EI Lite and K2SO4

[spectre]

Hello all.
I am at the point in my planted tank setup where I need to begin planning a dosing routine. I've been reading up on the EI method and think this is the way I want to go.
My question is as I look over the basic dosing regimes for the different sized tanks I do not see K2SO4 listed, yet I read about a lot of people using it. I assume this is to increase the amount of Potassium without increasing phosphate or nitrate? If this is the case, what amount of K2SO4 would be dosed based on the EI routine for a 60 - 80 gallon setup?

Please correct me if I'm wrong in that assumption and thanks for any help you can give.

This is a great forum and I have learned a lot reading through it.

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

There is sufficient potassium(? I think) in the KN03 that the K2S04 is not needed. I dose my 180 with just KN03, KH2P04, traces, and a little excel....

I bought it with the other dry ferts, but Tom recommended a while ago that it is not needed and I have since stopped using it.

One less thing to worry about, mix, or dose.

 

[VaughnH]

Some people find that their tap water has high nitrates in it, and they have calibrated the test kit so they can trust its readings. Those people sometimes dose K2SO4 instead of KNO3 to get potassium without adding more nitrate. I think most of us don't use K2SO4 - I don't.

 

[spectre]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I will try to cross check my water supply with a couple different test kits and see where I'm at.