EI+ On A Tanks Initial Stage - Equilibrium Questions - 2x ADA 60P's

[KeeperOfASilentWorld]

Dear Experienced Planted Tank Keepers,

After reading Tom Barr's articles twice with a highlighter in my hand, he ( The Science ) has won me over Takashi Amano ( The Design and Marketing ) 🙂

I successfully gained good experience on a 114 Litre Iwagumi tank ( 200+ umol at substrate, Fluval 2.0 LED’s ), full ADA substrate system, ADA dosed, HC planted and I now feel ready to start up a fully planted tank.

I am going to be setting up two ADA 60P’s, heavily planted, daily EI+ dosing, one with a concave and one with a convex layout using driftwood. Lighting will be around 200 umol at the substrate level ( 90 at shaded areas between driftwood and glass ) on one and around 100 umol ( 40 at shaded areas under and around driftwood ) on the other. I am aiming to gain experience on both systems which will be greatly different in dynamics.

After week 1, fauna will be 60 Caridina Multidentata’s and 60 Neocaridina Bloody Mary’s during the first 12 weeks. 30 Caridina Multidentata’s will be removed from each system around week 8-12. Trigonostima Espei's and Boraras Brigittae's will be added after week 12.

%100 RO with Seachem Alkaline Buffer and Equilibrium. 4 KH, 6 GH, with a full ADA substrate system.

TANK:
2x ADA 60P

LIGHTING:
2x Chihiros A601 Plus ( Concave Layout )
2x Chihiros A601 ( Convex Layout )

FILTER:
Eheim Classical 350 ( 2215 )
2.5 Litres Seachem Matrix ( 1 Litre from an established setup )
1 Litre Seachem Matrix Carbon
500 ml Seachem Purigen
Jardli Lily Pipes - Surface skimmer intake
Hydor Inline Heater 200W

SUBSTRATE:
ADA Amazonia Powder Type
ADA Amazonia Regular Type
ADA Power Sand S
Bacter 100
Clear Super
Tourmaline BC

WATER COLUMN :
JBL ProScape N
JBL ProScape P
JBL ProScape K
JBL ProScape Fe + Traces
JBL ProScape NPK
ADA Green Bacter - Daily for 14 days, then with WC
ADA Green Gain - Weekly
ADA Python Git - Weekly
ADA ECA ???
Seachem Prime
Seachem Stability - Daily for 14 days, then with WC
Prodibio Biodigest - First day only
Seachem Equilibrium
Seachem Alkaline Buffer

Do!Aqua Music Glass 20mm CO2 Diffusor ( CO2 at 35 ppm ) ( will be shutting off during lights off )
ADA Bubble Counter
Elos Regulator
Twinstar M5
Eheim Air Pump w/ADA Pollen Glass Large 20mm ( during lights off )

DAILY DOSING PLAN : ( I prefer to use branded fertilizers for ease )

Week 1
%50 WC daily
NO3 10 ppm
PO4 0.2 ppm
K 5.5 ppm
Fe+Traces 0.1 ppm, resulting in a 0.5 ppm dose of Mg

Week 2 - Introduce 60 Caridina Multidentata’s
%50 WC daily

Week 3
%50 WC every 2 days
NO3 5 ppm ( or more depending on tests )
PO4 0.5 ppm

Week 4
%50 WC every 3 days
Replace Carbon with regular Matrix, Replace Purigen with 250 ml new Purigen. ( 3.75L Matrix, 0.25L Purigen )

Week 5 - Introduce 60 Neocaridina Bloody Mary’s
%50 WC every 7 days

Week 6 - Increase daily PO4 dose to 0.6ppm or more if needed !

Please do comment on any detail, brand, amount about my daily dosing plan and/or my equipment. I am eager to improve my abilities.

QUESTIONS :

MAIN QUESTION 1: Should I be dosing PO4 and Fe+ from day one? Does the information about PO4 and Fe not being sources of a bloom also apply for the initial stage? I accounted for the PO4 leaching from the Matrix Carbon and Amazonia. Should I increase the initial dose of 0.2 ppm PO4 to a 0.5ppm from day 1 under the comfort of my daily water changes?

MAIN QUESTION 2: Seachem Equilibrium adds 0.44 Fe, 92 K2O, 78 K, 9.64 Mg, 32.24 Ca, 0.24 Mn to the water at a GH of 6. Is this too much? Would a magnesium surplus ( will be dosing 0.5 ppm daily in addition ) cause K blockage under these concentrations? Would the high Fe concentration cause any problem on the systems initial stage? Should I mix 3 GH Equilibrium with 3 GH Salty Shrimp? Comments on Salty Shrimp will be appreciated, it’s ingredients aren’t listed. Any recommendations for a branded GH product?

Q3: Would using %100 RO cause any form of a Cl deficiency? Any information on how RO systems work in terms of Cl? Tap water is not an option due to Milano’s incomprehensible tap water.

Q4: The JBL Proscape Fe+Traces is only lean in Cu 0.002 ppm relative to Tropica 0.009 ppm and AquaRebel 0.006 ppm at 0.1 ppm Fe. All other variables are around the same with all three products. Would a daily value of 0.002 ppm result in a deficiency?

Q5: Is aeration during lights off necessary considering Twinstar M5 diffuses a great deal of oxygen? Will Twinstar M5 substitute for a full aeration by the use of an air pump ( 50 l/h ) considering the skimmer would also be supplying oxygen for the bacteria? I do not want the oxygen levels to decline during lights off. Would Twinstar alone be sufficient?

