Potassium freshwater test kit NEED HELP TO FIND

[evonner]

I cant find a potassium test kit for freshwater. Anyone has a resource?

 

[John Henry]

@Milliardo Peacecraft had a similar post back on 3/16/23.  You might check with Milliardo to see if he/she located a seller with stock.

[Mmiller2001]

You will be wasting your money. Just research how much your fertilizer adds and calculate for water changes. Keeping K anywhere from 15 to 30ppm is a good range.

But search salifert freshwater potassium test kit if you want one.

[evonner]

@Mmiller2001 Donkey, K means "Potassium". How does I know if I am in a range of 15-30 ppm. I have searched the net for Salifer's freshwater test and cant find it anywhere. I even contacted them on Facebook.

[Mmiller2001]

On 4/2/2023 at 7:05 PM, evonner said:

@Mmiller2001 Donkey, K means "Potassium". How does I know if I am in a range of 15-30 ppm. I have searched the net for Salifer's freshwater test and cant find it anywhere. I even contacted them on Facebook.

K means potassium. You would know the ppm dosed, then know the amount removed via water changes then the amount dosed back into the tank. If you did 50% water changes, you would, over time have 2 times the amount dosed. Just adjust if you do less than 50% changes.

https://www.aquacave.com/salifert-freshwater-potassium-test-kit.html

Out of stock but just keep an eye out for restock.

[Lennie]

Tbh, plant's reaction to potassium deficiency is generally one of the easy ones to diagnose. I would not worry too much if I were you. Just keep your fast growers or well known potassium lovers like java fern to see if they show any sign of deficiency

Edited April 3 by Lennie

[evonner]

I do have some plants showing a potassium deficiency and am going to purchase a potassium supplement. I am going to take @Mmiller2001 advice and also @Milliardo Peacecraft advice she gave me in private conversation. She also gave me a lead to a company in the Netherlands that has a freshwater test. I emailed them to see who their suppliers are. If that turns out to be a dud then I will inquire about becoming a USA retailer of their product as I have a business and a seller's permit but it has to cost effect for all.

[rockfisher]

you are going to have a hard time find one that is inexpensive. It’s hard to over dose K. I dose every 4-5 with a KCl formula. I think K is maybe the the most misunderstood nutrient.  I think that most people neglect it. If you have plants I would dose it if you see signs of a deficiency, such as Holes in leaves and color loss.  Or dose on a schedule. I neverdosed regularly until about a year ago. My plants have never looked better.

this is the mixture I use

 

[Mmiller2001]

@rockfisher is correct, K can be heavily dosed without consequences. It's the most forgiving of the Macro elements. I've gone as high as 35ppm. Interestingly, I would be at 15ppm at week's end. Plants use quite a bit of K.

[Mmiller2001]

On 4/3/2023 at 8:36 AM, evonner said:

I do have some plants showing a potassium deficiency and am going to purchase a potassium supplement. I am going to take @Mmiller2001 advice and also @Milliardo Peacecraft advice she gave me in private conversation. She also gave me a lead to a company in the Netherlands that has a freshwater test. I emailed them to see who their suppliers are. If that turns out to be a dud then I will inquire about becoming a USA retailer of their product as I have a business and a seller's permit but it has to cost effect for all.

Here's what I use.

https://greenleafaquariums.com/products/potassium-sulfate-k2so4-1lb-jar.html

[rockfisher]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:43 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

@rockfisher is correct, K can be heavily dosed without consequences. It's the most forgiving of the Macro elements. I've gone as high as 35ppm. Interestingly, I would be at 15ppm at week's end. Plants use quite a bit of K.

I agree. I had one of those oh my gosh moments a few years ago. I used to grow grass for a living, polo, sports fields, and golf courses. It uses a ton of it. I got to wondering why I wasn’t using more that I’m getting in root tabs and in the water column. Do some research a google search produces things that said plants in aquariums don’t use much.  I’m not sure thaplants use a ton but that K is easily locked in bonds. K being a +1 bond. In soil plants that’s a big issue. K test in soil can show a good number but it’s locked in bonds already. 

On 4/3/2023 at 10:50 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

Here's what I use.

https://greenleafaquariums.com/products/potassium-sulfate-k2so4-1lb-jar.html

You posted  just as I did and it’s the same basic idea.  

[evonner]

I started doing potassium over a week ago and my anubias look so much better. Thanks. I need some advice. @rockfisher

@Mmiller2001 I'm assuming you guys are plant guru's.  So I'm going to gut my 10 gallon planted tank today. Im removing the Fluval stratum and replacing with eco-complete.  I have to carefully remove the plants. I have stems and bulbs. I would appreciate any advise you guys could shoot my way. Oh, there is no live stock in this tank so this is the time to do this, I just dont want to kill my plants. I have guppies arriving today by FedEx and they are going into my quarantine tank so I have some wiggle room to mess with my 10 gallon tank.

[Mmiller2001]

I just pull them up and try not to break the stems. They are very resilient. I will clip the roots short so replanting is easier.

[neitherman]

On 4/3/2023 at 7:43 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

@rockfisher is correct, K can be heavily dosed without consequences. It's the most forgiving of the Macro elements. I've gone as high as 35ppm. Interestingly, I would be at 15ppm at week's end. Plants use quite a bit of K.

Thanks, I learned something today! Just dumped a capful of Seachem K into my tank. Hopefully my Java Ferns appreciate it!

Edited April 12 by neitherman

[JoeQ]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:50 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

Here's what I use.

https://greenleafaquariums.com/products/potassium-sulfate-k2so4-1lb-jar.html

Don't be afraid of using Dry Fertz, it is a bit intimidating at first, but it's incredibly easy with sites like rotalabutterfly.com who calculate amounts needed to make solutions or add the  dry chemicals to the tank by itself.