wkndracer

Based on tested results the calculator returned a zero daily dosing recommendation for the 75L tank and dosing of SS 0.8ml, PF 0.5ml for the 75R tank. (LMAO as I'm calling that zero daily dosing as well.)

Week 2 after the parameter reset is going to be trace mix dosing only. GH and KH values are well within range on these injected tanks and TDS is high as well so I'll let the plants chew on it a week and see.

Another note as I never listed stocking on the two tanks. Both contain 6 adult angel fish and more than a dozen bottom feeders along with 5 otto's per tank so the bio loading from fish is larger than most planted tanks I read about as most keep smaller species.

Maybe I'm not kicking the calculator to the curb after all just keeping a good eye on it.

wkndracer

The result of a week dosing trace mix only produced nearly exactly the same tested readings. NO3 was slightly higher on both tanks with PO4 remaining unchanged.
I‘m going forward with only trace addition for another week.
Both tanks received heavy trimming to allow for water circulation. The 75R having BBA fringing on sword and larger crypt leaves these were removed also. The 75L tank duck weed had blanketed the entire surface and was reduced to 30% of the surface area.

hooha

a couple things to consider:

- do you feed heavily? Maybe a high bioload is contributing to the higher nitrate and phosphate levels

- have you tried to see how accurate your test kits are? You can do a dilution (1:20, 1:100 etc) of one of your stock solutions to have a 'standard' nitrate and phosphate level that would fall into your test kit ranges, then see how accurate they are....

wkndracer

Hey Hooha,
Both tanks do indeed hold a full complement of larger fish than most 'planters' keep. Angels are my preferred species. A couple of posts back I listed the live stock in general numbers as I realized I'd neglected to do it early on. The plants varies between the two tanks also as slow growers dominate the left tank and fast growing swords are included in the right tank. The duck weed was added and allowed to populate the left tank for this reason. The feedings have actually decreased around the the time I switched to PPS as the stock is now nearly all adults. Feedings are once a day 4-5 days a week.
The original dosing recommendations of the calculator were followed strictly to see if it would balance but it built on repeated increases in dosing levels. I’m allowing (while monitored) the plants the chance to strip the water column of NO3 and PO4 as it did the first two weeks after switching to PPS.
My intended targets are 10ppm NO3 and 1ppm PO4 based on results of another members success with PPS pro. His only issue thus far has been BBA at lower than 1ppm of PO4.
The current bottles of testing chemicals both PO4 and NO3 are nearly empty but still in date. I’m testing four tanks currently and receive various readings that seem to correspond with TDS level changes on the tanks between water changes and plant conditions. When I start the new bottles I’ll again use reference solutions to verify general ranges for the results.

wkndracer

Another week and readings are remaining more or less stable with trace dosing only.
TDS readings are slowly creeping up. Plants are still pearling (not crazy) but bubbling steadily during the photo period and with no air added to the tank supporting the livestock. The last WC on the tanks was 6/24 so with the readings not dropping I did a WC yesterday.

75g right tank was a 15g change as NO3 was reading 20ppm which I don't feel is crazy high although I'd like to try 10ppm one of these days LOL Once the change was made I adjusted KH value only with baking soda so I was able to preform a full testing set on the tank 30 minutes later.
before;TDS 552ppm, NO3 20ppm (dark), PO4 1ppm, 9.5dGH, 8dKH, Ca2 50ppm, Mg2 10.9ppm
after; TDS 459ppm, NO3 20ppm (lite), PO4 1ppm (lite), 8dGH, 9dKH (added 15.3g BS), Ca2 40ppm, Mg2 10.5ppm

75g left tank received a 35g WC (58% of the actual water column) with its 40ppm NO3 reading. This much R O caused enough drop in GH to require a grumpy's boost so testing will be done today after 24hrs. has allowed all the minerals to dissolve. KH value was reset to 9dKH with 27g of BS.

I have on hand CaSO3, CaSO4 and CaCl2 but am not entirely happy thus far with my dosing results so with other issues going on they remain in the cabinet. Rex's Grumpy's GH booster has dissolved better for me then Seachems products so I've continued its use.

The right tank is still producing BBA on leaf edges even with a pale green drop checker and increased flow/circulation from last weeks heavy trim. The KH/pH relationship should have 38.1 to 42.2ppm based on my controller set points.

All this being posted the tanks are not ugly, fish and plants are living, the algae issues are not world ending and I'm not doing 115g in R O water changes a week as I would be if all my tanks were EI dosed.

wkndracer

Readings are still remaining more or less stable with trace dosing only. Made some changes though.
As stated in the last post WC was preformed on both tanks last week. Along with that I grew tired of the BBA issue fringing leaves in the 75R and double dosed tank volume with excel via syringe directly to the java fern leaves. Java is fine. The chain swords are history. Been here done this before so it was no surprise.) Any BBA on other plants was manually removed as possible.
Tested today the tank showed PO4 @ 2ppm and I'm thinking the organic decay may be contributing.
The Excel was added 7/19/09 and the UV unit shut down. The UV unit was relit today. Both tanks are showing a tested decrease in KH values which was addressed with NaHCO3.

Continuing into week #4 dosing trace mix only.

wkndracer

Emptied reagent bottles of NO3, GH, and PO4 chemicals this weekend. Using ref. standards made with distilled water. NO3 reagents are spot on at 5, 10, 20ppm and dark red 40+ppm. PO4 is problematic with color matching only at .25 and 1pmm. 2ppm is shade/tone matching but depth of color is totally off. .5ppm is just plain off. All kits used are API and I have another set of PO4 solutions Lot coded 63A0409, 64A0409 so I'm stuck with these for awhile or just pitching out the new kits. I feel like with good results at .25 and 1ppm they do have reference value knowing that the other colors are off I can still test a 1ppm ballpark.

wkndracer

Algae is not eating my lunch but its present in both tanks.
BBA is gone. As posted I got tired of looking at it and nuked the tank with syringes of excel in direct application. GSA is diminished also. GDA on the glass is whats here now in both tanks. Still dosing only trace mix daily. NO3 and PO4 are remaining constant in the levels tested. NO3 20ppm and PO4 1ppm.

Adjusted CO2 levels this last week pushing the drop checkers to a very pale yellow green. Based on Edwards Excel spread sheet formulas using KH and pH CO2 is 38-41ppm in both tanks.
Plants responded well pearling now looks like bubble streams in champagne 3 hrs. into full burn on the T5's (216w) My foreground crypts in the 75R have all the leaves standing straight up up like Viagra is in the tank. LOL
Chain swords are coming back after the excel burn with leaves sprouted to about 1" long.

Right now it looks like one WC per month with minor algae dosing trace only.

Anyone out there have the dosing recommendations for the Discus Solution listed in the spread sheets?

K2SO4 is the one element I don't/can't test for.

wkndracer

8/22/09 still dosing trace only. Wondering why I bought all the ferts.

Freshwater

Hi wkndracer,

Any updates on your system? Are you still using PPS-Classic? I am just starting the conversion from Pro, to classic now. What did you end up going with?


Todd