Emett Hare

New Member
Nov 13, 2018
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USA
Hi all,

I'm new to the forum but not the planted tank hobby. I've always bought my planted tank fertilizers for my hi-tech tanks but recently I've taken a liking to organic chemistry though and at this point I want to mix my own sauce AND understand what I'm doing with these organic chemicals and elements. My only reading on plant fertilization has been Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium.

I'd like to make a baseline Poor Man's Dosing Drops that don't break the bank.

I think I understand the 1 to 1 ratios of KNO3, MgSO4, and K2SO4. Those aren't hard to understand and weigh out assuming that my baseline fertilizer contains 25 percent of each of those elements combined with CSM B or the equivalent. I do not understand how to complete the final, what I assume is, 25 percent CSM B mixture. I've read several articles and forum posts regarding the composure of CSM B but all of the ingredients never equal 100 percent. An example

CSM B is composed of

1.50 percent magnesium
0.10 percent chelated copper
7.0 percent chelated iron
2.0 percent manganese
0.06 percent molybdenum
0.40 percent zinc
0.04 percent boron


How do I mix ingredients together that don't equal 100 percent? What is filling in the gaps in this mixture that I'm not aware of? Am I reading this wrong?

I'm thankful for any education or answer that you may provide. I would like to greatly increase my understanding of plant fertilization, organic chemicals, and their specific roles in plant development. Please prescribe any reading that you assume might increase my knowledge.

Thanks,
Emett
 

rajkm

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Sep 16, 2015
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Hillsboro, OR
You are missing 65.4% EDTA.
Rest can be made up of any of the other elements because what it says is guaranteed analysis which I take to believe is the minimum of each that you will find in the mix.
 
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Emett Hare

New Member
Nov 13, 2018
2
0
1
47
USA
You are missing 65.4% EDTA.
Rest can be made up of any of the other elements because what it says is guaranteed analysis which I take to believe is the minimum of each that you will find in the mix.


Thank you! Now, are there natural EDTA sources? What are acceptable other elements? Could I simply use sifted loam?
 

rajkm

Article Editor
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Article Editor
Sep 16, 2015
693
222
43
Hillsboro, OR
Thank you! Now, are there natural EDTA sources? What are acceptable other elements? Could I simply use sifted loam?

My other elements I mean any of the constituents of the mix.
Total magnesium(water soluble chelated mg) ......... 1.5%
Copper(chelated).................................................. 0.1%
Iron (chelated)..................................................... 7.0%
Manganese(chelated)............................................ 2.0%
Molybdenum........................................................0.06%
Zinc(chelated).....................................................0.40%
Boron ................................................................3.8%
EDTA - minimum content......................................65.4%

Total with above (note your Boron percent was wrong) is 80.26.
The rest can be made of edta or iron or any of the above elements.
That’s one of the issues with CSMB or any other dry mix because they are mixed in large batches and so in your particular bag you could have more or less of something but at minimum you will get the above percentage or more. Atleast that’s how I understand it.