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Hello

Looking for an Aussie supplier for :-

• KN03
  
  • KH2P04
    
    • Traces
      
      Does anyone know if they are sold under particular tradenames here & if more than one brand, what do you think is best? Hopefully, the prices aren't too high.
      
      Thanks in advance for your time to reply.
      
      Cheers
      TW

Hi,
If you stumble across Keigh, you might want to ask him
in a PM. As I recall, he has purchased ferts and would
be able to help you.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I'm in melbourne and i've found potassium nitrate and mono potass. phosphate (1kg qty)in a hydroponics store. i had to ring around until i found someone who had it. but there are people out there who sell it.
as for trace mix, i'm yet to find one i like. so i stick to using flourish which i buy online at http://www.aquaticlifeaquariums.com.au/

Cynical

Hi Robyn,

Where are you? I know a hydroponic store in Brisbane who sells KNO3 for cheap. I don't think they can ship it though. No KH2PO4 there, but PM me if you are desperate and can't find any.

I also use Seachem Flourish for traces. I just find it more convenient as I don't have to mix stuff and mess around with calculating how much I need (too much math! ).

-P

Hi upikabu

Sorry, I should have said. I'm in Sydney. It seems like it might be just a case of ringing around hydroponic stores in Sydney. I'd been hoping it was available via one the on-line aquarium supplies.

I'm still not clear on what I'm actually asking for though. Are they liquid or powder? KN03 & KH2P04, are they the scientific names for various chemicals - they're not the actual brand name are they?

Cheers
TW

Hi Robyn,

KNO3 and KH2PO4 are chemical symbols for Potassium Nitrate and Mono-Potassium Phosphate (just like H2O is for water ). The cheap variety are non-brand powder forms found in some Aus hydroponic stores. You can also get the diluted solution of these chemicals from Seachem (i.e. Flourish Nitrogen & Phosphorus) but they cost a lot more $$$$.

In NSW try this place:
http://www.simplegrow.com.au/index.html
Ask if they sell in small quantities (half a kilo of each should last you a long time, at least a year).

HTH!


-P

Bingo. Thanks heaps, upikabu. They don't ship it out unfortunately, I have to go for a drive & get it, but they can supply me with both KN03 & KH2P04.

Another dumb question, I should have asked earlier. GH booster was also mentioned as something I might need to do. Is it something I get from the hydroponic people too (I forgot to ask them)?

Cheers
TW

Glad you located some as I explained to you I only use Seachem liquid it saved me a lot of problems locating it in Vic and working out the required amounts to use.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Cool, glad you were able to get them. Out of curiosity, how much are they charging for them?

I'm not aware of a lot of people adding GH booster (e.g. Calcium Carbonate or CaCO3) into their tank, unless they're using RO/deionized water (which has been striped off a lot of chemicals). Normally regular tap water (as long as it's not too soft) should contain enough Ca & Mg salts for a planted tank. For example, here in Brisbane the GH from tap is around 6. I think as long as GH is >4 you should be ok without the GH booster. You can ask your nearby LFS what the GH of their tap water is (or it might be on one of the Sydney water websites).

The key is regular water changes, so that those mineral salts consumed by plants are replenished on a regular basis.

P.S. BTW, if you find that your tap water is too soft, you can add Seachem Equilibrium.


-P

Hi upikabu

I accidently asked the price for a kilo, instead of half kilo and they quoted $10per kilo. Therefore, unless a smaller quantity sells for a slightly higher price, I expect to walk out with a 1/2 kilo bag of both products for $10.00. If that will last me a year, I'm fairly happy with that. What price do you pay in Brsbane?

Cheers
TW

Hi Robyn,

$10/kg is a good price IMO. I paid $4 here for a kilo of KNO3. KH2PO4 I bought in Singapore for S$9/AU$7 (500g).

Cheers!

-P

Hmm, my price isn't quite as good as yours for KNO3, but around the same for KH2PO4. Still happy though, as I bet it's still heaps cheaper than if I bought branded products. Thanks for your help.

PS I had a look at Sydney Water & I'm confused. They state:-

Total Hardness as 43 - 68
Calcium Hardness as 32 - 39
Magnesium hardness as 7 - 30.

Apparently my water "can be supplied" from 2 different locations, so I've picked the highest & lowest from each of the possible supply locations.

Do you understand any of that and how it relates to whether or not my water is GH is >4 ?

