AquaVitro Activate

• 6,000 mg/L phosphorus, 8,800 mg/L potassium - a concentrated liquid made from potassium salts of various phosphates, so a small dose moves the tank's phosphate reading measurably.
• Dosed against a stated tank volume, not guessed - 5 mL treats 680 L, raising phosphate by 0.15 mg/L and potassium by 0.06 mg/L per dose.
• Pairs with synthesis nitrogen supplement - dosed in equal amounts the two land close to a 5:1 nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio, the balance most planted tanks target.
• Under 1c per litre of tank water dosed - see the cost breakdown below.
• Marked pipette included - the bulb base holds a 1 mL mark for dosing smaller tanks accurately.

Because Activate is dosed against a stated tank volume rather than mixed into a fixed batch, the "yield" of a bottle is the number of 5 mL doses it holds multiplied by the 680 L each dose covers.

Both sizes land under a cent per litre, and the 150 mL bottle is marginally the cheaper of the two per litre dosed - the 350 mL costs proportionally more per millilitre, so buy the larger size for convenience and fewer reorders, not because it stretches further per litre.

Dose 5 mL per 680 L of tank water, twice a week or as needed based on plant growth and phosphate test readings. Use the marked pipette at the bulb base for doses under 5 mL in smaller tanks. For balanced growth, dose alongside a nitrogen supplement in roughly equal amounts, which lands close to the 5:1 nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio most planted tanks run on.

Suitable for: freshwater planted aquariums running a full fertiliser programme, where phosphorus is confirmed to be the limiting nutrient by a test kit or by growth that has stalled despite adequate light, CO2 and nitrogen.

Not suitable for: tanks that are already testing high for phosphate, or fish-only and reef systems where added phosphate is a liability rather than a benefit - excess phosphate is a leading driver of nuisance algae and, in reef tanks, suppresses coral calcification.

Test phosphate before increasing the dose beyond the stated rate. Because the effect per dose is small and deliberate, overdosing is the more likely failure mode with a concentrated product like this - more is not simply better, and pushing phosphate up faster than plants can use it is what feeds algae instead.

• AquaVitro Carbonate - KH buffering for the same planted tank, dosed on its own schedule.
• Seachem Prime - dechlorinates tap water at every water change, independent of the fertiliser dosing above.
• API Freshwater Master Multi Test Kit 5 in 1 - to confirm phosphate is actually the limiting nutrient before dosing.

As a consumable liquid additive, Activate is not covered by a manufacturer warranty term in the usual sense; your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply to any product that is faulty or not as described. It is not a dangerous good or oversized item and ships as standard parcel freight.

Will Activate cause an algae bloom?

Dosed at the stated rate it is designed not to - the dose is calibrated to move phosphate by a small, deliberate amount rather than push it to excess. Algae risk comes from overdosing relative to what the plants are using, not from the product itself.

Can I use Activate in a reef or fish-only marine tank?

It is formulated and dosed for the freshwater planted aquarium. Adding phosphate deliberately to a reef system works against coral health and is not what this product is for.

How do I know if my tank needs it?

Test for phosphate. If it reads at or near zero and plant growth has stalled despite good light and CO2, phosphorus is a likely limiting nutrient.

What's the difference between the 150 mL and 350 mL bottle on a cost basis?

Both work out to under a cent per litre of tank water dosed. The 150 mL bottle is marginally cheaper per litre; the 350 mL is worth buying for fewer reorders on a larger planted collection, not for a lower unit cost.