Is this EI - or just haphazard dosing?

[mindfestival]

Hi all,

In reference to my high tech, somwhat high light 95g.

I did not conduct my last water change for about 2 weeks, maybe more.

Although I am not dosing ferts daily, I have a dosing regime that is not really structured.

I use Seachem Iron and Potassium, and I also have a pre mix Macro and Micro.

After a water change i may dose a couple capfuls of Iron, then the following day I will dose a couple capfuls of P.

After a few days, I may dose my Macro and Micro in the same day, reaching the end of the week.

This more or less repeats itself, and not nessesarily in that order for the following week.

I suppose I have two questions here, if my nutrients are being consumed regularly, and I am not overdosing, then what benefit is the large weekly volume water change. (In reference to ferts only) ie, I do not need to reset the system, rather than maintain the water quality.

Second, if there were deficiencies, I would expect growth to slow, and the plants to start telltale signs, instead of algae (of which i have no problem)

Is this always the case?

I appriciate the broadness of my question.

[Diana]

If you have found a system that works for you- dosing and water changes you can keep up with and a happy tank- who cares what it is called?
I started doing the EI recipe, and have changed how I do it to suit my tanks and my schedule. I may have changed it so much that it is not called EI any more.

When do you start calling your system by a certain name, and when is that name no longer applicable?
I think it is results that count.

[PlantedRich]

I totally agree with Diana on this. All the things we read for folks to follow should always come with the warning that results will vary. If we all had the same water, tanks, plants and fish and fed the same food in the same way, there might be a workable rule but then we don't do that do we? We all would be better served if they told us we would have to adjust things as we need.

[plantbrain]

Ferts should be pretty flexible over a wide range, most plant folks place too much importance on the specifics. Many assume that it leads to algae and horrors of the 5th Level of Hell.

Even folks who should know better.....still promote this.

As long as you are slightly consistent and add something, relatively consistently..........you should be fine in many cases.

If you have a very high light CO2 tank, less so, if you have a lower light or non CO2, the flexibility increases.

Without realizing what other factors are involved...and having only done one or two different light/CO2 combos....many simply lack a global view of the various methods. Which is understandable.............but leads to various odd advice.

All methods grow plants, the question is, at what rate of growth?

Then answer lies in this article:
http://www.tropica.com/en/tropica-ab...and-light.aspx

You can see every combo of CO2 and light, there is still some positive plant growth, the difference is that growth rate changes 17X depending on which method is used.

So you may have a difference of 20X with various rates of uptake for planted tanks.

So some tanks might do well without any dosing other than fish waste, whereas others need dosed maybe 2-3x a week.

[tatersalad]

I agree with Tom, consistency is pretty dang important.