# 5 gallon dosing schedule



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Which Flourish did you get? Seachem calls most of its fertilizers Flourish. There are several. They bottle each of the nutrients plants need separately so you can dose each according to how your tank responds. 
Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Phosphorus and Flourish Potassium can be dosed on the same day, and with Excel. 
Flourish Iron, Flourish Comprehensive can be dosed on the same day and with Excel. 
Seachem has a suggested dosing schedule at their web site. 

You might set up alternating days so the tank gets macros: N, P, K and carbon (Excel) 2-3 days per week and micros including iron and more Excel a different 2-3 days per week. 

The Excel breaks down fairly fast, so small daily doses are better than larger doses. I do not do the 'after water change' higher dose.


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## Technik (Feb 14, 2015)

Diana said:


> Which Flourish did you get? Seachem calls most of its fertilizers Flourish. There are several. They bottle each of the nutrients plants need separately so you can dose each according to how your tank responds.
> Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Phosphorus and Flourish Potassium can be dosed on the same day, and with Excel.
> Flourish Iron, Flourish Comprehensive can be dosed on the same day and with Excel.
> Seachem has a suggested dosing schedule at their web site.
> ...


I bought Flourish Excel and standard Flourish


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

> standard Flourish


Probably comprehensive. This is mostly trace minerals with a very low dose of potassium. Read the ingredients. 

Plants need over a dozen elements to live. 
Some of them are in the water, some come in via fish food, a high quality susbstrate can supply some. These may be enough in a well set up low tech tank. 
But most aquarium plants need more fertilizers. 

Plants use more hydrogen, oxygen and carbon than anything else. Excel provides the carbon. While it is possible to set up a Walstad style tank so the substrate provides the carbon, it is good to add some to most set ups. 

The first 3 are macro fertilizers. Plants use more of these than any of the ferts listed lower down. 
Nitrogen is in fish food. If the NO3 tests between water changes show it is stable or climbs a bit then the fish food is enough. If the NO3 test shows the plants are using it all (test shows under 5 ppm), then dose. 
Phophorus is in fish food. Use NO3 test as a guide. If the nitrogen is OK, then phosphorus is OK. If you have to dose nitrogen, then dose phosphorus. 
Potassium is rather low in fish food. I would dose potassium, even if other things were OK. 

Secondary nutrients:
Calcium and Magnesium are usually in the water, if the GH is at least 3 German degrees of hardness, then do not worry about these. If a problem develops later and is traced to these deal with it then. 

Iron is usually included with traces, but is used in larger amounts and is usually too low in fish food. I would supplement with iron. 

Micros (also called trace minerals)- all the other minerals that plants use in very small amounts. Most are present in fish food or water. If you have to dose nitrogen, then dose trace too. 

So, in this order:
Low tech tank: fish food provides N, P and most traces. Dose with K, Fe and C. 

Mid range tank: Plants are starting to use more of the nutrients from fish food, may need to dose low doses of most things. Maybe half the label amounts. And slightly higher doses of K, Fe and C. 

High tech tank: fish food does not provide enough of anything, dose with all the things plants need.


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## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

looks like I need to re-think my 5gl as well!

I got dry ferts for ei but not sure how much for such a tiny tank


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## Technik (Feb 14, 2015)

schnebbles said:


> looks like I need to re-think my 5gl as well!
> 
> I got dry ferts for ei but not sure how much for such a tiny tank


i am dosing 1 ml if that helps you at all


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

To dose EI for a 5 gallon, look at ANY of the recipes. 
Then divide the dose by whatever it takes to get it down to a 5 gallon tank. 

From the fertilizer sticky at the top of the fertilizers forum
20~40gal
50% H20 change-weekly
1/4 Tsp-KN03 3x a week
1/16 Tsp-KH2P04 3x aweek
1/2 Tsp-GH booster once a week 
5ml or 1/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week
Optional
1-2ml-Fe/Iron 3x a week

Note that this is for tanks from 20 gallon (high tech) to 40 gallon (low tech). 
Divide all these by 8 to get a 5 gallon tank, low tech dosing schedule. 

