Discontinuing my EI dosing?

andyjh

AC Members
Feb 18, 2009
574
3
18
Massachusetts
I'm giving some thought to stopping my EI dosing, as I've just gotten busy and can't always maintain the schedule. Tank is a 75 gal. with pressurized CO2 and moderate fish population. Any bad consequences if I just stop cold turkey? Plants are some amazon swords, some dwarf sag, java fern and crypt wendti.
Thx.
 
I think the biggest thing you will see is the plants start to wither not die but not be as full, you'll need to shorten the period of time the lights are on and may have to do a few extra water changes as leaves fall off
 
I am going to sound like a jerk, but dont take it that way.

Do you have an additional 2 minutes after your weekly water change? Do you have 10 seconds every day?

If you have 2 minutes on your water change day fill up your weekly ferts in a monday to sunday pill box (cheap/free at most pharmacies)
If you have 10 seconds after you feed your fish every day, open up the appropriate day and dump it in.

Either way, no reason to be 100% precise with everything...remember it is an estimated dosing schedule. some weeks if i completely forget everything i only dose twice.

You most likely will get some algae if you stop dosing, how bad it will be can only be figured out over time.
 
Guess I needed the halftime pep talk from the coach_z!!! You're right. I'll make the time. Any chance that one of those automatic feeders could be pre-measured with the ferts and have them get dumped in automatically?
 
Guess I needed the halftime pep talk from the coach_z!!! You're right. I'll make the time. Any chance that one of those automatic feeders could be pre-measured with the ferts and have them get dumped in automatically?
haha...thanks...

you can get an auto doser....like they use in reef tanks...but get ready to take out a line of credit on one of those!
 
If you have 2 minutes on your water change day fill up your weekly ferts in a monday to sunday pill box (cheap/free at most pharmacies)
If you have 10 seconds after you feed your fish every day, open up the appropriate day and dump it in.
thats a great idea.

you could also cut back adding ferts 2 days before the wc. might want to add a little more the time before and see how that works for you. i am sure you can find a solution then just stopping completely.
 
I agree with coach. It's just a fraction of time to do.

And the pill boxes for pre measuring is pretty good to. I use them for food when I go out of town but now many just have to get a couple more. ;)
 
I agree with coach. It's just a fraction of time to do.

And the pill boxes for pre measuring is pretty good to. I use them for food when I go out of town but now many just have to get a couple more. ;)

you are a pretty light eater, eh?
 
I use less light and or/go non CO2, then the demand for nutrient is less, much more so............

Still looks good:

a0b318c9.jpg


I just mist 2x a week with house plant ferts directly to the leaves(not water), do my once a week water change, feed fish, not much else.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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