what dosing methods do you use?

[Mgamer20o0]

i know EI is a big one and used a lot but trying to find out what everyone uses. also any links to describe it.

[mudskippers]

EI method here....

[lovemybarbs]

EI?????????? :dance2:

[svf]

EI....EIO! :hitting:

[IceH2O]

I started out with EI but on my own started to dose less to see what difference it would make. Turns out I found where the deficiencies started at and just upped it a little.

Here are some they use over at aquaticplantcentral

PPS-Pro http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html

PPS-classic
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/science-aquatic-fertilizing/4241-pps-perpetual-preservation-systems.html

I just don't believe in the no or limited water change part of it.

[rich311k]

EI for me. Has worked so I am not changing.

[phanmc]

EI = estimative index
http://www.barrreport.com/estimative-index/2819-ei-light-those-less-techy-folks.html

Basically, you overdose ferts to ensure you don't deprive the plants of any and do a large weekly water change to prevent excessive buildup.

I modify EI to suite the tank needs.

Low light tank is dosed 1-2 times a week, water change done once every 2-3 weeks. CO2 is used.

High light tank is dosed daily at half the recommended dosage, water change every week.

[Squawkbert]

I use APC's fertilator's target ranges as a guide to mixing me ferts. From RexGrigg.com's finest dry ferts and some random lab left-overs, I combine CSM+B and CaCl in one squeeze bottle and I put Potassium Nitrate, MgSO4*7H2O, KCl and K2HPO4 in the other squeeze bottle. If I add ~5mL of ea to my 46g, I get the recommended ppm levels added over the course of a week, so it takes me 2 weeks to double that... I do a 50% PWC every other week, so I guess I'm doing EI at half the recommended rate/frequency and I use KCl and K2HPO4.

I guess the hardest part was spreadsheeting the final K conc. since I have it coming from 3 sources. (Fertilator works well!)

[Penfan66]

I guess I use EI as well but with all Seachem Products. I guess it was more or less a matter of convenience in using Seachem over dry ferts. I just follow the guidelines on the bottles and everything has been working great. This is my first crack at a planted tank, and along with pressurized CO2, these products and methods have worked well for me.

1st Pic - 12 Nov 07
2nd Pic - Today

[StereoKills]

EI with Seachem Flourish twice a week, 50% wc once a week. I also use DIY CO2 with a glass diffuser. My Java Fern and Water sprite routinely outgrow my 10g and need to be trimmed or moved. You can see the results though the link in my signature.

[loaches r cool]

EI w/ KNO3, KH2PO4, and tropica plant nutrion. Each 3X per week w/ 50% wwc.

My 240g will be a little different though but I'll try EI levels (same ferts as above) dosed each day and also a small wc each day (~10%) so basically a daily version of EI.

[plantbrain]

I use several methods depending on the goal.
EI is fine..........but I tend to modify it to suit each system and tank, and I watch the plants, and know them well enough to know how they respond.

EI is an upper limit, one that provides non limiting levels, much like modified Hoagland's solution that is used as "control" in hydroponic's studies.

From here, you can reduce down slowly and carefully till you see a negative response, generally about 3 weeks of a routine are needed to see a full response.

There is no method that is written in stone.
The range for planted tank goals is massive, so there will be many "methods" to get there.

A method I try and support and mention often times is a non CO2 planted tank method, this one is great, no water changes, rarely prune, decent health etc. It can be done with a nutrient rich sediment, or not or a combo of both(generally this is best for every method, you get more flex out of both locations for nutrients this way/ more wiggle room)

Marine plant system response differently, much more sensitive to PO4 but less so to NO3.

All dosing routines will use K, Fe, perhaps other trace metals and some use NO3, PO4 and rarely NH4 and if so, very very little.

You can dose these dry, or in a liquid form(liquid is more accurate and works well for smaller tanks, under 20 gal etc). You can test and add make up nutrients and not do water changes, pretty much indefinitiely, this is more PPS methods. You can mix EI in water and dose it daily also.
It was called PMDD years ago. EI is pretty much that + PO4 and dry dosing.

I can automate water changes and I like their ability to side step test kits, something many hobbyist simply will never do, nor add ferts to make stock solutions as PMDd suggested over a decade before. You cannot automate NO3/PO4 testing really, and I like to clean the tank when there's not much water to slosh on the floor ...unlike when it's full.

Many folks get to the point where they can go a long time without water changes or testing(I can dose EI and not do a water changes for months even). Non CO2 planted tanks are easy for most folks to do this and it becomes increasingly harder as you add more light and more CO2.
Sort of like driving at 20 mph vs 120 mph.

Still, plants need nutrients to grow, CO2 and light.
Every method addresses this.

Now some folks might have fewer plants, low light and plenty of fish, they likely do not need ferts.........the fish food is adding plenty...........
So accounting for the plant's biomass, light, whether you add CO2 or not, Marine vs fresh etc all factor in here and define what method might best suit your goals.

And that really is the question and goal: what method will give me the results I want for my goals with plants with the least amount of pain, cost and labor?
What trade offs are involved?

Commercial brand and method abound...........they tend to be weak in concentration to account for user errors, and low light/low biomass plant tanks, and they often cost 10-1000X more than the DIY ferts you can buy.

The same is true for sediments as well as the water column.


Regards,
Tom Barr