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Re: PO4 and rust

> Subject: adding PO4 & Fe
> 
> Tom Barr wrote -
> "KH2PO4 or H3PO4 can be used or good fish feedings/loads."
> "and PO4(if needed, do not let it go to zero)."
> 
> Does KH2PO4 = potassium phosphate?

Monobasic potassium phosphate. Or.. yes it does =.

> and what is H3PO4?

Phosphoric acid.

> I have a small jar of Sodium Phosphate, Tribasic can this be used to add
> P?

Yep should work good.

> Also have a LaMotte PO4 test kit to manage additions.  Could someone
> offer some guideline to how to mix and dose PO4?  i.e. 1t KH2PO4 + X amt
> water then dose about X ml per X gal.  I have been a very happy camper
> since quitting the RO scene :-) thanks Tom and all!  Plants really perk
> up after a water change now.  Tap has 0.2 PO4 and I do a 50% water
> change.  After water change PO4 is undetectable within 24 hrs. (probably
> less).

I don't use stock solutions for macro's. I just add till I have residual and
then watch what it does or doesn't do. And up I go. I see little point
pushing it above 1.0ppm though. I doubt that there'll be much gain beyond
that level. I went up to 1.8ppm. No ill effects, some glass algae
appearances. Not sure what a true optimal range really is. Personally for me
I'm settling for .6 to 1.0ppm for now and leave it there. My CO2 is never
below 20ppm.
For adding KH2PO4 on a 75 gallon I'd add about 250mg of dry powered form.
Watch your plants over the next few hours. I add about this to a 55gallon
with 150 watts of light.

>  Interesting aside - In list discussion a couple of months ago
> about Cardina Japonica some folks noted the secretive nature of these
> creatures and others commented about seeing them out and about on a
> regular basis.  The shrimp in this tank invariably hang out in the open
> areas after above mentioned water changes and go back to reclusive ways
> within 24 hrs.

Mine are not like this. I have a horde. They are very active and about 1/2
through the photo cycle they go bonkers. They go nuts when I do a water
change but mine are not reclusive. They go nuts at any time when I put food
in there.

> 
> another dosing question - how much TMG to add to a 75gal? (160 watts NO
> (ice cap), high pressure CO2, & Substrate Gold laterite under gravel.
> KH from the tap is 2 - raised to 5 with baking soda.  Have been trying
> to keep the nitrate close to 10 but forget or neglect for 1 - 2 days and
> it goes to <2.   I had been following the suggested TMG dosage of about
> 10 - 15 ml / week for my size tank / water hardness.  Using a LaMotte FE
> test kit readings were always well below 0.10.  Recently have increased
> dosage to as much as 45 ml / week.  Is this excessive?

Not at all. The recommended dosing are conservative and Claus confirmed this
for many folks. He had told folks that adding 2-3 times the recommendations
is often needed. Depends on how your plants looked. I had already been doing
this at 4 times the recommended dosing. I had very high iron levels.

> Readings are
> still within reason <0.10 and the plants are looking much better.  Some
> spot algae on glass and very small amount of BBA that so far has only
> attached to gravel.  Plants are clean :-)

I got some glass algae which I am willing to live with and clean healthy
plants. But I want both clean plants and clean glass. I want to try out the
idea of using iron as the limiting nutrient in a high light/CO2 tank like
the non CO2 tank but NOT deleting the trace elements except for iron
exclusively. This can be added using SeaChem's liquid iron in small pulses
once a week. You could even add it at night the day before a water change to
feed any plants that are attached/Riccia etc so they get some. Plants can do
with out the iron for longer than many other nutrients. Algae do very poorly
in iron limited tanks such as many non CO2 tanks. The tanks I have/had never
had hardly any glass algae. Was it the iron alone or the other traces? Not
sure but it's seems worth a good look. I think it might. Having a substrate
based source takes care of most of the iron for many/most of the plants.
I've seen some clear evidence over the years for this with flourite being
the clear winner.  

>   Seems that since this tank
> was set up 6 months ago I have been dealing with some issue or another
> (giving up the RO put things on the right track), now the tank looks
> great and am looking for the daily doses and water change doses that
> will keep things running smoothly without daily testing.  BTW, mostly
> 160 watts for a 75 gal. gets a low / moderate light response.  However,
> Rotalla Wallichi grows quite well with good color and recently added
> glossostigma is spreading nicely with low growth habit.  Maybe the Ice
> Cap gives these tubes an extra kick?

That's not that low. The ballast helps a bit for sure. That will make a nice
tank IMO. You might, as you've certainly thought about, drop a VHO in there
later. But be ready to add more nutrients/CO2 to compensate if you do. I'd
just leave it alone for awhile myself. That's enough light in most cases.
> 
> Thanks in advance,  this tank is a plant tank because of you list folks!

Good, now go out and rope some poor person into the hobby and start a local
club! That's the pay back for the help you get! Dismal future , I know:)
Regards, 
TomBarr
> 
> Jay Reeves
> Minneapolis