PMDD Dosage Amount?

Post by **krisw** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:08 am

Hi Guys,

So, after running out of some of our AGA Seachem ferts, I finally broke down and ordered some dry ferts from Greg Watson's site. I'm starting with his premix (1 part Potassium Nitrate, 1 part Potassium Sulfate, 1 part Magnesium Sulfate, 1 part Plantex CSM+B), and my plan is to add additional KNO3 later as needed. I've mixed up 4 tblspoons of the premix into 500ml water.

Now, I've read stuff on the Conlin Sears formula, looked at Chuck Gadd's site, and found a huge range of dosing recomendations. Everything, from about 4ml of solution daily on a 90G, to huge amounts if extrapolating from Chuck Gadd's calculator for maintaining a 5ppm Nitrate level.

Obviously, I know the amount of dosing is variable based on your plants, lights, CO2 uptake, etc, but I'm just wondering how much PMDD solution the average GWAPA member doses each day. Additionally, if anyone is using this with the liquidoser, I've love to hear your experiences.

I'll be dosing this solution on my 75G with CO2/4x55W lights, and lots of stem plants.

fredyk · Post by **fredyk** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 11:15 am

I take 1 TBL CSM to about 250 ml water. Then about 1ml for 10 gal water.

I do that about 2-3 times a week. AND adjust for each tank. It's kind of an art more than a science.

I find that on the lean side is better, I prefer to have too little rather than too much because hair algae grows too easily if I overdose.

NPK is done separately because of my water in Arlington is loaded with NP.
Mark

Post by **krisw** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:12 pm

Thanks Mark.

How about folks who dose N and P? Out of the tap, my N is 1ppm or less, and my P is <.01ppm (according to county water specs). So, Chuck Gadd's calculator would have me dose 50+ ml of KNO3 to get my nitrate level to 5ppm. Is this is in the ballpark of what everyone doses? And if so, I assume you dose that immediately after a water change, and then dose a smaller amount throughout the week?

DelawareJim · Post by **DelawareJim** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:45 am

Kris;

I dose 5 ml of P once a week and 5 ml K twice a week in my 110. I know I could do more, but since I currently am not injecting CO2, adding anymore P causes major GSA outbreaks.

I'm on well water. Out of the tap my P is <0.01 ppm and my N is off the chart. (achieves maximum colour immediately on adding reagent-no waiting). I have over 70 acres of corn on 2 sides of me and I know the excess N has contaminated the ground water.

Cheers.
Jim

fredyk · Post by **fredyk** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:59 pm

To quote from PlantedTank.net

"I purchased Plantex CSM+B from Greg Watson a while back. When I finally ran out of my Seachem Flourish I mixed 1 tsp of the plantex with water in the empty flourish bottle and stored it in the refridgerator. After maybe a week or two the mixture seemed to go bad. It looked like there were chunks of mold floating in it.

Has anyone else had this happen?"

Gregs reply:
I've never had it go bad ... and I have also never had any grow mold.....
As you read through the thread above ... you will often see people talking about mixing 2 Tablespoons in 500 ml of water ... where this ratio came from I haven't a clue ... but in my opinion, it is WAY TO CONCENTRATED and is an invitation for a sticky gunky mess ... I think if you cut that amount in half you will have a very nice tea colored solution that is much easier to work with and avoids the gunky/sticky threads (you're not alone, I think this very same topic comes up almost every month <grin>) .... try a weaker solution and I suspect that your problems will quickly resolve themselves ...

I always recommend mixing 1 Tablespoon in 500 ml of water ... that gives you a mix that is just a little less concentrated than Flourish ... you can read about how I mix it here http://www.gregwatson.com/howtodoseplantex.htm ... and I have never had any mold or lumps ...

I personally use aquarium water which one would assume is full of all kinds of microscopic baterial "stuff" that should encourage all kinds of growth ... but I have never had any ...

I personally like the Pepsi Big Mouth bottle best ... its approximately a 1 litre bottle (actually a 20 ounce bottle) ... the nice wide mouth makes it really easy to insert a plastic tablespoon of Plantex CSM+B and a tablespoon of Magensium sulfate into the bottle without spilling any ... a quick walk to the aquarium ... fill the bottle about half full ... put the cap on it ... shake vigorously for 30 seconds ... this bottle makes the best mixing bottle I've ever had <grin> ... and you can't hardly beat the contets it originally had in it as well <grin>!!!

Best of luck ...

Greg

Post by **krisw** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:04 pm

Thanks for your experiences. In week 1, I've already noticed an improvement in what was an awful algae situation. Now the tank (with the help of some nerites) is pretty clear. Just experimenting with exactly how much I can dose per day, but I've seen more growth from my glosso then I have in awhile, so I know my nitrates must have been pretty darn low before. So far, I've been doing about 20-25ml a day on my 75G.

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:37 pm

look at the sticky...

DelawareJim · Post by **DelawareJim** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:09 am

sticky?

Post by **krisw** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:26 am

Sticky = Forum speak for a message that always stays at the top of the list in a forum.

Here's the thread he's referring to:
http://www.gwapa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=152

DelawareJim · Post by **DelawareJim** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:05 am

Ah ha!

And here I was combing the GWAPA link on the APC for stickies.

Thanks.
Jim

PMDD Dosage Amount?

PMDD Dosage Amount?

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