Carp Fertilizer

[escale]

Hello,

Firstly, thank you Tom for hosting a fantastic forum. I'm a newbie to this whole scene but I have learned so much just by reading the forum over the last few days. It's amazing what you and your team and members have built here.

I'm amazed by the ingenuity of this forum and the effort and skill that has gone into this hobby/industry. It's interesting to read how people have adapted soil/plant fertilizers into the aquarium.

So here's my comment/question. Has anyone used or can recommend/condone the use of organic liquid fertilizers such as the ones based on Carp for aquarium use? I haven't read anything on the subject but rather curios on the matter. This is the contents of a generic liquid fertilizer concentrate sold at aldi at the moment. I suspect it's not a good idea at all, but thought it may be an interesting topic if nothing else.


%w/w
Nitrogen 2.5
Phosphorus 0.3
Potassium 0.25
Calcium 0.5
Stabilizer?? 0.3
Total Solid 26%
Water 74%

mg/l
Copper 0.05
Iron 0.6
Cobalt

 

[Biollante]

As In Toss The Carp In The Blender

Hi,

Is this fertilizer made from Carp? We use Carp on the family tree farm.


The problem with organic fertilizers usually resides with the ammoniacal Nitrogen. :gw


In well-managed heavily planted tank or plant only tanks, this is not as important.


Based on the label I do not see a problem, other than the nitrogen source is not defined.

Use with extreme caution until you understand what it is and how it works and plays with others.


Biollante

 

[escale]

Thank you Biollante, you described the manufacturing process pretty spot on lol... google charlie carp and check out the manufacturing process
Reading and learning from this website i canme to a similar conclusion, i.e how is the nitrogen made up. Would an ammonia test show whether or not there is excessive ammonia in the fertilizer? I guess the test would be to see how quickly that ammonia gets convereted and depending on the dosing strength, what the actual ammonia reading is.

I may expermiment with a planted quarantine tank that has no fish in it at the moment.

Having said all that, i'm going to be sticking with the EI method. I found an Australian supplier who will blend the chemicals based on a recipe i provide I just like to tinker and test... I should have been a scientist lol

 

[Biollante]

I Always Assume The "N" s From An Ammoniacal Source NH3-N

Hi,

Sorry I seem to have misplaced you during the changeover.

You have a legitimate question, “how to demonstrate the presence ammonia in a fertilizer (or substrate )” too which there is a legitimate answer if you are comfortable with a little chemistry and promise to do this outside, away from folks or critters, while wearing eye protection and promising not to take a whiff directly.

Assuming you so solemnly swear or affirm...

The simplest way I know of is:

1. into a beaker, a small glass jar will do
2. place two parts of the unknown fertilizer
3. add one part Sodium hydroxide, NaOH, also known as lye or caustic soda
4. gently mix
5. add enough water to cover
6. NOT GASSING YOURSLF IS IMPORTANT DO THIS OUTSIDE WITH THE BREEZE BLOWING AWAY FROM YOU!
7. if it starts bubbling it is likely releasing ammonia gas DO NOT SNIFF IT
8. hold a damp towel or piece of paper over the beaker for a few seconds
9. If it smells like ammonia, you have got ammonia in the fertilizer.

If you really need to figure out total amounts I suppose we can do that another time.

Seriously, anyone trying this take care .

Biollante