Alright, so I've read/skimmed stickies and used the search to try and get a handle on what I'm looking to get myself into. I'm not sure I want to go full on with EI dosing though and that's what most stickies and information are based on. I've also read mentions of a PMDD mix but I'm not sure that's the route I want to go either.
The thing I don't very much care for about EI dosing is that you're essentially adding more nutrients per week then your plants really need. You then do a 50% WC at the end of the week to discard the excess and reset the dosing schedule. At least that's how I am reading it.
I am currently pretty poorly dosing Flourish Comp and Excel on a when I think about it basis. I also use Flourish root tabs. This is on both my 29g and the new 75g. It seemed to work fine when I only had a 20g and the 29g but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that liquid ferts on a 75g is more than silly. I've successfully been keeping a couple species of crypts, vals, anubias, and hornwort. I also have dwarf sag and an amazon sword that I haven't killed but in the year I have had them, they haven't done much at all. Stem plants seem to die off on me. I have wisteria now in the 75g that just isn't looking good. I'm sure that remembering to add the ferts I have regularly would help. (I never remember because its in the fridge.) I should also add that java ferns hate me.
Both tanks are low light with no CO2 and no plans for CO2 either. The 29g has 4 15watt CFLs and the 75g has a t5NO fixture with 2 28watt bulbs.
What I think I am looking for out of ferts is something that will keep my plants healthy and growing. I don't need/want a ton of fast growth and as I understand, I won't get that without CO2 anyways. I'd like to only have to dose a few times a week vs. everyday dosing if at all possible. Would also like to keep my weekly waterchange schedule at around 25-30% instead of 50%. To me it sounds like I would like to do a lesser or weaker version of the normal EI dosing but I'm not completely sure if it works that way.
I've also seen it mentioned that with low light like I have that I may not need the NPK (macros) ferts at all. That I could easily get by with just dosing Plantex CSM+B (micros). Is this an option for me? If that's the case, then my uneducated self thinks it might be exactly what I'm looking for.
I think I've covered everything as far as my questions and concerns go. Sorry for the wall of text and any confusion that I added in the process.
The thing I don't very much care for about EI dosing is that you're essentially adding more nutrients per week then your plants really need. You then do a 50% WC at the end of the week to discard the excess and reset the dosing schedule. At least that's how I am reading it.
I am currently pretty poorly dosing Flourish Comp and Excel on a when I think about it basis. I also use Flourish root tabs. This is on both my 29g and the new 75g. It seemed to work fine when I only had a 20g and the 29g but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that liquid ferts on a 75g is more than silly. I've successfully been keeping a couple species of crypts, vals, anubias, and hornwort. I also have dwarf sag and an amazon sword that I haven't killed but in the year I have had them, they haven't done much at all. Stem plants seem to die off on me. I have wisteria now in the 75g that just isn't looking good. I'm sure that remembering to add the ferts I have regularly would help. (I never remember because its in the fridge.) I should also add that java ferns hate me.
Both tanks are low light with no CO2 and no plans for CO2 either. The 29g has 4 15watt CFLs and the 75g has a t5NO fixture with 2 28watt bulbs.
What I think I am looking for out of ferts is something that will keep my plants healthy and growing. I don't need/want a ton of fast growth and as I understand, I won't get that without CO2 anyways. I'd like to only have to dose a few times a week vs. everyday dosing if at all possible. Would also like to keep my weekly waterchange schedule at around 25-30% instead of 50%. To me it sounds like I would like to do a lesser or weaker version of the normal EI dosing but I'm not completely sure if it works that way.
I've also seen it mentioned that with low light like I have that I may not need the NPK (macros) ferts at all. That I could easily get by with just dosing Plantex CSM+B (micros). Is this an option for me? If that's the case, then my uneducated self thinks it might be exactly what I'm looking for.
I think I've covered everything as far as my questions and concerns go. Sorry for the wall of text and any confusion that I added in the process.