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Re: Solid PMDD



> To: <Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com> 
> From: "Len Kutz" <len at kutzfamily_net> 
> Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 20:57:45 -0500 
> 
> I'm trying to come up with a cheap and lazy way of dosing my PMDD.  I've
> looked at dosing pumps and I've decided if I going to spend the money for a
> dosing pump I want a nice one.  So until I can convince my wife I need $200+
> to automatically feed my aquarium plants I won't be getting a dosing pump.
> 
> So in the mean time I've got an idea (laziness is the mother of invention).
> Has anyone try to come up with a solid form of PMDD?  I'm thinking about a
> time release solid form of PMDD.  Maybe I'm dreaming, but my ultimate goal
> would be a "PMDD cube" that slowly dissolves over a week or so.   Maybe one
> "cube" for every 20 gallons of water per week.
> 
> I'm guessing it is easy to do, but would be cost prohibitive.  Any ideas?
 
Two words: Plaster of Paris.  (Wait, that's three. D'oh!)  

Mix potassium nitrate and Epsom salts and ferrous gluconate with plaster
of paris and make little balls.  Drop one in your filter once a week.  I
have no idea how you would regulate the dosage.  You can calculate how
much K and Mg and NO3 and Fe and Ca (etc) are in the batch and how many
balls you make, and how often you add one to the tank. But the
dissolution rate will be hard to control.

Best regards,
Bob