[Patchworks]

I've had a couple of those old Hospital Infusion pumps I got off ebay a few years back and would like to automate my dosing? I get so busy/lazy and I forget/neglect to dose on a regular bases.

Who am I kidding, actually I'm the guy with a $300 dollar Automatic Cat Box which has water hooked to it and cleans it 2 times a day automatically and drains into the yard. Anyway, I would like to automate my dosing. I'm looking at using the PPS Fertilizer with these dosing pumps?

Any Ideas?

g

 

[Patchworks]

Brilliant,

I've seen the EI stuff. What is the difference between the EI and PPS? I'm just now about to order all my dry goods and would like to know which one is best for me.

g

 

[Patchworks]

The main difference between EI and PPS is EI over fertilizes the tank preventing deficiency and PPS is designed to be lean feeding the tank only what it needs.

There are other differences as well. My main gripe about PPS is the daily addition of magnesium. It is my opinion that large amounts of calcium and magnesium are not needed and should not be dosed daily.

I would skip ordering magnesium and calcium...if you insist on having some I have some to sell

I prefer the lean style of PPS and ratio of EI so I use a hybrid of the two plans. I use the ingredients of EI plan with style of PPS plan. To me taking the idea of EI and dosing it daily in smaller quantity is what PPS really is.

I agreee with you on the magnesium and calcium. From the reading I've been doing lately, it says it your Kh is over 4 the you don't need magnesium. You get it from you water. My kh is pretty high, like 10.

I'm about to order my PPS stuff and should have it in a week. Well, with christmas postal service right now, it might be next year!! g

 

[Patchworks]

I too have just started adding macros and micros to my tank via 2 Peristaltic pumps from APTinstruments and am doing a PPS style of fertilization. I have been trying to perfect the amounts of nutrients in my stock solutions and would love to know the specifics of your solutions Brilliant. Can you list the amount of nutrients in your stock solutions and how much you add to your tanks ml/gal?

There are good calculators here!! Let me know if this helps.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=30659

Also, can you tell me if you are dosing slowly but 24 hours a day or did you put your pumps on a timer and have them does all at once in a day?

Years ago people used to say that dosing slowly over 24 hours day gave your plants more of a constant feeding, as opposed to a big peak of fertilizer in the morning and a low point in the evening. However, since I've been reading around the forums, I haven't seen that being supported!

g