So...
In one day you would dose 1/32 tsp of KNO3. (Math is pretty simple...mumble... mumble... )
In 4 weeks you would dose 12 times and would use 12/32 KNO3 which means:
3/8 tsp KNO3
3/32 tsp KH2PO4
(Mix those two for macros)
3/32 tsp CSM+B
1/32 tsp chelated iron
(Mix these two for micros) 

I would put enough macros in one bottle and micros in a second bottle for a month, then put 60 ml water then dose 
Macros @ 5 ml every other day.
Micros @ 5ml the other days.

You can find tiny measuring spoons with the names Dash Pinch and similar names.


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

Diana said:


> I would put enough macros in one bottle and micros in a second bottle for a month, then put 60 ml water then dose
> Macros @ 5 ml every other day.
> Micros @ 5ml the other days.
> 
> You can find tiny measuring spoons with the names Dash Pinch and similar names.


The only thing I would add to Diana's post is that a tsp (teaspoon) is equal to 5ml.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Good point. 
I use a small syringe barrel to dose, and these are usually marked in ml. Eye dropper or slightly larger will work, too. 

You could mix it more concentrated, too, then dose less.


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## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

i got my ferts from nilcog (sp?) - I didn't get iron for some reason. I found a nice link to show deficiency symptoms and I think I'll wait on that one. I may continue my betta tank with the flourish comp until it's gone. No sense wasting the bottle I bought.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

CSM+B has some iron. Some people add a bit more.


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

nilcog sells iron seperate, you have to specify it on an order. Not everyone uses iron.


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## Technik (Feb 14, 2015)

FatherLandDescendant said:


> The only thing I would add to Diana's post is that a tsp (teaspoon) is equal to 5ml.


so to back pedal here. get two bottles and two syringes and then mix the flourish and excel in individual bottles?


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

Flourish is already mixed, Excel you use according to the label directions.

The post about mixing ferts that Diana posted was in regards to measuring and mixing dry ferts. If your going to go with dry ferts then you don't want to use the flourish products.

You can use this calculator to find out how much Flourish products you should be using at a dosing.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Keep the Seachem products in their own bottles. Dose per label directions.
You can dose N, P, K and Excel at one time. (lets say, Monday and Friday)
One measure tool is enough. A set of kitchen teaspoons, or a syringe (no needle) that covers the range you need. 
You can dose Trace or Comprehensive, Iron and Excel at one time. (lets say Tuesday and Saturday)
Same measure that you used the day before for the macros. I rinse mine in tank water to remove any lingering ferts. 

Once you are getting low on the macros start using the dry products. Whichever one you have left, just do not add that into the mix until you run out. 
Example: If the only thing you have left of the bottled products is Comprehensive, then do not use the CSM+B until you run out of Comprehensive. 

The only mix that is not good is to combine an iron fertilizer with a phosphate fertilizer. So dose these on separate days.


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## Technik (Feb 14, 2015)

Diana said:


> Keep the Seachem products in their own bottles. Dose per label directions.
> You can dose N, P, K and Excel at one time. (lets say, Monday and Friday)
> One measure tool is enough. A set of kitchen teaspoons, or a syringe (no needle) that covers the range you need.
> You can dose Trace or Comprehensive, Iron and Excel at one time. (lets say Tuesday and Saturday)
> ...


so since i only have excel comp and excel flourish i should dose monday/friday together?


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

Seachem Flourish Comprehensive, which I think you have, can be dosed 1 dose per week or 2 doses per week, according to how heavily planted your tank is. Excell should be dosed as in the directions on the bottle. I think Diana said to dose smaller doses every day - split up the weekly dose.

I still have half a bottle of Comprehensive in my fridge since I started using dry ferts. I'm not sure why it's in the fridge, but some people complain about CS+B growing mold at room temperature.


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## Technik (Feb 14, 2015)

Django said:


> Seachem Flourish Comprehensive, which I think you have, can be dosed 1 dose per week or 2 doses per week, according to how heavily planted your tank is. Excell should be dosed as in the directions on the bottle. I think Diana said to dose smaller doses every day - split up the weekly dose.
> 
> I still have half a bottle of Comprehensive in my fridge since I started using dry ferts. I'm not sure why it's in the fridge, but some people complain about CS+B growing mold at room temperature.


thanks for the help. with my 5 gallon i will only be using 1ml at most, so these liquid ferts are going to last atleast 125 weeks. 

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Flourish.html

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/FlourishExcel.html

are the two items i have. I will be doing a M/F dosing schedule


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