# Optimum time in the day to dose?



## RolyMo (11 Aug 2012)

Hello
Is there an optimum time of day to add ferts to the tank? I.e. same time as the lights and CO2 go on?

Thanks in advance. 
R


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (11 Aug 2012)

Hey roly,
If your EI dosing it should not matter whatsoever when you dose your ferts, as they should always be available. 

Get into routine, probably best on a morning before lights. 

Co2 should also come on a while before the lights so when the lights do flick on, there is already around 30ppm of co2 dissolved in the water column. This should be displayed as a lime green drop checker.

Cheers,


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## RolyMo (11 Aug 2012)

Thanks Whitey89
I have my first tank and have been starting to use the Tropica Premium Fertiliser as an easy get in. But once I run out I might consider switching to the EI method. But just wondered if there was an optimum time. 

Right now I do it first thing in the morning at about 9am. Which is a good 5hrs before I turn the lights and CO2 on. 

Appreciate the answer. 

I am guessing the EI method of dosing is far more beneficial than Pre made solution from say a supplier like Tropica as it is exact to your tanks water column conditions?


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (11 Aug 2012)

Hey mate, 
First of all, I would definitely switch to Tropica Specialised as this will provide Nitrates and Phosphates, as If I remember correctly, your bio load is quite small. If you feel your not dosing enough, just add another dose, its fine.


Alternatively definitely take the EI route if only for cost effectiveness. I am just undergoing this change myself. And am looking forward to seeing results.

I also have changed my photoperiod from 5-10pm to 10am-3pm. Also have turned my TMC GroBeam 1000ND  down to 50%. As my room is southeast facing and gets a lot of sun mid morning to early afternoon. 
This was causing me a lot of brown diatom strand algae as the co2 wasn't present in the water column although ferts were. 

Hopefully will see an improvement in the diatoms, and when it gets more mature I will think about adjusting times again.

Hope this helps, if only to allow an insight to rectifying a specific
Situation.

Cheers,


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## RolyMo (11 Aug 2012)

Thanks for the tips and insight. 

I do also have a bottle of the Specialised as well. 

I am currently on half dosage of the premium fertiliser as per the Tropica iPhone app. But someone else mentioned starting to alternate between the 2 types of Tropica ferts. So I will start that this weekend and watch for any change. 

As for bio load. 4 platy's, 11 shrimp and 6 diamond head neon tetra's. Guessing that is going to be small impact as you imply. 

Cheers
R


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (11 Aug 2012)

Hey roly,
I honestly would dose more than tropica state as more nutrients is better than too little, the amount of a double dosage will not have any affect on livestock, be it fish or shrimp.

If your plants are not getting enough they will deteriorate quite quickly.

Maybe 1 dose of T Premium &  1 specialised would work out best, and get them used up and ready to start EI.

Cheers,


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## Mark Evans (11 Aug 2012)

The one things that's missing to give a good dosing regime, is the light intensity. Wattage.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (11 Aug 2012)

Sorry mark? Are you asking mine or Rolys light intensity? My growbeam is a 30W LED. But I don't exactly how that translates.
Also would you recommend doing what I have done in a SE facing room? Getting fairly strong indirect
light 9-10am till 3pm? I tried dosing Easycarbo in a morning, but even this wasn't sufficient.

I could also try a lights out period, but what do I do about the ambient light? Do I dose low levels of Co2 to deal with that, or wrap tank and have a total black out?

Cheers,


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## Mark Evans (12 Aug 2012)

Whitey89 said:
			
		

> Sorry mark? Are you asking mine or Rolys light intensity? My growbeam is a 30W LED. But I don't exactly how that translates.
> Also would you recommend doing what I have done in a SE facing room? Getting fairly strong indirect
> light 9-10am till 3pm? I tried dosing Easycarbo in a morning, but even this wasn't sufficient.
> 
> I could also try a lights out period, but what do I do about the ambient light? Do I dose low levels of Co2 to deal with that, or wrap tank and have a total black out?



Both tanks really mate.

Ambient sunlight can be an issue. I've suffered this in the past. especially summer time, and early morning winter when the sun is low and comes blaring in the house. 

There's a couple of things to do. Firstly, and importantly for me, I had blinds put up. Just limit that light coming in.They don't even have to put the room into darkness. Mine still let light in, but more dappled light.

 If you have co2 running earlier, you should over come the issue too. You'll know if plants are using the sun as crowns from stems will be open. Mine used to follow the sunlight, and then when the tank lights came on, they'd then face upwards instead of outwards....like a sunflower. Watch for crowns closing before lights out to. A sure sign they've had enough light. 

Ambient light is better than direct sun rays. Until I had blinds fitted I had to tape the front of the tank up (just substrate) other wise I'd end up with BGA in 1 part of the tank...guess where!...where the sun would hit for that 1 hour or so. 

Take care of light spilling into the room, and you'll resolve your issues.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (12 Aug 2012)

Hey Mark,

Thanks for taking your time to comment.
I  hopefully will have sorted it, by having an earlier co2 and light period, as getting blinds up could prove tricky, as te window is a Bay!   and the house isn't mine unfortunately.

I too understand what you mean by the plant 'crowns' opening up, and they were open this morning, at around 9am with the Curtains *CLOSED!* 

I may have to move the tank deeper into the room to prevent this somewhat, as getting huge strands of this brown stringy stuff is somewhat disheartening.

But, I will prevail. Adapt & Overcome, as they say. 
Oh how could I forget, Absolutely stunning work with the tropica catalouge. Your work is amazing. And I
Feel your new setup, will be even more so.

Cheers, keep on inspiring,


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## tim (17 Aug 2012)

if its any help i started running co2 24/7 with a lower bubble rate on a tank that recieves sunlight not an ption to move it algae seems to have receded


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (17 Aug 2012)

Hey tim, 
Aint seen you on here in a while, nice to see ya back.

As a remedy for now, i have added black vinyl to the side and half the front.

This should allow plants to grow in and overcome. Did this because im on holiday soon and dont want to come back to algae porridge!


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## tim (18 Aug 2012)

That's a bloody good remedy nat   are you gonna cut your photoperiod as well while your away mate


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (18 Aug 2012)

Yeah buddy, will drop it to maybe 4 hours a few days before hand, think I may hook up an airline to come on at like 9pm too. Because my photoperiod is early, the leftover CO2 keeps me from getting BBA so much from the ambient light as It stays rather bright in my room.

I'm gonna be on edge all week thinking about my tank :/


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## tim (18 Aug 2012)

Good call mate know what you mean about worrying just did 35 days straight at work and watched as my tanks went to s**t still after today 3 weeks off to get back on top of things have a good holiday mate


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