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Re: PO4




> ok! I've started using KH2PO4 but I'm adding it at 0.05ppm daily.  Consider
> that I have 2watts/liter. And the tank is very tiny, only 20L.
> Do you prefer dosing 2-3 times a week because you give a burst and then PO4
> is gone??

Because that seems to be about what the plants "eat", I do not care so much
about what's in the water other than to test for a level. I "care" about the
plant's needs. Whatever level they need to grow at their best. You might
need more than that. You may be adding more from fish food or from the tap
water's content. You need to find all the inputs of PO4 before adding it
blindly. A 20 L tank is tiny. Add speck(perhaps 10 fine grains) and see how
the tank reacts. 2 watts a liter is very high light.

>> As far as an amount each time? Well that would depend on your target level.
>> Some want to try to stay at .2ppm (I don't think that's the best approach)
> 
> why not? for the same reason of before? you don't want to keep a constan
> level of PO4 available in water column?

I think it makes little difference whether you add it daily at .2ppm a day
or if you add 1.0ppm per week etc and let it drop down to zero. As long as
things do not run at zero for too long(2-3 days) or close to zero (.2ppm or
less).
  
>> I see little gain to go beyond 1.2ppm or so. I also do not see algae
>> beyond 1.6ppm or so.But this addition can go sour rather fast if your CO2
>> is poor or if you have high NO3's etc.
> 
> why high NO3?? which is the relationship??

NO3=> too little... poor plant growth...algae will slowly creep in, too
much...plant and algae growth will go fast in most cases with algae
smothering the plants.

> 
>> You can test your tank directly by adding tiny amounts and test(within 10-20
>> minutes).
> 
> okidoki... no prob for that! but it's best to add PO4 during night? or
> during light period?

Never really noticed a difference personally. I don't know.
Regards, 
Tom Barr