Dataseeker

Background
In the process of refurbishing an older 55 gal. metal frame tank into a planted aquarium I began by testing the PPS regimen on a 20 gal. The former inhabitant of the 55 was moved to the 20 after it was cycled and plants had established themselves. The 20 was planted at first with a sparse setting of Wisteria and Ludwidgia. The plants multiplied quickly, were trimmed and the cuttings replanted. The tank is now at a point where future cuttings will need to be removed. This took about a month. The 55 was planted about 2 weeks ago. The posting here is the details of this tank.

When did you begin using PPS?
(See above) PPS was begun on this tank about 2 weeks ago. As stated in the PPS documentation there is definitely a cycle of adjustments to be made when first getting started. You can and do control some of the parameters of this equation but many remain unknown. The exact health of the plants that you get as an example. Or, the exact parameters of the tap water you use. I’ll leave it at that for now.

Do you find the PPS system easy to use?
Kudos to Edward and others involved. The spreadsheets and other tools available to do PPS speak volumes about the efforts that went into helping others in this pursuit. As anyone can gather from going through the threads here this is no quick fix to planted tank problems. I think it is a learning process that helps to understand the requirements for success not the guarantee of it. I am learning a lot and enjoying it.

How often do you do a water change?
I have not reached a point where the overabundance of nutrients indicated in the testing have required it. This new tank has no fish in it yet. In my tanks that have fish I do a partial water change (20%) about once a week.

Do you use CO2?
This tank has a pressurized system with a controller.

What is your aquarium's water volume?
55 gallons
.

What type of lighting do you use?
4- Compact Fluorescents set up in 2 banks on timers. Bank one has a 10 hour photoperiod and the second bank comes on for 6 hours

How many watts of lighting do you have?
260 when all the lights are on. The photoperiods were scaled back from 12 and 10 that ran the first week.

Please describe the condition of your plants.
After setting up the tank I did not test again until the end of the first week. That was my mistake. With the very high lighting level the nutrients were being used up too fast and some algae growth took place. Adjustments were made in the dosing levels, the photoperiod was scaled back, and I have used some Excel (15ml) in the tank each day. The algae has died back but is not gone. At some point the Excel dose will be scaled back to 5ml. The plants seem to be growing normally.

Please attach the PPS Excel Spreadsheet.

Attached Files

PPS.Analysis.Nov-2006.xls (86.0 KB, 26 views)

Edward

Thank you Dataseeker for your kind words.

Because of your high light 100% ground cover will help keeping the aquarium algae free. Changing the photoperiod from 12 to 10 hours was a good idea. The dosing and testing is not that serious. Testing once a week is overkill. This Dosing table is so accurate I use it on several aquariums for a long time without any testing for months. Morning dose is the best because the plants will have the nutrients available for the following photoperiod. In healthy aquariums with good old water, parameters may vary significantly without any risk of algae; NO3 5 – 50 ppm, PO4 0 – 2 ppm, Mg 0 – 5 ppm, etc. Higher nutrient concentrations are taken by plants faster regulating the average aquarium levels.






Thank you
Edward

Dataseeker

There are any number of threads here by those with years more experience than I have. So, what I offer certainly can not be considered gospel. That said, here is a brief overview of my experience with PPS.

It works for me. I have been literally harvesting plants from this tank about once a week. The first few weeks there were wide swings in the dosing quantities. I followed the recommended amounts called out on the Excel sheet for dosing after entering the measured test results. Once things settled and natural cycles came into line, the parameters stayed on the money.

I followed the prescribed methods in the PPS documentation to the letter. The most enlightening experience was checking the test kit’s color charts against standardized solutions that I mixed. PPM for nitrates were off by a factor of two. For phosphates they were one half or needed to be divided by two. The standard solutions were mixed very carefully with a calibrated scale. I was really surprised by the results.

If what you want is a system of adding know quantities of fertilizers to the water column of your tank and observing the depletion rate for the macro elements and compounds, in a measured way PPS will provide that. As far as begin a foolproof method for creating unprecedented plant growth, I don’t think that is a fair expectation. So many parameters are constantly varying outside of what PPS provides, that only good management of all these things will lead to success. PPS provides a systematic process for fertilizer addition that follows known good practice. For me it has been a foundation or starting point to build my understanding of planted aquarium needs. I think I am off to a good start.

Edward