# Epsom salt dosing, and EI?'s



## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Aquarium Calculators | Low cost aquarium plant food and fertiliser methods
This calculator will give you the correct amount of MGSO4 to use.
You can dose at either micro or macro. Also check to see what this one says in relation to what you are now dosing for the KH2PO4.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

If the GH is low, then I would also be concerned about calcium. 

GH is a measure of both calcium and magnesium. 
Epsom salt is just magnesium. 
Adding enough Epsom salt to make the GH test read a certain value may not be enough. 

Look into a more complete GH booster that will add calcium, too. 

Crushed coral provides calcium and carbonates. (coral is mostly calcium carbonate, with small amounts of magnesium and other minerals) If the GH is stable, perhaps about 2-3 degrees, with just the coral, then boosting it about another 1 degree with Epsom salt might be just about right. The water needs to be slightly acidic for the coral to dissolve well. 
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You can dose each of these separately:

KNO3 provides both K and N. But if the NO3 from fish food is already high enough, then do not dose this. The plants will still need potassium, though. 

KH2PO4 provides P. It is usually dosed in such small amounts that the K almost does not count. If you are having problems with phosphate levels, and want to dose more, go for it, but as far as the potassium goes it is still a very small amount. Do you have a phosphate test? 
No, you do not want to add phosphorus by itself to water. 
If the NO3 from fish food is pretty high, then the phosphates are probably OK, too.

K2SO4 provides K and S. Mostly it is used as a substitute for KNO3, or as a supplement for additional potassium. 

If you start with a recipe, a method, and find it is not working for you then adjust ONE thing at a time, and allow the tank to adjust to the altered recipe- perhaps a week minimum, or a month if the change is small. Then alter something else.


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## BayazGouramiz (May 13, 2015)

Thank you I hadn't seen this tool yet. I will check it out for sure.

Bump:


Diana said:


> If the GH is low, then I would also be concerned about calcium.
> 
> GH is a measure of both calcium and magnesium.
> Epsom salt is just magnesium.
> ...


Nice, this clarifies things so much for me. I will have a few questions once I digest it a bit more.


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## BayazGouramiz (May 13, 2015)

That calculator dosing schedule is way different than the one I've been using from Nilocg. Here is the calcualtor dosing schedule based on my 75g:

Day 1 : 50% water change then add 7/8tsp KNO3, 1/4 tsp KH2PO4, 2 and 1/8 tsp mgso4
Day 2 : 1/4 tsp of TNC Trace (?) same as CSM+ ?
Day 3: same as day 1 minus the water change
Day 4: same as day 2
Day 5 : same as day 1 minus the water change
Day 6: rest
Day 7: rest

That being said here is the one I have been using from nilocg:










Which one is better? and is that an accurate amount of mgso4? seems like a lot. That being said my tank is way more healthy with the mgso4 already.

Also is the plantex csm + the same as the TNC trace?

and if I use this calcator dosing schedule do I add GH booster still?

Thanks

Also how much iron should I dose, I'm currently dosing it with the micros and at the same rate?


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## BayazGouramiz (May 13, 2015)

bump, i really need to know which dosing technique is better, and of course the other questions. :grin2:

I just wanted to update a bit on the use of mgso4... the plants or some of them especially the diandra have exploded. I'd say the plants have increased in mass by at least 30% in only 4 days. This is pretty remarkable actually. I already have to trim the Diandra, Ludwigia sp 'Red', and the Tonia Fluvatis. It has also seemed to make my Cabombas grow more compact. Pretty cool stuff.
But with all the extra dosing green spot algae is starting to become prevalent, that being said it could be cuz i haven't cleaned one of my filters in over a month and there is a lot of cleaning i need to do atm...


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