Cheers
TW

Total Hardness as 43 - 68
Calcium Hardness as 32 - 39
Magnesium hardness as 7 - 30.

Those are in units of CaCO3 mg/L. Divide by 17.9 to get dH equivalents (so your total hardness is around 2.4-3.8 dH). Should be alright I think. You may want to add a bit of Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) with each water change. You can buy it as Epsom Salt in your local chemist, or your hydroponic store may have it as well. Seachem Equilibrium would do the job as well (I add 1/2 tsp to my 165L non-CO2, low light tank weekly).

-P

thanks heaps.

PS, how do you create those text boxes that you've used?


Cheers
TW

In your reply, use the Quote tags surrounding the text you want to highlight.

-P

GH booster can be purchased as Seachems "Equilibrium". If your tap water is soft. Yours is from 2.5 dgh to 3.5 dgh approx. That is soft but just enough for plants. With regular water changes I don't think the booster would be an absolute neccessity.

Note Tom only said to use if GH is low

(less then 2-3 degrees)

GH is made up of Calcium and Magnesium salts. The ratio of Calcium to Magnesium can vary tap to tap. The first numbers are a nice ratio, the second set are a bit top heavy in Mg , in that case a little extra Ca may help. Calcium is a macro nutrient meaning plants need a lot, Mg is a micro there just needs to be some present to keep plants happy.

Judging by the results from your water supplier I don't think you'd need to add Mg either

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

You can buy MgSO4, epsom salt at any drug store.
You can add perhaps 1/4 teaspoon per 80 liters once a week to top off the Mg.

The GH looks good otherwise, plenty of Ca++, so you only need to add the cheap epsom salt, not Ca++.

Ca can come from CaSO4(gypsum) or CaCl2 generally.
So you do not need to buy a name brand. Add about a 3:1 ratio buy mass of CaSO4 to MgSO4 for a nice mix, add about 1 degree of GH of this mix each week after a water change.

That's about all you need to do with that(GH)
Main thing is KNO3, KH2PO4 and traces and of course........CO2, CO2 CO2.

Regards,
Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com

Hello

I've bought myself a Sera brand KH test kit and a Red Sea brand C02 Indicator. My KH turns out to be 3dKH, which is pretty much what Bensaf worked out for me, which was soft but just enough for plants. The GH test kit tells me, though, that it should be between 5dKH and 10dKH for stable pH & vigorous plant growth. Also, the C02 indicator instructions say that a result below 4dKH will give incorrect readings.

Tom gave me the following advice

....The GH looks good otherwise, plenty of Ca++, so you only need to add the cheap Epsom salt, not Ca++.

Ca can come from CaSO4(gypsum) or CaCl2 generally.
So you do not need to buy a name brand. Add about a 3:1 ratio buy mass of CaSO4 to MgSO4 for a nice mix, add about 1 degree of GH of this mix each week after a water change.

That's about all you need to do with that(GH). Main thing is KNO3, KH2PO4 and traces and of course........CO2, CO2 CO2

Now, I've got the Epsom Salt, the KNO3, KH2PO4 and traces & C02 worked out & I pretty much know what I'm doing there. But still unsure if I should be doing something about the GH level. Can I just clear up what I think I should do, if I should do anything at all. Plantbrain's advise was:-

Add about a 3:1 ratio buy mass of CaSO4 to MgSO4 for a nice mix, add about 1 degree of GH of this mix each week after a water change.

So, if I add 1/2 teaspoon Epsom salt for my 165L tank once a week to top off the Mg, following the 3:1 ratio, do I add 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of CaS04. Also what does

add about 1 degree of GH to this mix

mean? How do I add GH and measure it as 1 degree?

Cheers
TW

I think some people here (LITTLE_FISH in particular if I remember correctly) add baking soda to boost their KH.

How much CO2 does your CO2 indicator say you have despite the warning?

-P

I didn't put the test in, because of the comment that it would be inaccurate. But I used that calculator that Nowherman6 gave me. With a pH of 7.5 and KH of 3, that worked out to a triffling 2.86 - so will definitely add another unit. I've already ordered one on line.

I don't know if you've read my other thread in the hospital forum, about my dying harlequin rasboras, but most of tonight I've spent testing both tanks & watching & worrying over the poor rasboras. I don't think I'll have any left by morning.

Cheers
TW