# want to start ei



## mdhardy01 (12 Apr 2010)

hi guys 
i want to start mixing my own ferts to dose ei and not sure what or how to mix?
my tank is 5/2/30 inch 
2 eheim 2075
4 54watt t5
8hour photoperiod
all 4 on for 2 hours 
pressurised c02
fairly heavily planted mainly crypts and vallis but also hc cuba and glosso.
all plants are ok and growing well
just costing alot to keep them fed
i would like to keep it fairly simple and dont mind doing a seperate trace mix from the npk
so what do you recomend?
thinking of 2 500ml bottles 1 npk 1 trace
what quantities do i mix in each bottle
many thanks in advance

matt


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## Ajm200 (12 Apr 2010)

Am I right that your tank is about 180 gallons 5' x 2' x 30".  Can see why you want to use dry ferts 

Take a look at the link below. It looks easy enough to scale up and down.  Not too sure how much powder you can dissolve in 500ml.  Unless the solution is very strong 500ml isn't going to last long on a big tank so maybe consider mixing a bigger, slightly stronger batch and decanting it into the smaller bottle for day to day use.  I'm looking at using this for my 146gal maybe at double or treble strength depending on how well the salts dissolve.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=915&start=g


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## ghostsword (12 Apr 2010)

Hi, I currently mix this, taken from JamesC recommended solution (www.theplantedtank.co.uk)

10g  Potassium Nitrate  (KNO3) = 2 tsp
1.2g  Potassium Phosphate (monobasic) (KH2PO4) = 1/4 tps
4.0g  Potassium Sulphate (K2SO4) = +- 3/4 tsp
8.0g  Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (Epsom Salts) (MgSO4) = 2 tsp
Mix500ml Â Water
Dosing is 5ml per 40 litres


More information here:
====================
EI salts

Sunday  50% or more Water Change then dose [3/16 teaspoon KNO3] + [1/16 teaspoon KH2PO4] + [Â½ teaspoon MgSO4] 
Monday  1/16 teaspoon CSM+B 
Tuesday - [3/16 teaspoon KNO3] + [1/16 teaspoon KH2PO4] + [Â½ teaspoon MgSO4] 
Wednesday - 1/16 teaspoon CSM+B 
Thursday - [3/16 teaspoon KNO3] + [1/16 teaspoon KH2PO4] + [Â½ teaspoon MgSO4] 
Friday  Rest 
Saturday - Rest



(http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.ph ... on-Factors)
Nitrate NO3:
KNO3: 5.2g/tsp
Ca(NO3)2.4(H2O): 4.8g/tsp

Phosphate PO4:
KH2PO4: 5.6g/tsp
K2HPO4: 4.5g/tsp
NaH2PO4: 4.5g/tsp
Na2HPO4: 4.5g/tsp

Potassium K:
K2SO4: 6.4g/tsp
KH2PO4: 5.6g/tsp
K2HPO4: 4.5g/tsp
K2CO3: 4.5g/tsp
KCl: 4.5g/tsp
Seachem Equilibrium: 5.33g/tsp

Calcium Ca: 
CaCO3: 1.2g/tsp
CaCl2: 4.4g/tsp
CaCl2.2H2O: 3.6g/tsp
CaCl2.6H2O: 4.5g/tsp
CaMg(CO3)2: 5.2g/tsp
Ca(NO3)2.4(H2O): 4.8g/tsp
CaSO4.2H2O: 3.1g/tsp
Seachem Equilibrium: 5.33g/tsp

Magnesium Mg:
MgSo4.7H2O: 5.1g/tsp
MgCO3: 4.5g/tsp
Miller Microplex: 3.9g/tsp
CaMg(CO3)2: 5.2g/tsp
Seachem Equilibrium: 5.33g/tsp

Iron Fe:
CSM+B: 4.3g/tsp
Miller Microplex: 3.9g/tsp
Seachem Equilibrium: 5.33g/tsp
10% DPTA: 4.4g/tsp


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## chump54 (12 Apr 2010)

and don't forget the ukaps article... http://www.ukaps.org/EI.htm

I'd go with salts straight into the tank, it makes adjustments easier (for me anyway) and you don't need to mix anything up in advance.

