# EI, macronutrients schedule



## Victor (6 Jan 2018)

Hi guys. I intend to dose, weekly, 20 ppm of NO3, 2 ppm of PO4 and 3 ppm of Mg in my tank. So I don't know the way I'll dose this. Let me explain, what option below you think is better:

Option 1: Dosing all this amount at once after each wc. (I change at least 50 % of water every saturday);
Option 2: Dosing 40 % after wc (saturday)  and 10 % sunday, 10 % monday, and so on until friday;
Option 3: Dosing every day (about 3 ppm NO3, 0,3 ppm PO4 and 0,4 ppm Mg every day, I mean, 14 % of weekly dosage daily);
Option 3: Dosing 3 times a week: The first dosage after wc (saturday), the 2nd one monday and the 3rd one wednesday (each dosage containing about 7 ppm NO3, 0,7 ppm PO4 and 1 ppm Mg, I mean, 1/3 of weekly dosage). 

The micronutrients I dose every single day and I also dose 12 ppm of Ca every week after wc by CaSO4.1/2H2O. So, for the others nutrients, which option above is better? Why?


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## Sarpijk (6 Jan 2018)

Why make this more difficult than it is?

You need three different dry salts to make two solutions. At least this is how I do it.

For Macros you need KNO3 and KH2PO4.

Just use an online calculator like the Nutrient Company one and you can see what you need for EI dosing according to your tank volume and desired dose.


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## Edvet (7 Jan 2018)

How about this:
 day 1,3,5 dose macro's
day 2,4,6 dose micro's
day 7 waterchange
The amount is dependent on tanksize , either use solutions or dry ferts.


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## ian_m (7 Jan 2018)

You shouldn't dose macros and micros in the same day as the chelated iron in the micro reacts with the phosphate in the macro and precipitates out as insoluble and plant unavailable iron phosphate. Thus iron deficiency may appear.

Just keep it simple and dose as Edvert says each morning. Either predissolved liquids or powders. Dose from dispensing bottles, use tea spoon measures or use dosing pumps. Done. Simple.


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## GHNelson (7 Jan 2018)

Hi Victor your making it a tad too complicated. 
This is my Standard Dosing regime for EI fertilizers......If I'm running *Hi Tec*.
These are not set in stone, you can tweak them to suit your domestic daily routine, or which ever system your running Low or Hi Tec.
My rest day from work is a Monday, so I do water changes on this day if I'm running Hi Tec.
*Low tech* i just add a All in One Fertilizer on a Monday.

Monday Water Change add Macro
Tuesday Trace/Micro
Wednesday Macro
Thursday Trace/Micro
Friday Macro
Saturday Trace/Micro 
Sunday Rest Day


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## Victor (7 Jan 2018)

Alright. Could I dose all macronutrients after wc instead 3 x a week? There is any problem?


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## Edvet (8 Jan 2018)

In low light you could, but in higher light the plants use more nutrients so dosing all that in one go will change the TDS a lot, it's not a problem to dose three times a week isn't it? I mix a batch up before i go to work and add it to the tank.


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## Chubbs (8 Jan 2018)

Best not to mix micro and Trace. I’m under the impression that these react with each other and change / restrict what’s available to the plants. Some of this can be avoided by buying all in one solutions. For example TNC complete. you can triple the recommended dose to achieve EI levels. This means one liquid to mess with.

Ive moved over to separate powders. Which I prefer mix and then my WiFi dosing Pump will spread my daily doses throughout my lighting period (I.e 5-6mls at a time rather than one 30ml dump in the morning) and on alternate days. Again care free. I pre mix the solutions once a month and then the rest is already scheduled and setup. It even beeps when the containers are running low in case I forget.


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## kadoxu (8 Jan 2018)

I dose Macro & Micro Daily, just with 1 or 2 hours between them and I've had great results.


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## Victor (8 Jan 2018)

kadoxu said:


> I dose Macro & Micro Daily, just with 1 or 2 hours between them and I've had great results.


I'll do the same


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## HiNtZ (5 Feb 2018)

I dose dry, much easier. Pots are on the shelf near the tank with spoons ready. In the morning while waiting on the kettle to boil for a cuppa, scoop in what I want to add in front of the power head, BOOM - done. Off to work


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## eminor (28 Oct 2022)

If i'm right DTPA iron is stronger than EDTA ? can i dose micro/macro the same day using DTPA ?

i've seen topic but there's not really definitive answer to dosing same day etc


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## Gorillastomp (28 Oct 2022)

I did this in the past without any issue. I was giving the macro an hour or so to dilute prior adding the micro.

But there is no added benefit than dosing on alternate days.


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## Gorillastomp (28 Oct 2022)

I even did macro and micro mixed togheter prior dumping in the aquarium and there was no precipitation in the solution. This was using dpta chelator.


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## prdad (28 Oct 2022)

HiNtZ said:


> I dose dry, much easier. Pots are on the shelf near the tank with spoons ready. In the morning while waiting on the kettle to boil for a cuppa, scoop in what I want to add in front of the power head, BOOM - done. Off to work


Could I ask where you get your dry ferts? And what amounts / spoons you dose?


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