Ferts Advice Please

[NoRp]

hi there im looking for advice on ferts.
i basicly want the cheapest options i will proberly dose the ei way but obv depends on what u guys say.
my tanks have alot of moss anibus crypts and im going for a carpet plant next. ( glosso, hc or haircrass. or i may just do some kinda moss carpet)

 

[hellohefalump]

The cheapest way of buying ferts is to buy them as dry powders.

 

[the Guru]

EI is the cheapest.

 

[aaronnorth]

what is your:

tank size
lighting
CO2?

 

[NoRp]

tank size is 4ft by 12 by 15.
lighting is partly diy with 8 6500k ES spiral bulbs and 1 unnamed 48"
atm CO2 is diy with a very good reactor but im looking at upping to FE around xmas time.
and i kinda guessed that dry ferts and ei was the best way to go im looking more for source to obtain the ferts

thanks in advance.

 

[MoondustBob]

Aqua Essentials or Garden Direct for the dry powders.

What are your lights wattage?

 

[NoRp]

these sprials are weird they say they are 20W but equivilant to 100 watts. tb i dont even know how many i will have to have on atm as its only lighlty stocked and knowhere nere the plant mass im going to have. also currently no reflectors. will e starting off with plain ol foil i think. ( woods painted with white emulsion on inside)

 

[aaronnorth]

I would hold back on the full EI until you get the FE set up. You could dose a trace of macro's & micro's in dry powder for now though.

Not sure on the wattage of the lights, i think they are 20w, but are just as bright as a 100w bulb. so in theory you have 8 x 20w bulbs correct? if so i would run all of them (but only when you get the FE & EI going)

 

[NoRp]

yeah thats correct, even though im not using the wpg system im aiming for around 33000 lumens/surface area (cant spell)

 

[aaronnorth]

thats ok then