# Dosing whilst on 1 week holiday



## RolyMo (1 Aug 2013)

I have searched a read a few threads on the subject, but this is my first holiday whilst owning a tank.
I am going away for 1 week only.
I plan to do my normal 50% water change before I leave.
I planned to leave the lights on for the normal 6hrs
I plan to some how get someone to come round and feed the fish a couple of times during the week.
The question is though...

Can I front load my EI dosing before I leave the house. i.e. add all the weeks worth of Micro and macro in one go (i'm sure there is a reason why it is spread out)? Or do I need to persuade someone to sort this out whilst away?

If I can, is there a easy way of feeding the fish rather than buying a fancy automated device that plugs into the top of my juwel tank?

Thanks for any tips on this subject as I know it has been asked. 
R


----------



## ian_m (1 Aug 2013)

RolyMo said:


> Can I front load my EI dosing before I leave the house. i.e. add all the weeks worth of Micro and macro in one go (i'm sure there is a reason why it is spread out)?


Only problem here is the EI macro potassium phosphate will react with the micro iron forming insoluble iron phosphate which can no longer be used by the plants.

Solutions are:
- For a week away, I have lowered the light & CO2 a tad (to 5-6hours light) and double/triple/whatever dose the macro just before leaving. Don't bother with micro, assume fish food, fish poo and sediment has enough. I have an automatic fish feeder.
or
- Prefill a weeks worth of daily macro & micro labelled 30ml dropper bottles (30ml natural round bottle with white flip top cap) and leave for neighbour to dose. Just empty that days bottle in, job done.
or
- Use peristaltic dosing pumps.
or
- Dose before you go, 1 week will be OK.


----------



## ian_m (1 Aug 2013)

I am going away in a week of two for over two weeks and started prepping tank last night:

- 50% water change.
- Trimmed glosso. Replanted deeply any bits that looked like might float away.
- Thinned out plants considerably, I now have gaps between my plants.
- Cleaned coarse filter on my JBL1500. Rinsed masses of gunk of noodles in filter bottom tray.
- Filled the EI bottles in my peristaltic dosing pumps.
- Backed light and CO2 off another hour to about 5 hours light.
- Refilled automatic fish feeder.

Another water change next week and will just leave to fend for itself.


----------



## RolyMo (1 Aug 2013)

Thanks for the insight, tips and your routine.
I will look at the juwel feeder. Concerned that it will over feed.

Will also do a bit of trimming to reduce intake of nutrients from water column.

I will start to scan through the list of local friends who will least fail on administering alternate bottles per day of EI.

Thanks
R


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## tim (1 Aug 2013)

Last time I went away for a week I cut lights to 5 hours dialled back co2 a little, measured out macro micro salts into tubs and labeled them mon tue wed etc also measured out fish food into tubs and asked my eldest just to tip in on day required fairly foolproof


----------



## flygja (2 Aug 2013)

ian_m said:


> - Trimmed glosso. Replanted deeply any bits that looked like might float away. - Thinned out plants considerably, I now have gaps between my plants. - Cleaned coarse filter on my JBL1500. Rinsed masses of gunk of noodles in filter bottom tray.


 
Personally I wouldn't make any big changes before going on holiday. But since you're going in a week or two, there's plenty of time to monitor. I've had a few incidents where I cleaned my filter or did something big the day before and caused a disaster whilst I was away for a weekend. This includes forgetting to switch on my chiller (I live in the tropics), forgetting to set the lighting back on the timer, not checking canister filter properly causing leaks, etc 



ian_m said:


> Only problem here is the EI macro potassium phosphate will react with the micro iron forming insoluble iron phosphate which can no longer be used by the plants.


I just read about this in a back issue of PFK (they're on sale for iPad now at US$0.99 each). I thought if the iron is chelated with EDTA or something similar, this shouldn't happen right?


----------



## ian_m (2 Aug 2013)

flygja said:


> I just read about this in a back issue of PFK (they're on sale for iPad now at US$0.99 each). I thought if the iron is chelated with EDTA or something similar, this shouldn't happen right?


The iron only stays chelated with EDTA is solution is acidic, which is why ascorbic acid (or hydrochloric acid) is added. In the tank acid is neutralised (or pH rises) and iron is released so plants can use it (or to react with the potassium phosphate)

Issue here is this is what happens with chemistry, I don't think anyone has ever done an experiment mixing micro with macro and proved the plants have a iron deficiency. As a test I mixed to strong micro and strong macro solution and left for a week and saw no precipitate, but I suspect the presence of acid in micro prevented the iron precipitating out.


----------



## flygja (4 Aug 2013)

Thanks Ian. I thought the ascorbic acid was there to prevent mould from developing. I usually dose my big tank once a week after a water change, all macros and micros required for EI. My smaller tank is dosed daily, both macros and micros at the same time. Maybe time for an experiment


----------

