Dosed EI, but now switching to slow growing plants

[Atl300zx]

I always dosed the EI method, but now am tired of the 2x weekly trimmings needed on the stem plants to keep them looking good.

I switched my tank over to more slow growth plants to avoid this. I now have only java ferns (regular, narrow leaf, and lace), anubias, crypts, and some swords.

It still has 260 watts CF over 55 Gallon w/ pressurized co2. Should I keep dosing the same amount of fertilizers or should i dose less since less will be consumed by the slow growing plants?

I don't want to over fertilize, but i have been having a problem with Green Spot Algae (GSA) so I'm thinking i might need to boost Phosphates anyways.

Any comments will be appreciated.

I am currently dosing as follows

MWF Macros (1/2 tsp KNO3, 1/8 tsp K2S04, 1/8 tsp KH2P04)
TuThSa Micros (1/8 tsp CSM+B)
Water Changes Mondays (1 capful Prime into tank after water change, 1.5 tsp baking soda, 10 gram Grumpy's GH Booster)

TIA

Jimmy

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Jimmy
I use the EI method and I was also tired of always trimming stem plants. I kept the stem plants and the same light and I have pressurized CO2 but I decided to fertilize twice a week (both macros and micros) and see what that did. The stem plants didn't really grow any slower but overall the tank still looked healthy and I had no algae outbreaks. My crypts, under medium-high light and CO2, grew very well. One crypt turned into about 5 within a year. I think you could try fertilizing with the same amounts twice a week. Test to make sure your nitrates are not bottoming out. You do have higher light than I do and that still may drive the need for fertilization at the same level as before. If the nitrate bottoms out and you get more green spot algae then you may have to dose the way you were dosing before removing the stem plants. The sword plants and crypts will benefit from root tabs as you probably know.

I have noticed that my anubias plants like supplemental iron. One anubias in particular had new growth tipped in brown when I discontinued supplemental iron dosing. I thought the Seachem Comprehensive had enough iron in it and I was trying to save steps by eliminating the additional iron dose. I then went back to the iron dosing, along with the Comprehensive, and all the new growth on the anubias looks fine. I dosed additional iron at 5 drops per 10 gallons. You use a different micro fert than I do so maybe your mix has a bit more iron than mine.