# Mixing micro and macro.



## Tommy72a (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi all, looking for an advise here.

I will going away for 4 days and I wanted to keep up with my daily plant dosing. Currently I'm dosing PPS-pro style and its working well for me. I have an automatic doser that I would like to try out while I'm away but here is a question. Can I mix micro and macro solutions? My unit can only draw from one hopper. I have been reading in various sites that its not such a great idea as iron may react with macro.

It's only for 4 days and I'm thinking I can get away with it. I'm going to be placing 4-5 days worth of premixed (were mixed separately) macro and micro from a light proof hopper.

Anyone tried mixing similar quantity of these solutions?

Info: my macro solution mix is kno3, kh2po4, k2so4, mgso4. Micro is plantex b trace element mix. Tank is 75 gallon. I got little bit of hair algae but I m getting it under control. Co2 injection. 54w x 4 bulbs. Once a week, I do kh2po4 boost as it bottoms out. I try to keep it 20-30 ppm no3, po4 at 1-2 ppm, co2 is around 20-30 and its on for 7 hrs. Fish will be fed via automatic feeder while I am away.

Thanks in advance,
Tommy


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## cpool (Apr 30, 2010)

From my understanding, you can mix the marco's together, but you can't mix the micro's in. One of the marco's effects the iron and makes it so plants can't use it.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I believe the iron from the plantex may react with the phosphates from the macros if I recall correctly. But what it does, and how long that'd take I don't remember.

A simple solution would be to not add the micros.


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## Tommy72a (Jan 6, 2013)

Thanks guys... I guess I better play safe and not to add Micros in the hopper. Maybe I will try doubling my micro dose just before I leave. This brings me to an another topic here.... what do you guys do when you go away? Say.. 1 week or 2 weeks?


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