Tap Water Provide Sufficient Nutrients?

[JaredL]

I have been looking at my local water quality report, and was curious how I need to adjust my fertilizer dosing based on these numbers so I don't have an imbalance from dosing excess of specific macros or micros. I'm currently alternating Flourish and Easy-Green. I'm using Easy-Green cause I like the higher Potassium, and Flourish cause it has less Nitrates and Phosphates. But I'd like to get away from "all-in-ones" and utilize more of what is already in my water from the tap.

I inject co2(not trying to hit 30ppm, but enough to make a difference) and use a Finnex Planted+ 24/7 HLC.

Edited March 21, 2021 by JaredL

[Mmiller2001]

If you want to maximize savings and dosing accuracy, then buy dry fertilizers. Test all parameters after a water change. Then test again before your next water change interval. Then only dose the amounts your tank consumes. 

Or learn Estimative Index dosing and PPS Pro. ADA has a working strategy as well.

[JaredL]

1 hour ago, Mmiller2001 said:

If you want to maximize savings and dosing accuracy, then buy dry fertilizers. Test all parameters after a water change. Then test again before your next water change interval. Then only dose the amounts your tank consumes. 

Or learn Estimative Index dosing and PPS Pro. ADA has a working strategy as well.

I appreciate your response, but I don't think it really addresses my question.

I don't know of any consumer grade test kits that analyze water to the degree I would need. If I can test for all my macros and micros, then your correct, that would be an easy way to identify my excesses and deficiencies.

My issue isn't with cost, it's about excess nutrients in my tank.

EI dosing is for removing excess nutrients in the tank. But if I'm using my tap water that may already have sufficient nutrients and dosing nutrients on top of that, doesn't that defeat the purpose?

I guess I just don't know how to estimate how much and how fast plants will consume specific nutrients without waiting for symptoms of deficiencies to present themselves.

[Mmiller2001]

5 minutes ago, JaredL said:

I appreciate your response, but I don't think it really addresses my question.

I don't know of any consumer grade test kits that analyze water to the degree I would need. If I can test for all my macros and micros, then your correct, that would be an easy way to identify my excesses and deficiencies.

My issue isn't with cost, it's about excess nutrients in my tank.

EI dosing is for removing excess nutrients in the tank. But if I'm using my tap water that may already have sufficient nutrients and dosing nutrients on top of that, doesn't that defeat the purpose?

I guess I just don't know how to estimate how much and how fast plants will consume specific nutrients without waiting for symptoms of deficiencies to present themselves.

You would test the levels of macros and micros in your tank after a water change. Then before your next water change, test them again. The difference in the 2 tests is what you would dose. So if you had 20ppm Nitrates, then after a week you had 10ppm Nitrates, you would only dose 10ppm Nitrates. Yes, they make tests for Macros and Micros. If you had 30ppm Nitrates, and later had 30ppm Nitrates, you would not dose Nitrates and so on.