Could hydroponic nutrients be used in the aquarium safely?

[kdx7214]

When it's nice outside I grow chilli peppers in hydroponics. It's cheap, easy, and at least they grow. As I've been reading I realized that a lot of the nutrients used in hydro are also used in reefs, just in different proportions. For instance, the hydroponic mix I use is the MasterBlend PowerGrow series. It's a 3-part broken down as follows:

1. Epsom salt - Magnesium Sulfate (9.8% water soluable Mg and 12.9% sulfur)
2. Calcium Nitrate - 15.5 - 0 - 0 (14.5% nitrate, 1.0% Ammoniacal nitrogen, 19% calcium)

The third part has a lengthy list of ingredients:

• 3.5% nitrate
• 0.5% ammoniacal nitrogen
• 18% available phosphate (P2O5)
• 38% soluble potash (K2O)
• 0.5% water soluble Mg
• 0.2% Boron
• 0.05% chelated Copper
• 0.4% chelated iron
• 0.2% chelated Manganese
• 0.01% Molybdenum
• 0.0% chelated Zinc

I know that copper is toxic in high concentrations, but the remainder are found in most salt mixes I've seen. What I'm not sure about are the concentrations and the like.

Any thoughts?

 

[KrisReef]

These kinds of fertilizer mixtures are designed for target organisms. I'm not certain if coral and plants are "close enough" in their uptakes to get good results long term? I'd stick to weed fertilizers for weed as a safe path but hope you try this and report back!

 

[Subsea]

Yes, they can be used. Not all macro absorbs the same micro nutrients and not all macros absorb major nutrients of N in the same ratio.

The micro nutrients of zinc & copper will be readily absorbed by most macro.

 

[Garf]

I add a few drops of guillards f2 into my little tank. Cuts out the need to grow phyto, if it even exists. Gotta watch the phos level though.

 

[kdx7214]

My initial thought about it was to use to grow phytoplankton, since they are primitive plants, just wasn't sure if that amount of phosphate was out of proportion or not.

Is there any resource that gives the approximate level of various things found in natural seawater from various locations? It would make it easier to figure out what could be used and what can't.

Also, I wonder if the part that has the calcium nitrate would be useful for corals? Seems a controllable amount of both, assuming one has a refugium or similar setup to handle any overabundance of nitrates.

 

[Subsea]

I add a few drops of guillards f2 into my little tank. Cuts out the need to grow phyto, if it even exists. Gotta watch the phos level though.

I add both ChaetoGrow & F2. The N ratio of many macro is 30:1. The Redfield ratio for phytoplankton is 16:1.

 

[kdx7214]

I add both ChaetoGrow & F2. The N ratio of many macro is 30:1. The Redfield ratio for phytoplankton is 16:1.

That makes me wonder if the calcium nitrate part would be workable. Not sure the ratios of the 3rd part would work out. I'm probably going to experiment with these with some phyto when I get everything setup.

 

[Subsea]

what does that mean “calcium nitrate” part being workable?

 

[Subsea]

While I don’t test my water, I do know the chemical composition of the end product. I will see if I can find the lab sheet for Gracilaria Parvispora that I grew for human consumption in Asian restaurants.

This is a chemical breakdown for ediable seaweeds grown in Norway: Refer to Table 3. Note large percentage of potassium uptake in these cold water seaweeds.

In warm water Red Ogo, Gracilaria Parvispora, has a Potassium concentration 5 fold more than nitrogen and nitrogen concentration 30 kfold more than phosphate concentrations.

In summary, I add nutrients required by the seaweed mass as it grows. Until I prune and remove, everything is nutrient recycling. Even when I prune & export seaweed, I recycle nutrients by composting tomatoes.

(PDF) Chemical characterization of 21 species of marine macroalgae common in Norwegian waters: benefits of and limitations to their potential use in food and feed: Chemical composition of Norwegian marine macroalgae

PDF | Background: In the past few years, much effort has been invested into developing a new blue economy based on harvesting, cultivating and... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

 

[Prince23]

When it's nice outside I grow chilli peppers in hydroponics. It's cheap, easy, and at least they grow. As I've been reading I realized that a lot of the nutrients used in hydro are also used in reefs, just in different proportions. For instance, the hydroponic mix I use is the MasterBlend PowerGrow series. It's a 3-part broken down as follows:

1. Epsom salt - Magnesium Sulfate (9.8% water soluable Mg and 12.9% sulfur)
2. Calcium Nitrate - 15.5 - 0 - 0 (14.5% nitrate, 1.0% Ammoniacal nitrogen, 19% calcium)

The third part has a lengthy list of ingredients:

• 3.5% nitrate
• 0.5% ammoniacal nitrogen
• 18% available phosphate (P2O5)
• 38% soluble potash (K2O)
• 0.5% water soluble Mg
• 0.2% Boron
• 0.05% chelated Copper
• 0.4% chelated iron
• 0.2% chelated Manganese
• 0.01% Molybdenum
• 0.0% chelated Zinc

I know that copper is toxic in high concentrations, but the remainder are found in most salt mixes I've seen. What I'm not sure about are the concentrations and the like.

