Delaware Fertilizer Tablets
Contents:
- DAI Plant Tablets
by David Randall <76535.2776-at-compuserve.com> (06 May 95)
- DAI plant tablets - the formula
by nfrank-at-nando.net (Sun, 7 May 1995)
- Re:DAI tablets
by nfrank-at-nando.net (Mon, 8 May 1995)
by David Randall <76535.2776-at-compuserve.com>
Date: 06 May 95
Keith,
I have used DAI plant tablets in my tanks for several years, and have been
happy with the results I've seen. BUT, someone I know on FISHNET recently
dissolved a tablet in 10 gallons of water (the recommended dosage rate) and
tested for nitrate and phosphate. The levels of both were quite high. I had
been lead to believe that they were mostly an iron/magnesium supplement.
Since I have very low levels (can't measure them even with low range test
kits) of both phosphate and nitrate, my conclusion is that in my tanks, my
plants are actually deficient in these nutrients, and that's why I saw the
improvement I did when I added the tablets. I would be _very_ careful using
these tablets under low growth conditions or in a tank heavily stocked with
fish. I think you might run into algae problems.
>> Subject: Crypts and lights <<
Dennis,
I keep both Crypts and Swords in the same brightly lit tanks without
problems. My 55G tank has 120W, and my 70G has 200W. The Crypts are large
and healthy in both tanks. I keep C. blassii, 2 different varieties of
wendtii, retrospiralis, pontederifolia, becketti and affinis. The photo
period for both tanks is 12 hours daily, and both tanks are supplemented with
CO2 and trace elements.
E-mail from: Karen Randall, 06-May-1995
by nfrank-at-nando.net
Date: Sun, 7 May 1995
I know Mike for a long time, and he is a nice guy. But I wish that he
would be more honest about his plant tablets. His ad says they contain
iron and magnesium for root growth. I once asked him about the
ingredients and he said that they also contained Mn. I assumed that was all.
Then, Diana Walstad's article in TAG mentions that DAI tablets
contain N,P,K, Fe and Mg (but no Mn).
So, when I saw Mike in March I asked him. He was pretty coy and said
something about a family secret. So, I had the tablets tested!
The elemental concentrations (as percent of total tablet) are as follows:
N 14.4
P 7
K 17.3
Ca .07
Mg .15
S 0
Fe .19
Mn .003
Zn .01
Cu .008
B .03
Cl .13
Na .9
(So much for the family secret!)
BTW, the tablets weigh 0.75 gms The sample I submitted for analysis was
1 tablet dissolve in 1
liter of distilled water (purchased at grocery store). So, one perhaps
important assumption is the I did in fact have distilled water :-)
- --Neil
by nfrank-at-nando.net
Date: Mon, 8 May 1995
>The elemental concentrations (as percent of total tablet) are as follows:
>N 14.4 P 7 K 17.3 >Ca .07 Mg .15 S 0 >Fe .19 Mn .003 Zn 0.01 >Cu .008 B
..03 Cl .13 >Na .9
>The percentages don't add up to 100. Did the rest of
>the tablet consist of O, C & H? Neil, I hope Mike T. doesn't come after
>you for busting his family secret :-) - -Shaji
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, the results are for elements not ions (e.g. N and not NO3). So, a
lot of the missing percentage is oxygen. There is also clay used as the
binder.
As for coming after "me," I have been kind for not reporting "him."
It is illegal to sell fertilizer which does not list ingredients.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
- --Neil
The Krib
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