PPS, EI or other?

[humpty]

Is one method better than the other for dosing?
What system do you all use?

I am thinking of going with a modified PPS method, in otherwords a PPS method with a weekly water change.

humpty

 

[RogerMcAllen]

What do your acronyms mean?

 

[malkore]

Never heard of PPS. EI is Tom Barr's 'Estimative Index' system. Only other acronym I've heard is PMDD - Poor Man's Dupla Drops/Dosing Drops...which I think is less popular, less effective method.

I reset with 50% changes, and use a modified EI system.

 

[humpty]

PPS is "Perpetual Preservation System" developed by some guys on APC (aquatic plant central) and can be read about here.
I have not done enough studying of it to give summary of it but it seems to be on the other end from EI. For instance EI goes with 50% water changes per week , for PPS it seems like the water changes get less and less as the chemistry of your tank become more stable.
They both seem like they arrive at the same destination but on different trains.

humpty

 

[travis simonson]

EI (Estimative Index) was developed by Tom Barr to make dosing nutrients much less complicated and works like a dream. More info here:

www.thebarrreport.com

PPS (Perpetual Preservation System) is quite a bit more complicated but works wonders. You must have accurate test kits to use it (i.e. LaMotte or Hach) and be willing to spend a lot of time working with your water parameters to do it well.

My advice, if you're a beginner, read up on Tom's EI methods and you will get a great start. It worked wonders for me. Don't think planted tanks are 'set it and forget it' systems. You will always need to perform weekly water changes and dose nutrients almost daily.

 

[sawallace]

I use a modified PPS, with weekly water changes. It's really similar to EI, but (1)you dose everyday (2) The doses are more precise. Really the idea behind EI, if I'm not mistaken of course, is that excess dosing does not cause algae. So I guess you could say I use a combination of both, because I always try to dose on the rich side.

They both work with more frequent/less frequent water changes, and if you want you can adjust the dosing with EI more precisely. I've tried both EI and PPS strictly and they are both quite flexible and they both work.

Just my 2 cents though.

 

[travis simonson]

I'm completely with you on that one SA. EI will give you a good, pain-free start and, after watching your water parameters, you will start to understand your particular tank's nutrient uptake and adjust accordingly. I use LaMotte kits for testing but have gotten so comfortable with the way my plants uptake that I test maybe once every week or two. I'm a bit lazy when it comes to testing but I dose every day - sort of my morning ritual. T-days (Tuesday and Thursday) are my trace days (how's that for a mnemonic device? )

 

[kaaikop]

T-Days I like that, Travis! I need to do the same!

 

[mattrox]

If I dosed on T-days, I'd proabably end up dosing everyday that qualifies as Today.