EI dosing

I’m thinking of starting EI dosing but I don’t want to do 50% water changes every week, as it’s a 300L tank so im thinking of halving the dosing and doing 25% water changes
Dose anyone know if this would work and if it would where is the best place to get the powders?

LB

I don't know if reducing the dosing will work with a 25% water change, I'm no expert. Try to pm zig, he's the expert. If you change water with buckets and that's the reason you don't want to do large water changes, u could try a python water changer. That's what I use. I bought it here .

What I do know is where to get the fertilisers:
Nitrate and Phosphate here
Magnesium (Magnesium Sulfate/Epsom Salts) here and Local Pharmacy
Potassium (Potassium Sulfate/Sulfate of potash) here and local garden centre, B&Q, Woodies

Trace mix here

Ted thanks for the info ill start working out a shopping list
I made my own python last week and it works great
The reason I don’t want to do 50% water changes is because my tank is 300L and the water from the tap is near freezing at this time of year
So it would take hours to refill the tank without the temp dropping more than a couple of degrees

LB

LimerickBandit wrote:

Ted thanks for the info ill start working out a shopping list
I made my own python last week and it works great
The reason I don’t want to do 50% water changes is because my tank is 300L and the water from the tap is near freezing at this time of year
So it would take hours to refill the tank without the temp dropping more than a couple of degrees

LB

I'm really thinking of going with lean dosing because of the 50% water changes and trying to maintain 30ppm CO2. I have to mix a lot of hot water to equalise the new water with the tank water. A REAL PAIN!!! Especially with the cold weather of late. The constant trimming of plants every week.... PAIN

Ted, when you say lean dosing do you mean something like what im thinking of doing? Half dose 25% water change, healthy plants but not growing so fast that it’s a full time job to keep them in check?

LB

Yes, It just takes up too much time. If I was to trim the plants and do the water change in one go it takes 4-5 hours. Every week

I know what you mean I spent 6 hours on my tank 1 evening last week and didn’t even get time for a water change that took another 3 hours the following day

LB

ted30 wrote:

Nitrate and Phosphate here
Magnesium (Magnesium Sulfate/Epsom Salts) here and Local Pharmacy
Potassium (Potassium Sulfate/Sulfate of potash) here and local garden centre, B&Q, Woodies

Trace mix here

Of these powders should I go for the large or small amounts of them?
I’m sure some powders are used up quicker than others and the site sells them in 100,250 & 500g amounts (larger will work out cheaper in the long run

Thanks for the help

LB

lb

read this, its a good guide and a good read
www.ukaps.org/EI.htm

you will see by the guide
what amounts you will use of which

rgds

4

Thanks 4 I have read that article a few times and I think all the other ones on the net and im still not sure so I decided to start with Trace elements

From www.aquaessentials.co.uk (thanks for the info Ted)


250g of Trace Elements mix €22.37

Traces, 15g makes 16 doses
250g = 256 doses
3 doses a week = 85 weeks

So if my calculations are right and they may not be I think this will cover basic fertilization for the next year? I will wait and see if I get results from the trace elements first . What would be the next important thing to add?

LB

LimerickBandit wrote:

Thanks 4 I have read that article a few times and I think all the other ones on the net and im still not sure so I decided to start with Trace elements

From www.aquaessentials.co.uk (thanks for the info Ted)


250g of Trace Elements mix €22.37

Traces, 15g makes 16 doses
250g = 256 doses
3 doses a week = 85 weeks

So if my calculations are right and they may not be I think this will cover basic fertilization for the next year? I will wait and see if I get results from the trace elements first . What would be the next important thing to add?

LB

I bought 250g trace elements mix and it lasted me about a year for my 240litre tank. I dose about the same amount of potassium phosphate as the trace, so 250g of that will do ya a year. Potassium Nitrate is needed in large quantities so get as much as you can afford. You can get large amounts of potassium Sulfate from B&Q, Woodies, garden centers that will last years. Magnesium Sulfate depends on your water chemistry. If your water is soft you'll need large amounts of it. If your water is hard you'll not need much magnesium sulfate, if any. I forgot to mention Calcium as well if your water is soft. Dose that in tandem with magnesium.

Thanks ted

I just ordered

Potassium phosphate 250g
Potassium Nitrate 1kg

Total 38 euro

I will get the potassium Sulfate from a diy place
My water is on the hard side so I won’t worry about the Magnesium Sulfate or Calcium for now

LB

Just to clarify, even if you have hard water it may be low in magnesium and high in calcium. So I'd dose Magnesium just to be sure. Unless you can get a water report about your tap water detailing the levels of magnesium. I don't know the levels in my tap water so I dose magnesium just to be sure.

ted30 wrote:

Just to clarify, even if you have hard water it may be low in magnesium and high in calcium. So I'd dose Magnesium just to be sure. Unless you can get a water report about your tap water detailing the levels of magnesium. I don't know the levels in my tap water so I dose magnesium just to be sure.

So would you say that the calcium should be there but not the magnesium ted?

Thanks
LB

Good luck with this LB are you going with the lesser water changes..?

Unless you can get a water report about your tap water detailing the levels of magnesium

ted30- My water comes from a well which is run by the local Group water scheme,would they have this information or would you have to get it tested yourself by a lab..????
Lar

cardinal wrote:

Good luck with this LB are you going with the lesser water changes..?

Thanks Lar

My water changes will be 33% per week 100L from a 300L tank and I will see how I go from there
So I will probably update my tank rebuild thread from there and see if I can get dry powders to work

LB

LimerickBandit wrote:

So would you say that the calcium should be there but not the magnesium ted?

Thanks
LB

Yes in hard water. You **MIGHT** have enough Magnesium but it does no harm to slightly overdose if your not sure of the levels in your water.

cardinal wrote:

ted30- My water comes from a well which is run by the local Group water scheme,would they have this information or would you have to get it tested yourself by a lab..????
Lar

Who ever tests the water might know that info. If they have contact details get on to them.