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What works best for one tank, might not work best for the next.
Each tank has different components that will determine which method works best for your needs.
These dosing instructions are intended to be used with tanks with high lighting and CO2. If you have questions about lighting or CO2 please join the Facebook aquarium fertilizer discussion group HERE.
EI METHOD DOSING WITH GH BOOSTER
| EI DOSING | 10-20 GALLONS | 20-40 GALLONS | 40-60 GALLONS | 60-80 GALLONS | 100-125 GALLONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macros | 1/8 tsp KNO3 | 1/4 tsp KNO3 | 1/2 tsp KNO3 | 3/4 tsp KNO3 | 1 1/2 tsp KNO3 |
| 1/32 tsp KH2PO4 | 1/16 tsp KH2PO4 | 1/8 tsp KH2PO4 | 3/16 tsp KH2PO4 | 1/2 tsp KH2PO4 | |
| Micros | 1/32 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/16 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/8 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/4 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/2 tsp CSM+B(Trace) |
| GH Booster | 1/4 tsp GH Booster | 1/2 tsp GH Booster | 3/4 tsp GH Booster | 1 tsp GH Booster | 1 1/2 tsp GH Booster |
| Dose Micros and Macros 3x per week on alternating days | Dose GH Booster 1x per week after water change | ||||
|
Dosing Schedule Example Micros M,W,F Macros Tu, Th, Sat |
50% Water Change on Day Seven | ||||
EI METHOD DOSING WITHOUT GH BOOSTER
| EI DOSING | 10-20 GALLONS | 20-40 GALLONS | 40-60 GALLONS | 60-80 GALLONS | 100-125 GALLONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macros | 1/8 tsp KNO3 | 1/4 tsp KNO3 | 1/2 tsp KNO3 | 3/4 tsp KNO3 | 1 1/2 tsp KNO3 |
| 1/32 tsp KH2PO4 | 1/16 tsp KH2PO4 | 1/8 tsp KH2PO4 | 3/16 tsp KH2PO4 | 1/2 tsp KH2PO4 | |
| 1/32 tsp K2SO4 | 1/16 tsp K2SO4 | 1/8 tsp K2SO4 | 1/4 tsp K2SO4 | 1/2 tsp K2SO4 | |
| Micros | 1/32 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/16 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/8 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/4 tsp CSM+B(Trace) | 1/2 tsp CSM+B(Trace) |
| Dose Micros and Macros 3x per week on alternating days | |||||
|
Dosing Schedule Example Micros M,W,F Macros Tu, Th, Sat |
50% Water Change on Day Seven | ||||
*If you are dosing Iron Chelate dose at 1/4-1/3 the amount of it that you do CSM+B or Millers Microplex.
*Dose Iron Chelate at the same time you dose your micros.
For the above amounts you want to dose the macros(kno3, kh2po4, and k2so4) and the micros(CSM+B or Millers) all 3x per week on alternating days.
An example of this would be the micros on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The macros on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Then a 50% water change on Sunday followed by adding the Gh booster.
This 3x per week dosing is suggested for high light tanks with co2.
If you have medium light tank try starting out dosing 2x per week, low light tanks can be dosed 1x per week.
If in the example of the medium light tank you dose 2x per week and you start seeing deficiencies then up the dosing to 3x per week.
The EI method is based on the thought that excess nutrients will not harm anything in the tank. So even if you had a low light tank and were to dose 3x per week at the full amounts, as long as you kept up with the 50% weekly water changes it would not cause any problems.
EI Nutrient Solution
There seems to be a lot of confusion about how to mix nutrient solutions. Below are basic recipes for solutions or dry dosing for common US tank sizes. Every solution or dry dose will provide the exact levels shown below. These should be dosed 3 time per week based on high light and CO2 injection with a 50% weekly water change.
Low light and no CO2 simply use 1/3 of the dosing listed with the same 50% weekly water change.
*Since KNO3 (potassium nitrate) provides significant potassium, K2SO4 is optional.
The K2SO4 doses listed below provide 2.2 ppm of potassium which raises potassium to the full EI level. This is usually not necessary.
Target Concentration Levels
| MACROS |
| NO3 7.5 ppm |
| N 1.694 ppm |
| PO4 1.3 ppm |
| P 0.424 ppm |
| K 5.3 ppm (7.5 ppm with additional K2SO4) |
| MICROS |
| Fe 0.5 ppm |
| Mg 0.107 ppm |
| dGH 0.025 ppm |
| Cu 0.007 ppm |
| B 0.061 ppm |
| Mn 0.143 ppm |
| Mo 0.004 ppm |
| S (0.917 ppm with additional K2SO4) |
| Zn 0.028 ppm |
*Mix the amounts given below for your tank size into 500ml of water, preferably R/O or distilled. Doses vary as listed depending on tank size.
NOTE: You will need two bottles, one for the CSM+B and one for the rest. It is not generally a good idea to mix CSM+B and the others in the same bottle.