Chris


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## mdhardy01 (13 Apr 2010)

So would I be right in saying that this is what I need to dose

350-500 litres
1 1/2 tsp KNO3
1/2 tsp KH2PO4
1/2 tsp traces

taken from James tank site?
Alternating the npk and traces 
mon wed fri npk
tues thurs traces
would you recomend resting ferts at the weekend and just continue
after water change or just keep adding?


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## ghostsword (13 Apr 2010)

mdhardy01 said:
			
		

> So would I be right in saying that this is what I need to dose
> 
> 350-500 litres
> 1 1/2 tsp KNO3
> ...



I do not rest, just do two water chances a week, one is 50% and the other 20%. Got some green spot algae on some anubias leafs, but it is easy to deal with..


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## CeeJay (14 Apr 2010)

Hi mdhardy01

As you can see, ghostsword doesn't rest, but I do. I dose Macros on Saturday (after water change), Monday & Wednesday and Trace on Sunday and Tuesday. Then nothing Thursday and Friday.
No dramas, works both ways. It will do your tank no harm to be slightly over anyway. If anything it's beneficial, as the whole EI concept is 'no shortages'.



			
				ghostsword said:
			
		

> Got some green spot algae on some anubias leafs, but it is easy to deal with..


Luis (ghostsword), up your PO4    . 
I used to get green spot on my glass in the Rio 180 in my signature. Kept upping the PO4 until it went away. Haven't seen it since   .


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## ghostsword (14 Apr 2010)

yeah, I am waiting on a order of PO4..  I think that it will also help my plants being redder.. 

Most people have a break day, but I don't, maybe as it will give me a buffer period in case one day I forget to dose..  
what i must not forget is the water changes, that must be kept up..


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## mdhardy01 (14 Apr 2010)

So would I be dosing the right amount?   
350-500 litres
1 1/2 tsp KNO3
1/2 tsp KH2PO4
1/2 tsp traces

?


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## ceg4048 (15 Apr 2010)

Hi,
    Your baseline dosing for a 180 should be more like 3X(2 teaspoons KNO3 + 1 teaspoon KH2PO4) and 2X(1 teaspoon trace) per week. This keeps the numbers and measurement simple. You may need to add more depending on your flow/distribution and CO2 but these are good numbers to start out with. Depending on your tap water you may see benefit in a couple teaspoons a week of MgSO4. you can just add that after the weekly water change. What could be simpler?

Cheers,


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## mdhardy01 (15 Apr 2010)

Thanks all for your help
have ordered the basics to start off with and will see how it goes
have also ordered a koralia 1600 to up the flow may order another one
later but again I'll see how it goes
thanks again
matt


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## mdhardy01 (16 Apr 2010)

Thanks all for helping
all salt arrived and dosing started
will let you know how things work out 
thanks again
matt


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## mdhardy01 (27 Apr 2010)

To all above thanks for your help
been dosing as Clive sugested for two weeks now and 
can't beleive the difference plants growing like mad and pearling
like never before 
thanks again all 
matt


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## CeeJay (27 Apr 2010)

Hi mdhardy01

We knew you wouldn't regret it   
Glad it's working out for you


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## ghostsword (28 Apr 2010)

The results are pretty amazing, aren't they? 

Honestly, why bother with anything other than EI, lots of CO2 and enough light?


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## mdhardy01 (1 May 2010)

just another quick question
what do i do when i go on holiday?
i dont have anyone i can trust to dose so do i leave co2 running and cut lighting period and intensity
or leave co2 and lighting and no dosing 
thanks in advance
matt


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## mdhardy01 (1 May 2010)

sorry mistake
meant cut co2 and lighting period and intensity


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## ghostsword (1 May 2010)

I would just decrease the lighting period and keep co2, but no ferts until I am back. 

You may have some algae, but nothing that you could not deal with quickly.

Currently I have 8 hours lighting period, and it is working great, so I would just drop mine to 5 hours daily. Plants would stopped growing, but this would also mitigate the algae issues.


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## mdhardy01 (1 May 2010)

Thanks mate that's put my mind at rest
matt


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