EI Fertilization Method

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lucky777ca

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Jan 25, 2006
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I will be starting to use the EI fertilization method on my tanks. I have seen that I seem to have some low light tanks and therefore, have read that I would only need to dose half of the amounts of compounds for this method. I will be dosing the 70G with 116W of 6500K lighting and 2-10 Gallon tanks with 30 Watts of 6500K CFL lighting.

Is there a relationship between the percentage of total nitrate in the KNO3, or the percentage of soluble potash in K2SO4 or the percentage of phosphoric acid in KH2PO4 with the dosage? Would those dosage be for compounds that are 100% (pure) and therefore, the percentage of present N, K2O and P2O5 would have to be taken into account? Or, would I just need to follow the amounts of each compound for the EI fertilization method?

Guaranteed Analysis (minimum):
For the KNO3, there is 12% total nitrogen and 44% soluble potash (K2O).
For the KH2PO4, there is 46% available phosphoric acid (P2O5).
For the K2SO4, there is 54% soluble potash (K2O).
 

jmhart

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lucky777ca

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Okay. Sorry about that.

I bought some KNO3, K2SO4 and KH2PO4. Should I worry about what it says on the label about the guaranteed analysis (minimum)? Or, just use the amounts given by the EI fertilization method (actually half due to low light conditions)?
 

Fordtrannyman

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plantbrain

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www.BarrReport.com
Here's the source of dosing plans:
Solution: http://www.barrreport.com/estimativ...accuracy-want-daily-pmdd-style-ei-dosing.html
Spoon: http://www.barrreport.com/estimative-index/2819-ei-light-those-less-techy-folks.html

I personally prefer to dilute/mix DI water and ferts. in 0.5 or 1.0Liter bottles with measurable increments on the side. It makes dosing much easier. I also dilute it so that 1ml will raise by 1mg/l per 10gal.
Any method that gets you to do the routine dosing dosing regularly is the best method for you.

For soime, liquid mixes work best, on small tanks, say 10 gal or less, liquids are better, for folks that dose daily, liquids might be a better option, for tighter more accurate dosing, liquids tend to be better.

However, the range over which good growth occurs for each element is rather a wide target, and estimations and test kits have errors associated with them and the true value.

So it's not so critical a precise ppm, rather, that the plants are well supplied with what they need to grow.

You can see from that, plants will do fine in learner conditions or richer conditions(a range).

CO2 is 95% of the issue for poor growth, algae, fish health etc, so most of the effort and testing, focus, observations should be done there, the supply of nutrients is rather easy by comparison.

Most of the ag grade ferts are fine, as they are high temp salts that's how they purify most of them, there's very little else, but nothing is 100% for the most part.

The aquarium fertilizers are all ag grade too, so no one is using lab grade unless they are some paranoid schziophrenic fear monger.

You are not really looking to be this analytical chemist here.
Rather, an aquarists, farmers, grower, scaper etc and 95-99.99% is fine.:grinyes:

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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