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EI Ferts and Pressurised CO2

frogbit

Member
Joined
11 Jul 2016
Messages
28
Location
stonehaven
I've been running my tank for a while, and wanted to adopt a low tech approach, however, plants have become more and more of interest, and I've always wanted to grow Altananthera Rosenvarig. I love red plants an aquascape.

I've gone high tech (of sorts) and installed pressurised CO2 a week ago. I have added some altananthera to my scape of Echindoras and hydrocotyle, but wanted to check if the full dose of EI ferts is appropriate? I used to use Easycarbo with a 1/2 dose of EI.

Many thanks.
 
if using pressurised co2 definitely need to keep with ferts as co2 speeds up everything including nutrient uptake .
 
I suggest you start at ½ EI and increase as your plant density rises.

Remember EI is based on providing non limiting nutrient levels based on plant density and light levels etc. it's an estimate rather than an exact thing. Adding massively more than is necessary won't be helpful and may cause issues.
 
Fair enough, thanks for that. My plan was to build up the dose over the next few weeks. I prefer a more cautious approach.
 
Your stem plants in particular will give you a indication of when to increase EI, also I had to play about with the filter flow a bit to make sure CO2 and EI got all around
 
Yes also agree that you should work on flow after co2 to make sure everything is circulating properly. All plants waving, flow washing over the substrate and channelling detritus into the intake.

Going to Co2 also needs structural changes to be made.

You can then play around with ferts last..
 
"Flow" the magic word! Its taken me too long to get my head around flow. I think the tank is a lot better, but not 100% happy with the flow yet. I basically have the external outflow lily pipe which is on the right had side positioned to gush out to the left to agitate the surface. Also on the left hand side of the tank, about 5cm down and a about 10cm above the CO2 diffuser I have a power head at 1000 lph, and then along, from that but way down about 10cm off the substrate I have another small powerhead with a 300lph capacity. The water is essentially flowing right to left.

I have a "dead space" at the surface, top left, and that's where my frogbit has collected. I think this is OK, I've read frogbit doesn't like too much movement, and my hatchtets like to rest in this area under the cover.
 
Flow is more important at the substrate because dissolved co2 rises and lower leaves are easily out competed by higher leaves/algae

Even dead spaces at the surface have quite a lot of co2, actually
 
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