# Autodosing macros & micros



## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

If you're autodosing can you use one container for macros and traces(and one pump) but add the traces to the container the day after you make macro solution?


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

stcyrwm said:


> If you're autodosing can you use one container for macros and traces(and one pump) but add the traces to the container the day after you make macro solution?


I don't see what the problem is. But make sure you don't add any P source to the mixture, as it will mess with your Fe chelate.


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## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

Raul-7 said:


> I don't see what the problem is. But make sure you don't add any P source to the mixture, as it will mess with your Fe chelate.


The P and iron is what I was worried about. We add traces to the aquarium the day after we dose P and it doesn't chelate out then. Why wouldn't that work in a 5 gallon dosing container? Don't mean to argue, just trying to figure this out.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

It works in the aquarium becasue most of the Fe or PO4 have either been used by the plants or are already bound to something else. It is not that these nutrirents we add don't break down or bind to other elements, the issue here is that the PO4/Fe bond is extreemly strong. In the dosing container, these elements/compounds would remain in their basic state so the issue would be there the next day or the next week.


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## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

Thanks for the replies......


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

I suggest you dose N, K and traces together in the doser. And dose P the next day. The reason is plants use up and actually store Fe much faster than they use up P. BTW, how are you dosing P?


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Hi stcyrwm
You need minimum of two dosing pumps, one for NO3, PO4, K, Mg and one for Trace elements. A third pump if you use CaCl2.

Edward


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Yes, I use two pumps. One for dosing KNO2, KH2PO4, K2SO4 and the other for micros (a mixture of Flourish and Flourish Fe). The macros are dosed 6x a day at 4 hour intervals (also serves to top off open aquariums) and the micros once a day, two hours after one of the macro doses.

Never had a problem with the above. However, to see if there was any further positive affect on plants, I recently tried adding Flourish Excel to the macro mix. Don't do that  ! After a couple of days the solution turned really cloudy with white scum on the surface and what appeared to be crystallized something on surfaces of the macro recipient.


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## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

Laith said:


> Never had a problem with the above. However, to see if there was any further positive affect on plants, I recently tried adding Flourish Excel to the macro mix. Don't do that  ! After a couple of days the solution turned really cloudy with white scum on the surface and what appeared to be crystallized something on surfaces of the macro recipient.


Thanks for the tip about the Excel. I was wondering about that. Have you thought about putting it in with the traces? Do you mind sharing what you're using for pump setup?


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

I'm using the AquaMedic Reefdoser 2. Been very happy with it so far. The only drawback of the unit is that if the power is cut it does not turn itself back on with the return of power; you have to manually get it going again.


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## freshreef (May 14, 2004)

u can use one liquid doser for all the ferts and add FE or PO4 to the automatic feeder as dry stuff , thats what i did to one of my clients who wanted "fully automatic tank"


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Laith said:


> I'm using the AquaMedic Reefdoser 2. Been very happy with it so far.


Laith, what is the smallest dosing amount in ml?

Thank you
Edward


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## fish7days (Jul 30, 2005)

Laith,

How 'bout putting your pumps on a computer UPS, so when the power goes out, you dont have the reset problem?

André


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Edward said:


> Laith, what is the smallest dosing amount in ml?


I think the "rated" rate is 50ml a minute. The control unit allows you to set the pump time from 1 second and up. So minimum dosing is 0.83 ml.

However with my setups the actual dosing per minute I get is between 10 and 25ml a minute (my checkvalves slow things down and it seems each checkvalve has a different impact).

So I run the macro pump 6x a day for 22 minutes each time and the micro pump is on once a day for 70 seconds.



fish7days said:


> How 'bout putting your pumps on a computer UPS, so when the power goes out, you dont have the reset problem?
> 
> André


Yes, I've thought of that but haven't had the time to check into it.

By the way, they have the Reefdoser unit with 3 and 4 pumps as well if you really want to control individual ferts. A bit of overkill but let's say you wanted to increase the dosing of just KNO3 without re-mixing your macro mix...


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Good to know, Thanks Laith.


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## czado (May 26, 2005)

"Excel... Have you thought about putting it in with the traces?"

I'm trying this for a second time (first time worked well but too many variables). My mix is 1.13g Plantex CSM+B+Extra Fe, 90mL water, 10mL Excel. 5ml dose/5g gives .3ppm Fe and 1mL Excel, which is Seachem's recommended dose. No other changes. I've gotten my best pearling ever, but am an intermediate grower at best, and hope attached pics help.

If this experiment continues to go well I plan on next trying Fe chelate into a bottle of pure Excel, and will post back results if interested.


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