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by **nicholas542** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 2:49 am

I need some advice on a good macro fertilizer. Im currently using Kent Pro-Plant as a Micro-Fert, now i need a good Macro-Fert.

Current Chem Use:

Seachem Flourish
Seachem Flourish Excel
Seachem Prime
Kent Pro Plant

by **dream2reef** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:34 am

diy co2 cheaper and goin green

by **nicholas542** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:36 am

what's a good setup for DIY CO2 ?

by **natalie265** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:36 pm

I buy potassium phosphate and potassium nitrate in powder form from: www.aqaruimfertilizer.com It's way cheaper than buying premixed from an aquarium store. And i would recommend macro fertz AND CO2, not one or the other. Nutrafin sells a DIY unite for about $30, or you can make your own using 2 liter pop bottles. You can buy the fitted caps from thinkgeek.com for $8: http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/c908/

by **stingraysrule** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:58 am

Seachem also makes macro ferts.
What I would do is this.
Use your excel as you have been doing.... by the way, if you double your dose every day, or every other you can get rid of your algae, but that is up to you.
Go with Seachem Comprehensive, which is a micro fert. Use that instead of
the Kent Pro Plant.
As for the Macro Ferts..... Seachem also makes those.
You need NPK.
Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus.
The directions are right on the back and it is easy to use.
I use them with great success, and I also use Seachem Iron 1 x a week.
So use Seachem Comprehensive = micro
Seachem Nitrogen = macro
Seachem Phosphorus = macro
Seachem Potassium = macro, and throw in the Seachem Iron.
Keep using the excel and do not waste your time with DIY CO2.
The excel is just as good, less to worry about, more stable for your tank and will cost you less.
Stay with the Excel. Especially until you get your algae problem under control.

by **dream2reef** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:00 am

Might as well try it.

by **yasherkoach** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 4:13 pm

on this issue, again, I will need to wound the tape tighter around my orifice

cutting a small gaping hole, he forces out: why not just use fish poop as fertilizer

takes thread, zip

by **natalie265** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:12 pm

Excel might be just as good as CO2, but i disagree that it is cheaper. I spend a few pennies a month on sugar and less than a dollar a month on yeast. Surely daily doses of Excel is more than that, isn't it?

by **dream2reef** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:17 am

I agree.

by **stingraysrule** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 3:29 am

Well, I am not sure if DIY CO2 is cheaper for you guys, but for me it is not.
I used to use DIY CO2 for my 85G and my 55G.
That would be 7 2L bottles for the 85G and 4 2L bottles for 55G.
That would be 22 cups of sugar, 11 teaspoons of yeast, and the baking soda 1 x per week.
Well, that is a lot of sugar and yeast, and a real pain in the butt to make... and I am not even going to
go into the bottles not working correctly because of leaks where the cap meets the tube, or the back flow of sugar into the tank if you do not take out the tubes and clean them once a week.
Also, for this method to work correctly you need to have the tubing of CO2 go onto your intake of your filter system, which will damage your filter after awhile.
No big deal if you are making 1 or 2 2L bottles, but for big tanks.... not so good.
If you have a 10G or 20G tank, that is the way to go....... but IMO, you need 1 2L bottle per 10G to have DIY work like pressurized.
So, it took me 20 minutes to pull the bottles out, clean them, make the stuff, clean the tubes and rehook it all back together. I bought a $6.00 bag of sugar 1 x a week, and a $5 jar of yeast every other week.
Baking soda was pennies. So, it cost me about $8 per week for 2 tanks.
Excel costs $8 a bottle, lasts me 2 weeks, it is a constant, no backflow in water, no making bottles every week
no ugly tubes in the water, no filter damage, and no 2L bottles hanging around the tank.
And, in the winter, if your house gets colder, the yeast will not work correctly. Just a PIA and a waste of time if you have something bigger than a 20G.
just my opinion. I'll take excel any day and pay the $$$. My time is valuable.

by **nicholas542** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:09 am

I'm dosing 15ml a day in my 38 gallon the algae seems to hate it so far. The plants seem to really love it, and the fish seem to have no effect. So I'm all for the minute it take me a day to dose my tank. I think I'll pay the extra money aswell for the amount of time saved.

by **stingraysrule** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 1:59 am

I am really happy to see you working through the problems and fixing the parameters. You are going to see a big difference by upping the excel, and adding micro and macro.
Good to see someone taking some good advice from the board and actually doing something to make their tank better.

by **dream2reef** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 2:24 am

I hate my tank and never want it to look better.

by **nicholas542** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 3:32 am

we'll yeah wy would you want a fish tank that looks like crap. I want people to be aw struck when they walk in the room. Someday in tme.

by **deelove25** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 3:39 am

Don't get too caught up in the chemical solution. You will have to to keep a very close watch on the levels of dissolved minerals in your tank. Try to focus on the fish, light and substrate. You'd be surprised how little fertilizer is actually needed. You can try the DIY CO2 but in the long run I found it a nuisance.

Forums • Freshwater / Planted Tank Discussion • Good Macro Fert for planted tank ?

Good Macro Fert for planted tank ?

Good Macro Fert for planted tank ?