Q6: Is it possible to introduce the Bloody Mary’s sooner? Would they get affected by the water changes? Around 2-4 KH in tank due to Amazonia’s initial days, 6-8 KH new water. ( See below )

Q7: Should I aim for a higher KH of 8 for the new water in order to keep the tanks KH at or around 4 and then gradually adjust to keep KH at 4 over time?

PLANT LIST :
Rotala ‘Green’
Rotala Rotundifolia
Rotala Wallichii
Rotala ‘Vietnam’ Hra

Hottonia Palustris
Rotala Indica ‘Bonsai’
Ludwigia Palustris
Micranthemum Umbrosum
Ranunculus Inundatus
Hydrocotyle Tripartita

Glossostigma Elatinoides

Taxiphyllum Barbieri ??? ( Any moss recommendations? I will be covering all driftwood. Aiming for a no visible wood look. Using ADA Moss Cotton. )
Bolbitis Heudelotii
Microsorum Trident
Anubias ‘Petite’
Bucephalandra ‘Wavy Green’

Thank you for taking the time to read through my long post.

Happy Fish Keeping 🙂

 

[ian_m]

MAIN QUESTION 1: Should I be dosing PO4 and Fe+ from day one? Does the information about PO4 and Fe not being sources of a bloom also apply for the initial stage? I accounted for the PO4 leaching from the Matrix Carbon and Amazonia. Should I increase the initial dose of 0.2 ppm PO4 to a 0.5ppm from day 1 under the comfort of my daily water changes?

Yes full dose from day 1. Alternate day dose PO4 and Fe to stop them reacting. Do not take into account anything from substrate (or water supply) as that is completely unknown and will lead you to under dosing, killing plants and creating algae issues. PO4 (and Fe) do not cause algae, blooms or have any other detrimental effect if overdosed. I ran with 80ppm PO4, due to pump jamming on, with no issues with plants or fish.

I think on dosing all those ferts, you may be on your own, as most people here use the substantially cheaper and much much much simpler method of EI dosing. http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html

You could of course work our the doses of your rip off JBL ferts (which you are paying a fortune for mostly water) to dose EI levels. I think you will be going through the ferts rather quickly. Read the EI articles to work out the daily ppm levels necessary from your ferts you have.

MAIN QUESTION 2: Seachem Equilibrium adds 0.44 Fe, 92 K2O, 78 K, 9.64 Mg, 32.24 Ca, 0.24 Mn to the water at a GH of 6. Is this too much? Would a magnesium surplus ( will be dosing 0.5 ppm daily in addition ) cause K blockage under these concentrations? Would the high Fe concentration cause any problem on the systems initial stage? Should I mix 3 GH Equilibrium with 3 GH Salty Shrimp? Comments on Salty Shrimp will be appreciated, it’s ingredients aren’t listed. Any recommendations for a branded GH product?

No issues with over dosing Mg, in fact adding extra MgSO4 would be help thing along. Ignore any Mg in your water as that amount is unknown. One of the issues with Mg salts is you need quite a lot of Mg salt/solution to get any appreciable ppm in the water.

There are many GH products, but cheaper to make your own. See here http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/RO.htm

Q3: Would using %100 RO cause any form of a Cl deficiency? Any information on how RO systems work in terms of Cl? Tap water is not an option due to Milano’s incomprehensible tap water.

You cannot use 100% RO, you will quickly wipe out your plants and fish if you don't. RO water has no buffering capacity and will suffer wild & dangerous pH swings. You must reminerilise either using remineralising salts or say mixing with 50% tap water. If you tap water is soft (why are you using RO anyway !!!!) mix say 70% tap and if water is hard (limescale on taps, in kettle etc) mix 50% (or less). Remember to dechlorinate your RO water, especially if mixing with tap water, as RO systems are not guaranteed to remove chlorine (in high levels) or chloramine.

Q4: The JBL Proscape Fe+Traces is only lean in Cu 0.002 ppm relative to Tropica 0.009 ppm and AquaRebel 0.006 ppm at 0.1 ppm Fe. All other variables are around the same with all three products. Would a daily value of 0.002 ppm result in a deficiency?

Seems low for Fe, should be aiming along the lines of 0.1-0.1ppm Fe per alternate day dosing.

Q5: Is aeration during lights off necessary considering Twinstar M5 diffuses a great deal of oxygen? Will Twinstar M5 substitute for a full aeration by the use of an air pump ( 50 l/h ) considering the skimmer would also be supplying oxygen for the bacteria? I do not want the oxygen levels to decline during lights off. Would Twinstar alone be sufficient?

Nope. An airstone running at night as well as degassing CO2 (from your CO2 injection and/or fish), restores O2 levels and more importantly in my opinion creates different water flow patterns, dislodging settled detritus to be filtered away. Oh, also gets rid of any water surface film that may accumulate, though serious film is an indication of plants suffering.

Q6: Is it possible to introduce the Bloody Mary’s sooner? Would they get affected by the water changes? Around 2-4 KH in tank due to Amazonia’s initial days, 6-8 KH new water. ( See below )

No idea.

Q7: Should I aim for a higher KH of 8 for the new water in order to keep the tanks KH at or around 4 and then gradually adjust to keep KH at 4 over time?

Aiming for 8 KH is fine. Any less and may get issues of pH swings. Oh and if you insist on using test kits, most don't work with KH of less than 4-8. pH pens certainly are an issue in soft water.