistent levels of CO2 in the water was a cause for your algae.

Now, if you are using 2 watts per gallon or less, no CO2, then just dosing occasionally is exactly what you should be doing. So, as others said, it all depends on your tank, how much light you use, what kind and how many fish you have, and what kind of growth of plants you want.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Consistency is best thing you can do when dosing ferts or for any other aspect of a planted tank. All tanks are different as already mentioned, so everyones dosing amounts is going to be different.

As for me I dose 1ml per 10 gallons of water of N03, P04 & micros. I dose micros & macros on different nights, but dose every night except Wednesday. For iron I dose 1ml per 10 gallons of water once a week, usually on Sundays. Then I may tweek this by adding more P04 if I see green spot algae occuring or decrease N03 if I get green dust algae (which has happen only once).

The bottom line is you will have to find out what is best for your plants needs. Just start off dosing small amounts then decrease or increase depending on the demands of your tank/plants.


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## Moo (Apr 27, 2006)

yeah it was DIY co2.
And keeping constant levels was a pain!
plus I know a bit more what Im doing than when I set those two tanks up. 
So now that I have everything under "steady/paced" control...
It's looking alot better.


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