"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
Try Tom Barrs formula with 50% water changes weekly, much cheaper and
simpler than screwing with test kits. With only a bit of adjustment you
can
work out what is best from that point.

Yes, that's the way to go. One point though, get your tap water tested
so you know where you're starting from for the purpose of adding ferts
is to bring your levels up to where youwant them to be from where they
are.

Some tapwater is high in phosphate so you wouldn't want to add any
if it's fine out of the tap. If your water is very hard you won't
want to add MgSO4 ("Epsom salts"); if your water is soft, you do.

Once you know the difference between where you are and where you
want to be it should be easy to figure out what to add each week.

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Call the water company and ask for a copy of their annual analyses. Tell
them what you are doing so they understand what you need and why and aren't
just some trouble maker. They tend to be paranoid.

Bob

"I3 I L L" wrote in message
oups.com...
I use distilled water because the tap water is ridiculously high in
phosphates. So I guess I would have to add all the compounds since
there's not any nutrients in the water I'm adding.

How high is ridiculously high.....

In that case just minimize the addition of phospates, go for N & K and
traces.

Bob

"I3 I L L" wrote in message
oups.com...
LOL, Of course I add nutrients. I use flourish and iron tabs to
fertilize. I also have pressurized co2 running.

For health plants you"ll need some gH (Ca, Mg) and carbonates & such (kH).
I suspect just adding the right mix of nitrates, potassium and traces plus a
low phosphate fish food would have you doing great. I used to mix R/O and
tap water to bring my water down for my angels and such but moved so now I
fight low kH and low mg. Easier than having to add everything.

Believe it or not there are people out there adding phosphate to balance
their tanks. Even with my fish loads I have to add nitrates to keep the
jungle. I just figured out my tank was Potassium limited. BY adding that I
dopubled the health and size of my Vals. One of these days I'll have to try
adding potash and see what happens.

What is your gH and kH?

Bob

"I3 I L L" wrote in message
oups.com...
All the dosing instructions I've seen are for each compound separately.
I was assuming that the PMDD from Greg Watson was 1# of various
fertilizers mixed together. Is this how it is, and would someone have a
link to T. Barr's formula? Thanks

Here are some good sources .....

Chuck Gadd calculator
on line
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_p...osage_calc.htm
on you own computer
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_aquacalc.htm

check out
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_p...izer_intro.htm

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/ and
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/pmdd-tim.html

Here is an interesting one on carbon and trace elements I'd missed before
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertil...ar-carbon.html

Bob

Well, I must be something right if I my plants continue to grow. My kh
is 6 degrees(107ppm) and gh is 6 degrees as well. I add baking soda to
kick up the kh. I was referring to those Chuck Gadd calculators in my
previous post, they are very helpful.

Call the water company and ask for a copy of their annual analyses. Tell
them what you are doing so they understand what you need and why and aren't
just some trouble maker. They tend to be paranoid.

I live way out in the country. I am my water comnpany :-)

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You're in the right ballpark. I'd worry about traces. My tanks were doing
fine too ... but I doubled the growth rate when I started adding K.

So the new stuff is doing well?

I've been having fun... My wife is painting the living room.... I'm kept
busy draining tanks and moving then away from the wall. Oh my back!

enjoy
Bob

"I3 I L L" wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, I must be something right if I my plants continue to grow. My kh
is 6 degrees(107ppm) and gh is 6 degrees as well. I add baking soda to
kick up the kh. I was referring to those Chuck Gadd calculators in my
previous post, they are very helpful.

That makes it a bit more expensive ;-) I've been there ... had iron levels
you could walk on. I tolerated it but my wife couldn't drink it. Of course,
in the days before Gillette, Wyo put in the new water system I even got to
the point I could tolerate the water there. Epson salts :-) made really
dangerous coffee.

Bob

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
Call the water company and ask for a copy of their annual analyses. Tell
them what you are doing so they understand what you need and why and
aren't
just some trouble maker. They tend to be paranoid.

I live way out in the country. I am my water comnpany :-)

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

I add baking soda

Ah, ok that explains it. That works.


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Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
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633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

The PMDD arrived today. I did my 50% water change. Now I mixed one
teaspoon with 1/2 liter of distilled water. Does this sound correct
before I add it to my tank(12G)?