Any thoughts

Yes my friend you can!! just like every trick in the trade of growing plants. (Growing makes you a better reefer) ph, cal, etc! We use all human/animal consumption I’ll call it aqua phonics!! We ingest it lol smoke it whatever you do. Used on the space station for everything, I think before I was born. Hahah still living and still used. Couple parameters change in value (ph not 5.8 lol) and cal. But you will find all will fall into place if your handy with the ppm and ph pen. Giddy up grow the world!!

 

[kdx7214]

what does that mean “calcium nitrate” part being workable?

Heh, sorry. I just meant that the calcium would be usable by organisms in the tank (corals, etc) and the nitrates would be used up by phytoplankton - provided I keep things monitored and balanced. Not sure sure about the other two parts of the 3-bag mix due to other ingredients.

 

[kdx7214]

While I don’t test my water, I do know the chemical composition of the end product. I will see if I can find the lab sheet for Gracilaria Parvispora that I grew for human consumption in Asian restaurants.

This is a chemical breakdown for ediable seaweeds grown in Norway: Refer to Table 3. Note large percentage of potassium uptake in these cold water seaweeds. In warm water Red Ogo, Gracilaria Parvispora, has a Potassium concentration 5 fold more than nitrogen and nitrogen concentration 15 fold more than phosphate concentrations.

In summary, I add nutrients required by the seaweed mass as it grows. Until I prune and remove, everything is nutrient recycling. Even when I prune & export seaweed, I recycle nutrients by composting tomatoes.

(PDF) Chemical characterization of 21 species of marine macroalgae common in Norwegian waters: benefits of and limitations to their potential use in food and feed: Chemical composition of Norwegian marine macroalgae

PDF | Background: In the past few years, much effort has been invested into developing a new blue economy based on harvesting, cultivating and... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

Interesting! I'm reading through that right now.

 

[Subsea]

Heh, sorry. I just meant that the calcium would be usable by organisms in the tank (corals, etc) and the nitrates would be used up by phytoplankton - provided I keep things monitored and balanced. Not sure sure about the other two parts of the 3-bag mix due to other ingredients.

Both calcium & nitrate are inorganic nutrients that are major building blocks for all photosynthetic organisms which includes coral, macro algae & micro algae (phytoplankto).

 

[Prince23]

Heh, sorry. I just meant that the calcium would be usable by organisms in the tank (corals, etc) and the nitrates would be used up by phytoplankton - provided I keep things monitored and balanced. Not sure sure about the other two parts of the 3-bag mix due to other ingredients.

Heh, sorry. I just meant that the calcium would be usable by organisms in the tank (corals, etc) and the nitrates would be used up by phytoplankton - provided I keep things monitored and balanced. Not sure sure about the other two parts of the 3-bag mix due to other ingredients.

Do not apologize my friend!! Here too help if I can in any way!! Your cal will be up taken!! But you need to monitor or do your calculations. I have always used ph perfect nutrients!! Which do not regulate what my coral want, they want more as if they were like a plant in (flower).

 

[N.Sreefer]

The chelated elements turn to flakes that will blow all over the tank.

 

[kdx7214]

Both calcium & nitrate are inorganic nutrients that are major building blocks for all photosynthetic organisms which includes coral, macro algae & micro algae (phytoplankto).

that's pretty much what I assumed and why I think that part would be more workable than the others. Not sure about the epsom salt yet although I have read of people using it in reef tanks. That big 3rd part of the mix though has so much stuff in it that I'm not sure it would be wise to try. I might try it for just phtyo, but I worry about the amount of phosphorous in the mix and what effect that would have.

 

[kdx7214]

The chelated elements turn to flakes that will blow all over the tank.

That's a really good reason not to use it then! Thanks!

 

[Prince23]

The chelated elements turn to flakes that will blow all over the tank.

Pre mix!!! In a bottle of tank water!! Or if possible get the liquid nutrients!!

 

[N.Sreefer]

that's pretty much what I assumed and why I think that part would be more workable than the others. Not sure about the epsom salt yet although I have read of people using it in reef tanks. That big 3rd part of the mix though has so much stuff in it that I'm not sure it would be wise to try. I might try it for just phtyo, but I worry about the amount of phosphorous in the mix and what effect that would have.

Magnesium sulfate (epsom salts) are fine for reef tanks but has a high amount of sulfate so randy suggests mag flake deicer in his updated 3 part

 

[kdx7214]

Pre mix!!! In a bottle of tank water!! Or if possible get the liquid nutrients!!

Heh I don't know enough chemistry to realize that would help Thanks!