[tjurhs]

Hi guys,

I'm trying to come up with a simple dosing schedule I can follow on a weekly bases w/o getting too crazy into it all. I know there is EI and PPS and others but that is waaay to deep into it for me. Anyways, here's what I've got and what I'm doing and if someone could say "ya, that makes sense" or "no, you don't want to do such-n-such"

10gal tank
9watt 5500K light 10" from water surface
13watt 6500K light 10" from water surface
6 Nerite snails and 1 Ramshorn for algae eating.

and here's my current schedule/regime. By the middle of May I will have a VERY simple and basic CO2 setup at a low level, so I'll probably need to change this then, idk

Thanks much for your help! Todd

 

[xmas_one]

IMO, what you are proposing is magnitudes more hassle than EI. Dry dose EI once a week with your water change, it's ridiculously easy/cheaper/more effective.

 

[tjurhs]

Xmas I appreciate your thoughts, but the above schedule is easy to fit within my weekly routine. I'm really hoping that this thread does not digress into use of EI or PPS or some other.

What I'd really like to know/learn if for example, "don't dose Potassium on the same day as Iron" or something like that.

btw, I do dose to the manufacturer's amounts and test the pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate twice a week

Looking forward to more thoughts....

Todd

 

[drewsuf82]

Todd its best to watch your plants. If they look happy youre doing it right. If they look unhappy discolored and have holes youre not dosing something they need.



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[Smeagol]

I don't know the chemistry behind it, but I've heard that you shouldn't dose Iron and Phosphorous at the same time, which it looks like you are doing on Tuesdays.

 

[tjurhs]

yep Drew, some of the plants look really happy and others not so much, but the ones that don't look too happy are probably not the most hardy ones to begin with, idk. so that's one reason I'm asking about the fert scheduling.
perhaps I'm over-dosing???

I can easily swap the phosphorous and potassium days, thanks!

the reason the tank gets "a day off" on Saturday is because on Sunday I will do a water change. so how does this "new schedule" look?

ps. once I empty out the ferts I already have, I will probably adopt a dry fert mix, using what I have right now (that I bought from my LFS) will give me time to figure out all the other options

 

[xmas_one]

How about just dose everything right after you do your waterchange? If you're "running out" by the end of the week, then dose more. I've never seen/heard any conclusive proof that dosing smaller doses multiple times throughout the week is advantageous to just dosing in excess once a week. Not trying to create a debate, just trying to point you in the easier direction.

 

[tjurhs]

Xmas, thanks so much for your thoughts!

I wouldn't have thought of that on my own, but that would be far easier!

So my question to this approach would be (and I'm completly new to all this, so my thoughts have no biologial/scientific or empirical basis) would that not "shock" the plants and the snails (there is no other livestock in the tank)?

thanks again for your help, Todd

 

[jbig]

I don't know the chemistry behind it, but I've heard that you shouldn't dose Iron and Phosphorous at the same time, which it looks like you are doing on Tuesdays.

+ 1

I also don't know the exact chemistry behind it, but i believe from what i've read, potassium allows plants to absorb iron much easier, and phosphorus does the opposite. Even so, i dose my K, P, Excel on the same days, Fe and Trace on a different day.

 

[roadmaster]

I see no KNO3 (nitrogen). It is needed macro nutrient.

 

[xmas_one]

Xmas, thanks so much for your thoughts!

I wouldn't have thought of that on my own, but that would be far easier!

So my question to this approach would be (and I'm completly new to all this, so my thoughts have no biologial/scientific or empirical basis) would that not "shock" the plants and the snails (there is no other livestock in the tank)?

thanks again for your help, Todd

Even with dry dosing (much stronger ferts than what you are using), you would REALLY have to overdo it to hurt your livestock.

The concept of always having an abundance of ferts is pretty much the foundation of EI.

By keeping fert levels high, you know that you are not lacking in any fert, so the only other variables are really just light and co2.

A simple relationship between the three is a good rule to use: Always have more ferts than you have CO2, and always have more CO2 than you have light.

FERTS>CO2>LIGHT

Feel free to shoot me a PM on it, I'd be glad to help you out with any questions on EI style dosing, it's really simple.

 

[Raymond S.]

With the EI dosing they dose the Macros on a different day from the Micros because
of that thing where it is said that one of the Macros can interfear/w the iron which usally goes/w the Micros. And BTW the Comprehensive is a Micro.
I think that if you look at a list of components you will find that the trace has the same as the Comprehensive, but one may have one or two additional things in it.
And the Phosphorus can be overdosed so be careful on that one.
I'm thinking you have liquid so this might help you.
http://www.fishfriend.com/fertfriend.html
I have a bit of an odd dosing schedule also and often run into difficulty getting
the point across to "others" that I need help with what I have, as in is it correct etc.
Not really so much about why I do, but what goes with what...
If there is any such thing, I want fat full plants without fast growth. Can't tell ou how
many times I've been told I need to get injected CO2 "or at least DIY" when I
double dose Excel in my 10g along/w a light version of EI that I dose the Macros
once after WC and the next day I dose the Micros once and that is it for the week
except for the daily Excel.
You could acomplish it in two days a week/w the iron on a different day from the Phosphorus(just to be sure about that issue) but there is also good advise in what
drewsuf82 said. I think it's going to be rare that 100% of the plants do great as all
may not like the combo of light/ferts we have.

 

[tjurhs]

Raymond, that's a nice link to FishFriend and plenty of other info in your post

 

[tjurhs]

Does this schedule make sense from a plant perspective?

Listening to what all you all are saying and what would be easy on my schedule, this would work well for me, but what about the plants?

I really appreciate all your guy's help. If there are more changes that I should make, PLEASE let me know!

Thanks so much, Todd

 

[jrman83]

Forget EI or PPS, that is just the moethod of dosing - which by the way you are trying to emulate it. Just use powdered ferts. These bottles cost minimum of $12 ea, more if Excel. Powdered ferts of the same nutrient cost around $3 per pound. A pound would last you 4-5yrs.

If I remember, you were the one wanting a budget CO2 build (if not you, disregard) but are willing to drop all this dough on the bottle of water, with the same powdered fert added to them and shaken? I guess I don't understand the logic.

To each his own I guess. It is all about taking the leap!

 

[roadmaster]

Forget EI or PPS, that is just the moethod of dosing - which by the way you are trying to emulate it. Just use powdered ferts. These bottles cost minimum of $12 ea, more if Excel. Powdered ferts of the same nutrient cost around $3 per pound. A pound would last you 4-5yrs.

If I remember, you were the one wanting a budget CO2 build (if not you, disregard) but are willing to drop all this dough on the bottle of water, with the same powdered fert added to them and shaken? I guess I don't understand the logic.

To each his own I guess. It is all about taking the leap!

OP wishes to use up what liquid they have, and then is considering going with dry fertz according to info in previous post's.

 

[jrman83]

I see, thanks.

 

[buckwheet]

OP wishes to use up what liquid they have, and then is considering going with dry fertz according to info in previous post's.

lol, i'm in the same boat. have all the seachem bottles and just need to run them out.
then it's over to EI.

http://www.seachem.com/support/PlantDoseChart.pdf


been at this Schedule 6 mo, seems to mimic the Macros on a different day from the Micros EI dosing.
other the PRICE it works very well for me.