# Dosing Time



## LukeDaly (28 Dec 2014)

Hey guys! 

Got the scapers tank all set up and looking lovely! Pressurised co2 and EI dosing this time around! 

I am experiencing a bit of melt in my plants, I understand this is normal as the plants have only been in the tank for a week. 

But this left me wondering, does it matter what time of the day I dose? For example I have my light period set to 9 hours (hopefully that's about right? Feel free to correct me) starting at 4pm and turning of at 1am I want to be see my tank from when I get home from work until before I go to sleep hence the strange hours. But would I be better dosing at about 8am just before I leave for work or at about 6.30pm when I arrive home? 

Thanks guys, 
Luke.


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## Sk3lly (29 Dec 2014)

9 hours seems a bit high to me but it's workable. I don't think it matters really what time you dose ferts


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## LukeDaly (29 Dec 2014)

Sk3lly said:


> 9 hours seems a bit high to me but it's workable. I don't think it matters really what time you dose ferts
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Thanks for the quick reply! 

Really? Was reading through loads and loads of threads and just took 9 as an estimate. What would you suggest I can easily change this?

And sweet, thats good to know! Do the plants still use the ferts even when lights are off? Or will they just stay in the water until lights turn on and use them when needed?


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## Crossocheilus (29 Dec 2014)

LukeDaly said:


> Do the plants still use the ferts even when lights are off? Or will they just stay in the water until lights turn on and use them when needed?



I've often wondered this, surely if the ferts are there the plants would take them in and store them? If that's possible?


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## LukeDaly (29 Dec 2014)

Crossocheilus said:


> I've often wondered this, surely if the ferts are there the plants would take them in and store them? If that's possible?


Personally I would have thought this also, that or it stays in the water until the plants need it. Hopefully someone with more knowledge on the subject can help me out here! 

Everytime I visit ukaps I learn something new haha!


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## Paks (29 Dec 2014)

Most of the lighting i read in aquascape contest, set there lighting time from 7~8 hrs


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## LukeDaly (29 Dec 2014)

Paks said:


> Most of the lighting i read in aquascape contest, set there lighting time from 7~8 hrs


I'll reduce mine an hour now


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## Julian (29 Dec 2014)

I think 9 hours is what plants would naturally get on an 'average' day. Better to have too little than too much. 

The time at which you dose doesn't really matter just as long as you do it each day and after water changes. With EI, there's lots of margin for error, so even if you forget to dose one morning, you can always do it the same evening or next morning and the consequences shouldn't be noticeable.


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## ceg4048 (31 Dec 2014)

LukeDaly said:


> I am experiencing a bit of melt in my plants, I understand this is normal as the plants have only been in the tank for a week.


This syndrome is normal for thanks that have any combination of too much light, not enough CO2 and poor flow/distribution.



LukeDaly said:


> Do the plants still use the ferts even when lights are off?


Yes.

Cheers,


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## LukeDaly (31 Dec 2014)

ceg4048 said:


> This syndrome is normal for thanks that have any combination of too much light, not enough CO2 and poor flow/distribution.
> 
> 
> Yes.
> ...


I have the scapers light, 2kg FE co2 setup at 1bps and a fluvial 306 at full power as the flow :/ any idea what I could be doing wrong? Or what would be the best position for co2 diffusor/filter outlet position?

Thanks for the reply,
Luke.


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## ceg4048 (31 Dec 2014)

Hi,
  Yes, there are lots of things you could be doing wrong, or there might only be one thing being done very wrong.
When plants are melting, as I mentioned, you need to look systemically at the factors I listed. The root cause is poor CO2 and there are as many ways to suffer poor CO2 as there are the number of hobbyists.

Just having a CO2 bottle does not automatically mean that everything will be fine. CO2 is an art form and it is the single most difficult skill to get right.

First, using a pH kit or, preferably a pH meter, follow the instructions in the post http://ukaps.org/forum/threads/echinodorus-quadricostatus.35006/page-2#post-375959

Second, determine what your manufacturers filter flow rating is and multiply the volume of your tank by 10. The filter flow rate should be within a range of about 70% to 100% of the result of that multiplication.

Third, if possible, use a spraybar across the length of the tank as discussed in the thread http://ukaps.org/forum/threads/water-flow-in-the-planted-aquarium.1167/

Ensure that you do not have too much light intensity by reviewing the chart in the thread http://ukaps.org/forum/threads/dymax-tropical-36-watt.25367/page-4#post-283055

Cheers,


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