Need to Modify Fert Schedule - Suggestions?

DGalt

AC Members
Jun 1, 2008
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Connecticut
So I've been dosing my 15 gallon planted using the EI method for a while now, but for the next 1.5 month I have to figure something else out.

I'm going on graduate school interviews every weekend (well, really Thursday - Saturday/Sunday) until early March, meaning that I'll be missing out on several days of dosing each week.

What should I do to modify my dosing schedule?
 
I'd just dose on the days you can. It's only a few weeks, couldn't hurt too much. If you're really worried about it you can set up an automatic feeder to dump the dry ferts in while your away.
 
Reduce the light some, screen, raise the lights etc if possible.

Cut by about 1/3 or so.

Less light= less CO2= less nutrient demand.
If you have enriched sediment, like ADA AS etc, then you also have a back up when you forget to dose.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
I do have AS, so how does that come into play? And I assume whatever changes I make should remain constant over the entirety of each week. Do you mean just reduce the light by 1/3 and dose regularly on the 3-4 days a week I'll be around? Or reduce light by 1/3 and don't dose at all?
 
I do have AS, so how does that come into play? And I assume whatever changes I make should remain constant over the entirety of each week. Do you mean just reduce the light by 1/3 and dose regularly on the 3-4 days a week I'll be around? Or reduce light by 1/3 and don't dose at all?

Well, the sediment has nutrients in it, that ADA As is loaded.
Plants are opoportunistic, they will go after nutrients in either location.
Reducing the light reduces the demand for those, so slows things down.

I'd dose regularly when you are around.

I dose 2-3x a week, have lower light, some tanks/most have ADA AS.......
very easy to manage.........



Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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