EI Dosing Schedule (What's yours?)

[PokeSephiroth]

Just got some dry ferts, and was wondering how you all do your dosing during the week. Just curious, really I'd love to see what you guys/gals do and which dry ferts you do on what days, etc.

I currently have:
KNO3
K2SO4
KH2PO4
Plantex CSM+B

So, which ferts should I dose on what days?

Assuming I'm dosing these ferts in my 55 gallon tank, this is the schedule I've come up with, but I don't think it's totally optimized?

Sunday
50% Water Change

Mondays & Wednesdays & Fridays
1/2 tsp KNO3
1/8 tsp K2SO4

Tuesdays & Thursdays & Saturdays
1/8 tsp KH2PO4
1/8 tsp Planted CSM+B

It seems like I should be adding ferts RIGHT AFTER I do a water change on Sundays, but that throws off my current schedule. So... help? =P

 

[Bob]

This looks like a topic for fishnabowl.

 

[hose91]

This looks like the EI schedule I have most often seen floating around. By the time you do your WC on Sunday, the EI theory is that you've dosed more than the plants could have used, and you've reset the concentrations without completely removing them, so giving them the rest of Sunday without dry ferts is OK. I dunno about the actual amounts, as I haven't quite sorted that part out yet. Where dis you get the dry ferts from, local or online? I am thinking about converting from liquid ferts sometime in the near future.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

This looks like the EI schedule I have most often seen floating around. By the time you do your WC on Sunday, the EI theory is that you've dosed more than the plants could have used, and you've reset the concentrations without completely removing them, so giving them the rest of Sunday without dry ferts is OK. I dunno about the actual amounts, as I haven't quite sorted that part out yet. Where dis you get the dry ferts from, local or online? I am thinking about converting from liquid ferts sometime in the near future.

I got my ferts online from GreenLeafAquariums ($15 for the EI dosing kit).
Going dry is definitely the best way to go as you get the best bang for your buck, compared to liquid ferts.


I got my measurements for dosage from GLA as well, for 40-60gallon tanks.
http://www.aquascapingworld.com/magazin ... ethod.html

 

[hose91]

Ah, great find! I ran across that site early on when I was fairly overwhelmed with my first plants. Makes much more sense now, and I had forgotten about it completely. The EI kit seems like a solid buy. I'm on it, I think.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

There are other places where you can buy the same ferts. Possibly for cheaper too, but I figured this was the least confusing. And they come in nifty plastic containers ($6 extra...because I'm a sap like that).

Now that I have the dry ferts, I need to learn how to use them. And reading about them online is too confusing for my tiny brain to handle. Bahahahaha!!!

 

[tazeat]

I still haven't made the move to dry... The seachem ferts make it so easy. I know I'd save money though, but the seachem isn't that bad in the larger bottles. I don't really bother with true EI but I try to use similar principles.

For my 55g dosing is every 2-3 days or about 3x a week 15mL Flourish Nitrogen 12mL Flourish Phosphorus and 6mL Flourish. Potassium is already in the KNO3 and PH2PO4.

My water changes since its got cold has slipped from every other week to 3-4 weeks since I typically siphon out the window in to the yard... Everything still seems happy.

For the 29g basically take the same numbers and do 2/3 of them. I always fertilize and do water changes to both tanks on the same day.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi tazeat,

I have dosed ferts using the EI method for several years with some success.

 

[tazeat]

I have nothing against the method except the work required, I'm just sharing what I do with satisfactory results.

 

[Anonymous]

I was seriously contemplating those dry fert kits from Greenleaf. I still may at some point but decided to go with a premix liquid for my introduction into EI dosing. The dosing is one squirt per 10 gallons, everything is premessured. I chose this because I didn't want to jump right into measuring the individual ingredients. Price wise I paid about $50 with shipping for about 5 months worth. For what is being used it'll last a bit longer. The two bottles I have take the place of 6 or so different bottles I was using st $10-$13 EA that only last about 6 weeks.



Above are the premixed liquids. One is used one day, the other the next alternating. Sunday a large water change. Right now I am using about 12 pumps per day on my 140 gallon tank. I have also made adjustments adding a bit more nitrates and iron.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Just got some dry ferts, and was wondering how you all do your dosing during the week. Just curious, really I'd love to see what you guys/gals do and which dry ferts you do on what days, etc.

