Monday, October 13, 2008

Confuse on Fertilizer Dossing? Try EI

Been wondering how much fertilizer should be dose in the tank? Try Estimative Index.

It was developed by Tom Barr (if not mistaken), basically it simply provide the plants with excess amount of nutrients throughout the week. With this method you do not need measuring equipment or test kits. It was mention that based on the experiment excess nutrients does not cause algae issues (except for Amonium/NH4+). Algae issue mostly due to plant deficiencies. Most algae issue face by aquarists are due to CO2 and water flow (water flow carry CO2 around).

Primary fertilizer are Macro nutrients (N, P and K), Micro nutrients (trace elements) and Iron (if necessary). 50% water change at the end of the week is necessary to remove excess nutrients and reset water parameter.


The weekly target ranges are:
NO3 range 10-30 ppm
K+ range 10-30 ppm
PO4 range 1-2 ppm
Fe range 0.2-0.5 ppm or higher

General dossing for 40-60 gallon, high light (>3w/gal), 25-35ppm of CO2 and well planted aquarium:
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 3/4 tsp GH booster once a week (water change only)
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

My fertilizer mix formula:

30 teaspoon or 10 tablespoon of KNO3 mix with 1000 ml of water

5 teaspoon of KH2PO4 mix with 1000 ml of water


Dossing example for my 1ft, 1.5ft, 2ft and 3ft, 30 ppm CO2 and high light:


WARNING!!! it may not suitable for shrimps tank, although I never have problem with my normal grade CRS. However, I heard those King Kong or Pure Red Line are more sensitive.

Full Estimate Index article can be found here

Usefull fetilizer calculator can be find from Fertilator, FertFriend, Chuck's Calculator and recently I add calculator on this blog as well

23 comments:

  1. Hi Robert, great site here!!

    I would just like to clarify, on the weekly target range specified. For the CO2 range, it's stated as 25-35 ppm /week. Shouldn't it be 25-35 ppm constantly (during photoperiod)?

    Regards,
    Steve

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  2. lol... sorry, you are right it is typo... :p

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  3. Thanks Appreciate it :). May I know if the GH booster/Trace element you are using a commercial product or its a mixture? I would like to try EI too.

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  4. I'm using Seachem equilibrium, as for dose, Just follow the instruction written on the bottle.

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  5. For pre mix the dry fert with water, any issues keeping it for long? Like will it go bad?

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  6. It should last very long. The longest I ever keep is 6 months.

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  7. any update on the dosing chart ? since kno3 have been banned

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    Replies
    1. Guilty as charge, I've been too lazy to edit. You can use CaNO3 and use the calculator to find your ppm

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  8. Hi, can i know where to get KNO3, KH2PO4, iron and trace? and how do you measure it? by using teaspoon?

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    Replies
    1. It depend which country you are from. KNO3 is control item in Singapore, need license to purchase it. You can get KH2PO4 from NA. I'm using Seachem for Iron and Trace. Initially I'm using teaspoon to measure, it is an ESTIMATE index... no need to be accurate, just estimate will do.

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  9. He your scapes are amazing I'm dosing the El on my 6ft heavy lights co2 2 bps and cannot get any thing to carpet you have any suggestions?

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    Replies
    1. err... depend on the plants. What plant that you try to carpet? Also depend on the light, carpet plants normally require more intense light. Lastly how deep is your tank?

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  10. hi robert

    I hv 322 tank and trying to carpet jhg and stem plants behind but seems like the stem plants are dying off at the bottom. I hv 6 tubes of 39w T5 and yet may not be enough due to the tank height of 2ft.

    I am thinking to try EI but where do I get all these dry ferts and how much to dose ? thanks

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    Replies
    1. What plant species is that? how many time have you trim?

      You can get dry fertilizer from Hydroponic shop

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. Hi, just wanted to check if you replace KNO3 with CaNO3, are you dosing something else to top up for K ?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Robert,

      Understand K2SO4 is for K, but noticed that it is not included in your EI dosing schedule. Any reason?

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    2. If you dose KNO3, you do not need to dose additional K. There is enough K from KNO3.

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  13. regarding the fe , there are many types like rexolin apn,co,zn ,mn and cu , which one to get and how to dose ?

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    Replies
    1. Seachem Iron and sometime ADA ECA, I don't think it is really matter which brand.

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  14. Hi Robert, I want to dose dry fert instead of pre mix them with DI water, basically CaNO3, KH2PO4 & K2SO4 for NPK.
    Can I mix them together in containers? Coz am thinking of preparing the amount in advance and store them in small containers, so that I just dose them into my tank on the required days. So will it have any issue with mixing all 3 powders together? Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. You cannot mix Ca(NO3)2 with K2SO4. Well actually can but you will end up with KNO3 and CaSO4

      K2SO4 + Ca(NO3)2 -> 2KN)3 + CaSO4

      CaSO4 is insoluble and will precipitate

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