E.I. scares me...I hope I'm doing this right

[maxwell1295]

I've started using the EI method for dosing my 46G and 7G tanks. The 46G is at home where my PO4 level is already 2ppm from the tap. It was suggested to me that I dose PO4 anyway so that is what I've been doing. The 7G is at work where the water measures 1ppm from the tap.

After my 50% PWC and dosing on Sunday, PO4 the 46G is ~4ppm (between 2ppm and 5ppm, but closer to 4 than 3). They tested the same last night, and this was before I dosed more PO4. 8O My guess is that I am well over 5ppm at this point. I'll test it again when I get home tonight. One thing that does seem to be happening is that my nitrates are getting used up a lot faster than they did when I wasn't dosing PO4 at all. I guess this means I will have to up my NO3 dosing.

Lighting is 1-96w 12000K PC and 1-96w 50/50 (3.1wpg) ....soon to be 192w 12000K (4.2wpg). DIY CO2 is right around 20-25ppm....another thing that will change with my switch to pressurized CO2. I've been using Greg Watson dry ferts with the PO4 in a solution.

I have some BBA issues, but haven't been overrun yet. A quick bleach dip worked well for the anubias that are tied to driftwood. Overall the plants seem to be okay, but some are doing better than others.

The PO4 thing kind of scares, but I will continue to do it and see what happens when I increase the lighting a bit and get a steady CO2 stream going.

 

[rich311k]

Well the fact that your nitrates are going down quicker leads me to beleive you needed the phosphates despite what the tests said. I dose 10ppm nitrate and 1 ppm phosphate every other day. I dont test anything, but KH and PH, to see how my CO2 is doing. I would probably be scared if I saw the numbers, but I don't really trust the kits anyway. So far everything is growing nicely and my fish look nice and healthy. I say just go for it for a month and see what happens. Once you get that CO2 cranked up you will be able to check that off the list of limiting factors.

 

[Zezmo]

Don't be afraid of excess nutrients. As long as they are not at toxic levels, and as long as you provide enough of all other nutrients so they are non-limiting. There is nothing to fear from dosing PO4. I was getting a little Green Spot Algae on my glass, so I bumped up the PO4. Weekly the tank gets 26.5ppm of NO3, and 4.5ppm of PO4. (approx 6:1 ratio).

I hazzard to guess that right now CO2 is your big limiter. You really want to get that up as soon as possible. Those lower CO2 levels combined with high light (over 3wpg), and EI, will lead to algae. But it will be low and fluctuating CO2 at the heart of the problem, not the light or ferts.

Part of EI, is a philosophy/theory/mantra that algae and poor plant growth are cased by limited nutrients, not excess nutrients. By dosing to EI levels (excess), and weekly resetting the system through a 50% water change. You eliminate that any nutrient is bottomed out. You then focus on maintaining CO2, and aquascaping.

 

[Jchillin]

Although I had great success with just dosing potassium, when I erred and placed a ton of plants in the tank, I had no choice. I've been doing the EI thing for the past two months and it is working beyond my expectations. I, like you, was totally frightened of providing excess nutrients because I was doing PWC's bi-weekly. Resetting the tank every week solves that issue.

 

[JRagg]

I started a pseudo EI last week and got it going full force this Monday when my CSM+B showed up (with some dosing bottles). From what I've read it's all about excess nutrients. Tom preaches that only deficiencies cause algae.

The staghorn algae in my tank already seems to be slumping down a little. I have high hopes that over the next few weeks it will go away completely.