I currently have:
KNO3
K2SO4
KH2PO4
Plantex CSM+B

So, which ferts should I dose on what days?

Assuming I'm dosing these ferts in my 55 gallon tank, this is the schedule I've come up with, but I don't think it's totally optimized?

Sunday
50% Water Change

Mondays & Wednesdays & Fridays
1/2 tsp KNO3
1/8 tsp K2SO4

Tuesdays & Thursdays & Saturdays
1/8 tsp KH2PO4
1/8 tsp Planted CSM+B

It seems like I should be adding ferts RIGHT AFTER I do a water change on Sundays, but that throws off my current schedule. So... help? =P

Hi PokeSephiroth,

I have dosed EI for several years. I came across and excellent calculator that allows me to input the PPM levels I am targeting and it tells me how much to dose. I dose KNO3, K2SO4, and KH2PO4 on Macro Days and CSM+B on Micro Days to avoid having the chemicals create precipitants. I also dose Seachem Flourish on Macro Days to provide some micronutrients that CSM+B does not include. I dose my Ca and Mg on the day I do water changes. Here is the suggested dosing levels for a 55 gallon (48 gallons of H2O). If you have questions just ask.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Wow, thanks for all the replies, everyone!

Roy, that calculator looks so confusing. Too many numbers for me to keep track of. LOL. Not to mention, I don't have the necessary tools/equipment to keep track of each nutrient levels... =P However, I'm glad that calculator exists, if I do manage to bring myself to understanding the proper fert levels down to a science!

Chad, that's a pretty neat setup you have there! I remember you have automatic fertilizer dosers that dose the ferts in your tank, so all you really have to worry about is refilling the reservoirs, right? I'm excited about these dry ferts, and would like to see how this will turn out.

 

[Anonymous]

Poke, I have not invested in auto dosers (yet). I am still in the "do I like this stuff yet" stage. My favorite fertilizers are still Flourish Comprehensive , Excell, nitrogen and iron. For my setups. But when it comes to my nutrient hungry 140 gallon planted tank these fertilizers are not practical in the price department. Squirting in 12 pumps a day hasn't became a pain yet. It's still a lot easier than messuring cap fulls one fert at a time Eventually I am sure I'll either DYI something or invest in a dosing pump.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Oh wow. I could have sworn you made a diy/hack where you use one of those timed aerosol spray plugins to dose ferts. Or something like that. Lol!! Oh no, I must be getting my Fishbox members mixed up!!

 

[tazeat]

Poke, I have not invested in auto dosers (yet). I am still in the "do I like this stuff yet" stage. My favorite fertilizers are still Flourish Comprehensive , Excell, nitrogen and iron. For my setups. But when it comes to my nutrient hungry 140 gallon planted tank these fertilizers are not practical in the price department. Squirting in 12 pumps a day hasn't became a pain yet. It's still a lot easier than messuring cap fulls one fert at a time Eventually I am sure I'll either DYI something or invest in a dosing pump.

You don't use any Phosphorous?

Phosphorous seems to be what keeps my GSA away... If I under dose it seems to be the first thing that shows up.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

I thought Phosphorous was already present in our waters (Washington state) . . . granted, in very low levels. But I mean, you can get Phosphorous from other places, such as flake food, and whatnot. Or am I mistaken?

 

[tazeat]

Sure. You get some that way. But if I don't dose it, at least at the light and co2 levels in my tank I definitely start getting GSA on the glass on both my 29g and 55g tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I think with "recommend" dosing a baseline is used. Then come individual tanks, water paramiters, plants growing, lighting, CO2, ect.

I have phosphates but I haven't used it in quite sometime. When I dose them my glass gets heavily spotted with hard green algaes and I don't see any growth diffence in plants. But that's just me and my system. My customization of fertilizers is more potassium's and organic nitrogen.

 

[Bob]

I got my ferts online from GreenLeafAquariums ($15 for the EI dosing kit).

I really want to order this kit, but they are getting almost $15 for shipping :shock:
Need to find somewhere reasonable.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

That's why you add more to your cart to get the most out of your shipping

You could try AquariumFertilizer.com

They have similar (if not the same) ferts... I just dont know how much their shipping is.