Supplments for Macro Algae - Schultz Plant Food

[travis_]

I have been adding Kent Marine Super Chelated Iron Macro-algae supplement with Manganese for reef type marine aquariums to my refigium with good results (good macro algae growth). But I am cheap, I actually did not buy this, the LFS guy gave me what was left in his bottle, obviously hoping I will use it and then buy more. However, i started looking at the label to see what is in it, and then I started to compare to Schultz 10-15-10 Plant Food Plus (about 1/10th the price). See the label comparison below. As you see the Schultz has all of the same ingredients as the Kents with the addition of Nitrogen. Yes, the percentages are different, but if it works for plants why not algae?? Anyone ever tried added plant fertilizer to you aquarium? I am already using the schultz to grow phyto with good success so far, so why not?

 

[g0rFz]

seems like the schultz is a little more potent but interesting find

 

[returnofsid]

I would suggest not supplementing anything that you aren't testing for!! Your Chaeto will grow just fine if you give it adequate light, adequate flow and nitrates from your tank. No need for anything else. If you "feed" your Macro, it defeats the purpose. It absorbs and removes nitrates from your water. That's what feeds it. If you're feeding it, it doesn't need the nitrates and may not remove them from your water.

 

[travis_]

I would suggest not supplementing anything that you aren't testing for!! Your Chaeto will grow just fine if you give it adequate light, adequate flow and nitrates from your tank. No need for anything else. If you "feed" your Macro, it defeats the purpose. It absorbs and removes nitrates from your water. That's what feeds it. If you're feeding it, it doesn't need the nitrates and may not remove them from your water.

I agree, but at this point my main tank is minimally stocked and is the same size as my refigium (25 gal), I wanted to get the algae to grow in order to fill up the refigium and then to hook up my main display tank at a later date to supply the required nutrients fior growth.

 

[returnofsid]

Ahhh I see. Well, I don't know anything about that fert. but would still suggest you not dose anything you aren't testing for.

 

[Boomer]

Yes, the percentages are different,

Different is right that stuff is many, many, many times more potent. Did you see that amount of Phosphate and N in that botttle ? They are through the roof big time.

Do you understand the meaning of % in the chemistry world ?

% x 10,000 = ppm or mg / l

Phosphate = 15 % = 150, 000 ppm phosphate in the bottle

N = 10 % = 100,000 ppm N in that bottle. Now lets convert that N to NO3-, Nitrate

100,000 x 4.4 = 440,000 ppm Nitrate

So you want to add carp loads of phosphate and nitrate to your reef tank ? That is the porpose of the refugium, to remove them and is why they are not in the Kent at all.

No lets look at the Zinc a heavy metal

Kent = 0.0014 % = 1.4 ppm

Schultz = 0.05 % = 500 ppm

 

[Boomer]

Looking at that bottle and guessing its vol., just 1 drop from that bottle would raise the NO3 - up 0.5 ppm in 50 net gal of water.

 

[travis_]

thanks for your input, for now I think I will just continue to use it as fertilizer for my phytoplankton and leave it out of my tank.

 

[lavenderfish]

Sid I find if I don't add a little iron once in a while my chaeto wont grow.

 

[returnofsid]

Strange, Most Chaeto grows just great without any additions of anything.

 

[travis_]

My Chaeto definately started to grow better after I started dosing with the Kent iron, not sure if it was due to lack of nutrients in my understocked tank or the iron, but regardless, it has picked up and I am convinced. Still will not add Schultz tho.

 

[returnofsid]

Oh I believe it would grow better....however, I'm not as concerned with my Chaeto growing as I am with my reef being healthy. Thus, I wouldn't recommend dosing iron unless you're also testing for it and not deviating from NSW iron levels.

 

[travis_]

Oh I believe it would grow better....however, I'm not as concerned with my Chaeto growing as I am with my reef being healthy. Thus, I wouldn't recommend dosing iron unless you're also testing for it and not deviating from NSW iron levels.

I agree, since I do not have the ability to test for iron and the other chemicals I am adding, what I will do is stop dosing until I see slowed chaeto growth (if it does slow) and then start dosing some more for a short period, then stop again and repeat. That way I would hope to read my Chaeto growth as shortage of these additives. And if I do not see a decreased growth then I obviously do not need to keep adding it,

thanks,

Travis

 

[returnofsid]

That MIGHT work. However, do you know what the effects of the dosing, even for short periods, will be on your reef inhabitants? I don't. Do you know the NSW levels of Iron, or whatever else you're dosing? Do you know your levels? Do you have a target level? These are all things you need to think about before dosing anything. They're also things you can't do without testing.

Again, are you concerned about your Chaeto growth or your reef inhabitants? Right now, your Fuge is offline from your display tank right? What will happen when your fuge parameters are quite a bit different from your tank parameters and you combine the two? When you put your fuge online, will you continue dosing these things??

Again, I wouldn't advise dosing anything at all that you aren't testing for. I sure wouldn't recommend dosing Iron without knowing it's effects on your reef inhabitants, knowing the NSW levels of Iron and knowing the levels in your tank. You also need to be aware of how Iron is even used in your reef tank, by it's inhabitants? Will it be used, or will it continue to build up over time?

 

[travis_]

You bring up good points. Right now my fuge IS connected to my display tank, however I do not have much in my display tank yet. And my longer term plans are to make my current display tank my frag tank and then hook up a display tank upstairs. My currently display tank is 25 gal, as is my fuge. Both have deep sand beds which appear to be getting a good stock of worms. And I do not know the answers to any of your questions and I will go ahead and stop dosing and see what, if any, effects it has on my algae.

thanks again,

That MIGHT work. However, do you know what the effects of the dosing, even for short periods, will be on your reef inhabitants? I don't. Do you know the NSW levels of Iron, or whatever else you're dosing? Do you know your levels? Do you have a target level? These are all things you need to think about before dosing anything. They're also things you can't do without testing.

Again, are you concerned about your Chaeto growth or your reef inhabitants? Right now, your Fuge is offline from your display tank right? What will happen when your fuge parameters are quite a bit different from your tank parameters and you combine the two? When you put your fuge online, will you continue dosing these things??

Again, I wouldn't advise dosing anything at all that you aren't testing for. I sure wouldn't recommend dosing Iron without knowing it's effects on your reef inhabitants, knowing the NSW levels of Iron and knowing the levels in your tank. You also need to be aware of how Iron is even used in your reef tank, by it's inhabitants? Will it be used, or will it continue to build up over time?

 

[returnofsid]

Sounds like an interesting experiment. Keep us posted on the Chaeto growth!! Get that tank stocked and get to taking pictures!!

Oh another thing about Chaeto. It grows much better if it's in a "tumbling ball." It's kind of hard to do, but a small powerhead in the fuge can help.