EI dosing with less than 50% water change

Q

QldRobbo

Learning
Jun 18, 2006
39
0
0
Brisbane, Australia
Hi,
I would like to use the EI dosing method as it sounds straightforward and practicle. However, I can't do weekly 50% water changes on my 100gal tank due to various reasons, but mainly water restrictions and time.

If I do weekly 25% water changes, should I adjust the EI dosing amounts at all? Or can I not apply them at all or what?

Any advice appreciated thanks... I have a heavy fish load, co2 injection plan to aim for 15ppm co2 to keep fish happy.

Cheers
 
Since there's not much water in Oz, at least the kind you can drink, I'd suggest using less light as well. This will make things more stable between longer time frames.

EI is just a high start point for folks with high light and CO2.
From there, you are suppose to reduce the amounts to tweak the dosing.

This assumes you have good CO2 and moderate light. If you have higher light, then CO2 will be less stable as well as nutrients, so you will have less forgiveness.

So it's wise to do once a month water change(as much as you can on that day vs 10% 2x a month, do 50-70% each month instead) with say 2w/gal or .5w/liter.

You have a lot of play then, if you use T5 lights, then 1.5 w/gal works pretty well.

Then monthly changes are not an issue.
the other idea that's useful, but might cost you more there than the USA or Europe, use ADA aqua soil and dose 1/4 of EI.

You progressively add less over 3-4 week time blocks(say you add 1/8th teaspoon for 3-4 week, then 1/16th for 3-4 weeks and so on), till you get a negative plant response, then you go to last dosing routine back.

So balance the light at the lower end, then dose light if you use ADA AS.
the plants will have nutrients from the sediment as well as a little from the water column.

Best of both worlds for you.
And also works well in high light tanks too.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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