# Using commercially prepared ferts?



## KnaveTO (Jul 4, 2007)

Alright... I have seen tons of documentation and information on using dry ferts or PMDD and the like. I cannot seem to find info on using the commercially produced ferts.

I live in a small apartment in the middle of a large city and getting and storing all of that is more than I want to deal with or can deal with. That being said I am currently using Seachems Flourish line of ferts and was wondering if there is anything out there on dosing such premade commercial ferts outside of the recomended dosage on the bottle as they can be and are wildly inaccurate as they do not take all parameters into consideration.

Please... I don't want to get any lectures on how I am wasting my money by purchasing such, nor do I really want to hear how I can buy small quantities of the dry ferts and mix them up... I don't want to have to buy a bag of stuff and have it sitting around here a year later.

Thank-you


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## sean tebor (May 25, 2007)

I am just starting out using the Pfertz system of fertilizers. I was using ADA ferts but the N and P were combined in one bottle so tweaking individual levels was not possible. The Pfertz system is comprised of solutions for N, P, K, and Micros, in four separate bottles.

You can find out more about Pfertz in a thread in this forum here, or go to their website.


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## KnaveTO (Jul 4, 2007)

To let you know what I am currently dosing...

Mon - Micro Fert 0.8mL/40L; Potassium 1.6mL/40L; Iron 1mL/40L; Excel 5mL/40L
Tues - Phosphorus 1.5mL/40L;Nitrogen 0.4mL/40L
Wed - Excel 1mL/40L
Thur - Micro Fert 0.8mL/40L; Potassium 1.6mL/40L
Fri - Phosphorus 1.5mL/40L;Nitrogen 0.4mL/40L; Excel 1mL/40L


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Pfertz are the way to go, they work very well, you can get dosing strategies from the website.
If the info you want is not there, e-mail and request more.


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## gf225 (Mar 26, 2005)

I'm using Tropica Plant Nutrition+. It contains all the necessary micronutrients, as well as NP. The best all-in-one fert there is IME.

2ml per day for my 33 gal. 1/3 water change per week. Easy.

It's worth noting my set up is low-light with ferns, crypts and anubias. Good CO2 though. I see pearling in the hour. No algae.

In a higher light set up I'd just up the dosing. I used it in my 10wpg PC T5 nano, 1ml 3x per week.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

The problem with the all in one ferts is if you DO get any imbalance and algae starts to form, you don't have a way to limit some of the ferts or increase them without increasing or limiting all of them.
And like you said, it is more of a micronutrient with just traces of the macros.

But if it works for your set up, then great. Not knocking you at all, just pointing out the difference.


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## ponyrandy (Jan 13, 2007)

Goalcreas, where can you buy these? I didn't find anything on the website.
Thanks, Brian


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## gf225 (Mar 26, 2005)

Any algae I just increase water changes. Works for me, every time.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Ponyrandy, they are carried at LFS around Tucson and Phoenix for now, but I am pretty sure you can order them right off the site.
I would suggest following the link, FWIU, the shopping cart is not up online yet, but you can buy it thru an e-mail.
IIRC, they are about $15 per 500ml bottle or $60 per set, the set comes with one K, one P and one K and one Micro bottle. they are 1 pump per 5 gallons of water.
there is a large scale tank version soon to be released which would be one pump per 20 gallons of water.

They are more then dry ferts, but no more then using seachem or any other product, but IME, which is not much, but so far IME, these balance better then when I was trying to do EI with dry fertz.
I actually have been dosing these more PPS, just 3 pumps per day in 20 longs, I have 2 I am using it in and I just top off weekly and everything is very well balanced and tank and inhabitants are happy.

I stopped usint excell and only put in some ADA addatives from time to time.


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## ponyrandy (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks, its the convenience that intrigues me the most. I think I am going to try them. 
Brian


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## KnaveTO (Jul 4, 2007)

Not to knock Pferts but I much prefer a system that uses regular measured doses over a pump. I like to know how much I am putting in my tank to be able to adjust accordingly.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

They are high quality pumps which add 1ml per pump.
So you do know how much you are adding.
If you want finer increments, get a med dropper and go for 1/2 or 1/4 ml, even finer if you really think it needs to be.


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