EI dosing, just wanna make sure I understand! - Fertilizing

dmastin · 07-03-2009, 10:38 PM

The EI dosing regime I see for 40-60 gallons is 1/2 tsp KNO3 three times a week.
When I use Chuck's Planted Aquarium Calculator and select the radio button for "add dry compound directly to tank" and enter 1.5 tsp (a weeks worth) it shows I'll be adding 22.68 ppm Nitrate (for 60g) and the suggested tank target level as 5ppm. Does all this sound correct? I plant to mix with liquid, but I was doing this a double check. Is the reason the dosed number is higher than the target number because Nitrate will be consumed throughout the week and hopefully you hover at the target level? When mixing my own would this be a reasonable starting point? Thanks in advance!

dmastin · 07-03-2009, 11:07 PM

Which should not be mixed and potassium sulfate dry?
I have Mono Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Nitrate, Postassium Sulfate, and Plantex CSM+B.
I see on Rex's Planted Tank Guide where Rex suggests doing the K2SO4 Potassium Sulfate dry. Any reason y'all know of why? Also, should I dose the Plantex CSM+B on off days of the other three to prevent iron binding?
Thanks!

Philosophos · 07-03-2009, 11:30 PM

You should learn to create your dosing levels from a piece of paper, a periodic table of elements and a calculator. Relying on calculators has caused enough headaches so far; I've spent dozens of posts helping to sort things out. It's not that they're bad tools, but I don't believe they should be used as shortcuts, or trusted over individual knowledge of the subject. Molar mass is your friend.

The chemical with the poor solubility would be the K2SO4. You can try warming up the DI water and adding the K2SO4 first.

Try to dose with a scale accurate to .1g at very worst, but preferably .01g or better. Measuring by volume has a very wide margin of error.

The level dosed should be 50% of the target per 50% column change. Maybe a little more for high demand tanks, and depending on the nutrient. The reason for this, expressed simply, is...

0ppm + 20ppm = 20ppm
20ppm - 50% (water change) + 20ppm (dosing) = 30ppm
30ppm - 50% + 20ppm = 35ppm
35ppm - 50% + 20ppm = 37.5ppm
37.5PPM - 50% + 20PPM = 38.75PPM

This keeps going until you're essentially, though never mathematically at 40ppm. EI works on this sort of algorithm, and it can be bent in many different ways. I do 2x 30% WC/week which is a 51% cumulative change (100%-30%-30% = 49)

If you have any questions, let me know. I spend a lot of time playing with fert calculations; it's a part of the hobby I enjoy.

-Philosophos

dmastin · 07-03-2009, 11:56 PM

Hey thanks. I certainly have my piece of paper and calculator going!

Rex suggests this for CSM would this sound about right for CSM+B as well?
For Plantex CSM mix 1 tablespoon or three teaspoons into 250 ml of water and dose 4 ml of this solution 3 times a week into 10 gallons of water. You can go higher or lower than this dose based on the observation of your aquarium.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosophos

You should learn to create your dosing levels from a piece of paper, a periodic table of elements and a calculator. Relying on calculators has caused enough headaches so far; I've spent dozens of posts helping to sort things out. It's not that they're bad tools, but I don't believe they should be used as shortcuts, or trusted over individual knowledge of the subject. Molar mass is your friend.

The chemical with the poor solubility would be the K2SO4. You can try warming up the DI water and adding the K2SO4 first.

Try to dose with a scale accurate to .1g at very worst, but preferably .01g or better. Measuring by volume has a very wide margin of error.

The level dosed should be 50% of the target per 50% column change. Maybe a little more for high demand tanks, and depending on the nutrient. The reason for this, expressed simply, is...

0ppm + 20ppm = 20ppm
20ppm - 50% (water change) + 20ppm (dosing) = 30ppm
30ppm - 50% + 20ppm = 35ppm
35ppm - 50% + 20ppm = 37.5ppm
37.5PPM - 50% + 20PPM = 38.75PPM

This keeps going until you're essentially, though never mathematically at 40ppm. EI works on this sort of algorithm, and it can be bent in many different ways. I do 2x 30% WC/week which is a 51% cumulative change (100%-30%-30% = 49)

If you have any questions, let me know. I spend a lot of time playing with fert calculations; it's a part of the hobby I enjoy.

-Philosophos

dmastin · 07-04-2009, 12:20 AM

Regarding Plantex CSM+B I'm reading posts and using Fertilator!

dmastin · 07-04-2009, 12:56 AM

Fertilator is a big help!
Also thanks Philosophos regarding the algorithm. It's beginning to make some sense.