Basic parameters of aquatic environment and their effect on plants — from acidity indicators to water hardness with practical value ranges.
Anions
Negatively charged ions in water: NO3⁻ (nitrate), PO4³⁻ (phosphate), SO4²⁻ (sulfate), Cl⁻ (chloride).
Cations
Positively charged ions: Ca²⁺ (calcium), Mg²⁺ (magnesium), K⁺ (potassium), Na⁺ (sodium), Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ (iron).
Substance Concentration
Quantitative measure of dissolved substance content per unit volume of solution. In aquaristics measured in milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm).
Element Accumulation in Aquarium
Function for tracking nutrient concentration accounting for regular fertilizer dosing and water changes.
Equilibrium State
Dynamic state of aquarium ecosystem where nutrient input is balanced with their consumption by plants and removal during water changes. In an equilibrium aquarium, element concentrations remain stable with regular fertilizer dosing. Achieving equilibrium is a key goal when setting up a dosing system in Samomes. Usually established after 2-4 weeks of regular fertilizer dosing.
Substance Solubility
Maximum amount of substance that can dissolve in a specific volume of solvent at a given temperature before forming a saturated solution. Expressed in grams of substance per 100 mL of water. Affects solution stability during storage and dissolution rate in aquarium. For example, KNO3 has solubility of 31.6 g/100 mL at 20°C, allowing creation of highly concentrated solutions, while CaSO4 - only 0.24 g/100 mL, requiring special approach when using.
Specific Concentration
Amount of active substance (in mg/L) that 1 mL of fertilizer provides in a given water volume. Key parameter for dosage calculations.
GH (General Hardness)
Content of calcium and magnesium salts in water. Measured in degrees of hardness (°dGH). Optimal: 4-12°dGH.
KH (Carbonate Hardness)
Buffer capacity of water determining pH stability. Measured in degrees (°dKH). Optimal: 3-8°dKH.
pH (Water Acidity)
Indicator of acid-base balance of water. Optimal values for most plants: 6.0-7.5.
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)
Total content of dissolved substances in water, measured in ppm (parts per million).