Link IFC Aquarium Fertilizer Calculator

[Hanuman]

This thread is for the general discussion of the link IFC Aquarium Fertilizer Calculator. Please add to the discussion here.

How to use: When opening the file everything should be self-explanatory. You will land on the 'Home' sheet. Follow from there. We highly suggest you read the quick Guide (a link is provided in the Home sheet when you open the file) so you understand the purpose of each of the sheets in the file. Once you have done that, and before you start playing the mad scientist, we suggest that you go through the CoreSetting sheet as it will allow you fine tune the backend to your specific situation/needs. This is not per-say a requirement and you can always do this anytime but it will allow you to get better acquainted with things. Once you have done that, you can go to the Tank&Dosing sheet. That's where you will start your journey in creating your fertilizer.

All sheets will have the following icons on the top left. Some will have less, some will have more depending on which sheet you are on.


These are simply shortcuts to other sheets for your convenience. However you can also go from one sheet to another using the traditional Excel tabs at the bottom of Excel as shown below.


Please read the following important technical notes:

• The calculator is Excel-based and there is no MACRO/VBA involved. This was done on purpose to minimize any potential security risks.
• Compatible with Excel 365 for Windows and Mac. Should also work fine with Excel 2016 and Excel 2019. For Excel 2010 and 2013 our initial tests show it works fine but we did not fully test under those versions. In terms of visuals, things might also slightly differ from the intended look. Below those versions (i.e Excel 2007 or lower), the calculator will definitely not work as intended and we will not support if run under those versions).
• File will definitely not work as intended with free and open-source office suite like LibreOffice or under Linux and Co.
• Under Excel Online things don't look as intended. Some people report that calculations are fine but I never really took the time to fully debug it under Excel Online. Maybe one day I will.
• If you feel you screwed up something with the file or your Excel crashed unexpectedly it might be worth making a fresh download.
• Although the user has the option to select between metric and imperial units in the CoreSettings sheet, all user input NEEDS to be done in metric units. Why? Because the imperial units are only there to provide visual guidance.
• Finally, we provide the ability to chose between several currencies. However all prices currently in the calculator are expressed in British Pound sterling (GBP). If you want to change to another currency you will need to convert the prices yourself in the CoreSettings sheet where all the chemical compound prices can be updated at will.

Enjoy.

@Zeus. & @Hanuman

 

[Phish Tank]

I am much enamored with this calculator. I love it!

One thing I did stumble across that I didn't quite catch until I was remineralizing yesterday was that the "Calcium Chloride Di." on the remin tab was not the same as what I am using "Calcium Chloride" (I had a small bottle of pickle crisp lying around and so I've been using that). The non dihydrate form adds roughly 3x the calcium per gram (based on rotala butterfly, which has both CaCl2 and CaCl2.2H20), so I ended up adding much more calcium than intended to my tank. Luckily I could tell something was off when I was adding it, so I didn't add the full dose.

I don't know how often you update IFC (because I can tell you've already sunk a ton of time into it!), but maybe in the next version you could either make the Calcium chloride type stand out a little more (or even add the non dehydrate form as another choice).

Thanks a lot for making the calculator, it has been really helpful in helping me mix my own ferts.

 

[Hanuman]

I am much enamored with this calculator. I love it!

Thanks a lot for making the calculator, it has been really helpful in helping me mix my own ferts.

Glad you like it!

One thing I did stumble across that I didn't quite catch until I was remineralizing yesterday was that the "Calcium Chloride Di." on the remin tab was not the same as what I am using "Calcium Chloride" (I had a small bottle of pickle crisp lying around and so I've been using that). The non dihydrate form adds roughly 3x the calcium per gram (based on rotala butterfly, which has both CaCl2 and CaCl2.2H20), so I ended up adding much more calcium than intended to my tank. Luckily I could tell something was off when I was adding it, so I didn't add the full dose.

I don't know how often you update IFC (because I can tell you've already sunk a ton of time into it!), but maybe in the next version you could either make the Calcium chloride type stand out a little more (or even add the non dehydrate form as another choice).

That feature is already part of the calculator. "Calcium Chloride Di" as shown in the calculator is exactly that: Calcium Chloride Dihydrate (CaCl₂·2H₂O). Calcium Chloride is CaCl₂ (anhydrous form).

You might want to check the CoreSettings tab in the calculator. Since not everyone uses the same hydrates, we made it a point early on to include the option to choose the specific hydrate you're working with. This applies to magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and potassium phosphate (K₃PO₄). Simply select the form of calcium you have on hand, and the calculator will adjust the calculations accordingly.

That said, using the anhydrous form of calcium chloride (CaCl₂), as you're currently doing, wouldn’t be my first choice. The anhydrous form is highly hygroscopic and deliquescent, meaning it aggressively absorbs moisture from the air and can eventually dissolve into a liquid brine. The dihydrate form (CaCl₂·2H₂O) is also hygroscopic, but to a lesser extent, making it easier to handle and more stable for typical use.

Annecdote: I once forgot a ziplock bag of calcium chloride I had set aside—left it sitting undisturbed for over a year. One day, while reorganizing some stuff, I came across the bag and was puzzled to find the content was a liquid. For a moment, I couldn’t figure out what it was or how water had gotten in. Then it hit me—the calcium chloride had absorbed so much moisture from the air that it had completely liquefied into a brine. A perfect (and messy) reminder of just how deliquescent it really is!

 

[Phish Tank]

@Hanuman cool, I'll make that tweak, and thanks for the warning on the CaCl2, when I run out of my picklecrisp, I'll purchase the less goopy variety.

And thanks again for the calculator, now that I have it set up, it will make and fert changes I decide to make much easier.