1mL Per Gallon
| 1ML PER GALLON | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 23.1 gm |
approximately 4 1/2 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 3.5 gm |
approximately 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 14.5 gm |
approximately 3 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 9.4 gm |
approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 1 GALLON | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 46.3 mg |
too small to use teaspoon measures |
|
KH2PO4 7 mg |
too small to use teaspoon measures |
|
Plantex CSM+B 29 mg |
too small to use teaspoon measures |
|
Optional: K2SO4 19 mg |
too small to use teaspoon measures |
5mL Per 10 Gallons
| 5ML PER 10 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 46.3 gm |
approximately 9 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 7 gm |
approximately 1 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 29 gm |
approximately 6 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 19 gm |
approximately 3 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 10 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 463 mg |
approximately 1/16 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 71 mg |
too small to use teaspoon measures |
|
Plantex CSM+B 290 mg |
approximately 1/16 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 189 mg |
approximately 1/32 teaspoons |
5mL Per 20 Gallons
| 5ML PER 20 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 93 gm |
approximately 17 3/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 14 gm |
approximately 2 1/2 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 58 gm |
approximately 13 1/2 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 38 gm |
approximately 6 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 20 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 926 mg |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 141 mg |
approximately 1/32 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 580 mg |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 377 mg |
approximately 1/16 teaspoons |
10mL Per 29 Gallons
| 10ML PER 29 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 67.123 gm |
approximately 13 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 10.224 gm |
approximately 1 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 42.028 gm |
approximately 9 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 26.91 gm |
approximately 4 1/4 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 29 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 1.3 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 204.5 mg |
approximately 1/32 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 841 mg |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 547 mg |
approximately 1/16 teaspoons |
10mL Per 40 Gallons
| 10ML PER 40 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 92.5 gm |
approximately 17 3/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 14 gm |
approximately 2 1/2 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 58 gm |
approximately 13 1/2 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 38 gm |
approximately 6 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 40 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 1.8 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 282 mg |
approximately 1/16 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 1.2 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 754.5 mg |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
10mL Per 46 Gallons
| 10ML PER 46 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 106.5 gm |
approximately 20 1/2 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 16.2 gm |
approximately 3 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 66.7 gm |
approximately 15 1/2 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 43.4 gm |
approximately 6 3/4 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 46 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 2.1 gm |
approximately 1/2 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 324.4 mg |
approximately 1/16 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 1.3 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 867.7 mg |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
15mL Per 55 Gallons
| 15ML PER 55 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 84.568 gm |
approximately 16 1/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 12.927 gm |
approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 53.139 gm |
approximately 12 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 34.024 gm |
approximately 5 1/4 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 55 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 2.5 gm |
approximately 1/2 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 388 mg |
approximately 1/16 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 1.6 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 1 gm |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
15mL Per 75 Gallons
| 15ML PER 75 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 115.7 gm |
approximately 22 1/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 17.6 gm |
approximately 3 1/8 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 72.5 gm |
approximately 16 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 47 gm |
approximately 7 1/4 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 75 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 3.5 gm |
approximately 3/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 529 mg |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 2.2 gm |
approximately 1/2 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 1.4 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
20mL Per 90 Gallons
| 20ML PER 90 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 104.2 gm |
approximately 20 1/32 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 15.9 gm |
approximately 2 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 65.2 gm |
approximately 15 1/8 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 42.4 gm |
approximately 6 3/4 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 90 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 4.2 gm |
approximately 3/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 635 mg |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 2.6 gm |
approximately 1/2 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 1.7 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
25mL Per 125 Gallons
| 25ML PER 125 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 115.7 gm |
approximately 22 1/4 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 17.6 gm |
approximately 3 1/8 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 72.5 gm |
approximately 16 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 47.2 gm |
approximately 7 1/4 teaspoons |
| DRY DOSING PER 125 GALLONS | |
|---|---|
| FERTILIZER | MEASUREMENTS |
|
KNO3 5.8 gm |
approximately 1 1/8 teaspoons |
|
KH2PO4 881.4 mg |
approximately 1/8 teaspoons |
|
Plantex CSM+B 3.6 gm |
approximately 3/4 teaspoons |
|
Optional: K2SO4 2.4 gm |
approximately 1/4 teaspoons |
PPS-PRO dosing Method
The following is the older (and in my opinion better) version. For the new official version click HERE.
*The following mixing instructions are based on using (2) 500ml dosing bottles, using a gram scale to measure the dry fertilizer:
Add the following into the first bottle. (This will be your Macro bottle.)
| AMOUNT | FERTILIZER |
|---|---|
| 32.5g | KNO3 |
| 29.5g | K2SO4 |
| 3g | KH2PO4 |
| 20.5g | MGSO4 |
Add the following into the second bottle. (This will be your Micros bottle.)
| AMOUNT | FERTILIZER |
|---|---|
| 40g | CSM+B |
Next fill the dosing bottles to the 500ml line with RO or DI water.
Dosing Instructions
Dose both the Micros and the Macros at a rate of 1ml per 10gallons seven days a week.
