Just started with EI dosing

[Andy Pierce]

The version I heard is the boiling is to precipate out the calcium ('temporary hardness') from the tap water so that the calcium ions won't precipitate out the phosphate in the macro mix as insoluble calcium phosphate.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

was that the boiling was to reduce/eliminate the bacteria in the water

That would work and so would potassium sorbate. Boiled rain-water? would work fine as well.

Personally, I make the mixture rather than dry salts because it's more convenient in my setup.

Entirely a matter of personal choice, all liquid fertiliser mixes are made with compounds that are highly soluble. I like dilute solutions for smaller tanks because it means you don't have to play with very small weights.

The version I heard is the boiling is to precipate out the calcium ('temporary hardness') from the tap water so that the calcium ions won't precipitate out the phosphate in the macro mix as insoluble calcium phosphate.

Yes, that is right. If you strain the boiling water through a muslin etc it will remove the temporary hardness, because at boiling the water will be degassed and any calcium (Ca++) or bicarbonate (HCO3-) ions will have formed <"insoluble "scale">.

cheers Darrel

 

[aquagenetics]

Update : i dialed the lights down 20% of each color, each day i decreased by 10% i also added 2 siamese algae eaters, so the dose im currently giving in EI is enough ?
also i got a question if its neccesary to alternate between days, like monday macro and tuesday micro etc.

in this pdf is the scheme im following

 

[aquagenetics]

Is pearling really a thing? I do EI dosing and CO2 injection but I've never noticed anything I'd call 'pearling' on the plants, which otherwise seem really healthy. If I turn up the light intensity, I get GSA rather than pearling. If your plants look healthy I'd call it a win so I'm not sure it's useful to aim for pearling rather than healthy plants and reasonably controlled algae.

Yes pearling is a thing, its when the plant is assimilating, when its doing optimal photosynthesis in the video you see bubbles coming of my plants, thats the pearling as i call it.

 

[ceg4048]

i did this to try to see if im adding more nutrients to the tank now, because i'am new with EI wanted to see if the phosphate,nitrate etc is higher now.

Well, lets be reasonable; If you add PO4 to the tank how could there not be more PO4? There is no reason to measure it.
This is one of the main principles of EI. "NO MORE NEED FOR TESTING".
Many years ago, before the advent of EI, when everyone thought that nutrients caused algae, hobbyist spent a great deal of money, time and energy measuring nutrient levels in an attempt to control and to limit their values.
Barr demonstrated that the opposite was true, that an UNLIMITED supply of nutrients guaranteed that plants would not fail due to malnutrition. Therefore, if the concentration levels were unlimited, and if you did not need to control the concentration levels, then there was no more need to measure the values. When you add the EI level of nutrition they automatically become UNLIMITED, so who cares what the measured values are?
When you adopt the principles of EI, by default you accept that the nutrient levels are what they are, you accept that they do not cause algal blooms, no matter what the levels are, and you accept that the values are not harmful to flora or fauna.
Test kits are expensive. It is better to spend your money on more plants, better equipment, higher quality fish, and so on and so forth because testing the water for nutrient levels will not make you a better plant grower.

This is a really important principle, both technically and psychologically. The reason is simple:
A. If the test kit result returns a number that you expect you may be happy and likely will take no further action.
B. If the test kit result returns a number that you do not expect you will likely attempt some action to rectify.

The problem here is that you can never be certain whether the results are true. Test kits sometimes tell you the truth and at other times they lie. The problem is that you never know which time is the truth and which time is the lie. That's why test kits suck.
So it is entirely possible that in the case of "A" your expectation may be faulty and the results confirm your faulty expectations. In the case of "B" the results may be true and the action you take may well lead you down the path of destruction.

If you add "X" ppm of NO3 to the tank then be satisfied that you have at least "X" ppm and be done with it. The tank may easily have a higher NO3 due to nitrification or due to tap water, but so what? This will not cause algae and it will not cause health issues. We have proven this time and time again.

What you do need to be careful of is that high nutrient levels and high CO2 result in high plant metabolic rates and as a result, high metabolic waste, which causes problems for plants and fish alike. Therefore some hobbyists elect to reduce the nutrient loading and to reduce the CO2 injection - and most importantly, to then also reduce the light intensity.

So EI is a proven method that is rugged and effective, but it is also flexible and allows you to vary the input to suit your maintenance schedule. But at no time do you ever need to measure because you are in control of the amounts that you add to the tank and they cannot magically disappear or magically multiply.

i boiled the water, because the recipe asked for osmosis water, i didnt have that at home so i read i could also boil water and then let that cool down.

is boiling water for EI mixtures unnecessary? I've been doing it for about 10 years as that's what it says on the recipe but I would love to omit that part if it's not needed! As you said, it makes life more complicated.

Again, whoever gave you a recipe which includes the use of osmosis water is another of those hobbyists paranoid about nutrient levels, fearing that there may be nutrients in the water or that the tap water may be chlorinated. The small amount of water that you will add to the tank with each dose will not be harmful to the fish or plants. The additional nutrients in the tap water will also not be a major factor. If you are concerned about chlorination then just use tank water. None of these factors matter at all and boiling water is tedious and unnecessary. Simplify your life. Grab any water that is convenient and just get on with it.

adding the powders directly to the tank i never done this, i am completely new with EI first i was using AIO, so i just made some liquid ferts according to that recipe.
this is also more handy for me, then weighing the powders every time. before adding to the tank.

As stated by another poster above, making a mixture suited their method, perhaps they are using an auto-doser. OK, if that is the case then fine, a mixture is needed. If you are not using such a device, and if the tank is large enough, then just use a teaspoon. I see no need for any weighing. This is another unnecessary complication.
In the Original Post of this thread the poster listed his recipe with the powder weights shown to the nearest hundredth of a gram. This is completely outrageous I virtually fell off my chair. Does anyone imagine that their plants will notice a difference of a hundredth or a tenth of a gram of nutrients?
Simply use the equivalence that 1 teaspoon of nutrients equals 6 grams and ESTIMATE the amounts added directly to the tank or in the mixture using your convenient water supply. It doesn't matter if you scoop a heaping teaspoon or a level teaspoon. It simply doesn't matter folks. That is why this is called The ETIMATIVE Index.
Have I mentioned that the plants don't care if the amounts are a bit higher or a bit lower? The nutrient concentration level presented to the plants, from their perspective, will be infinite.

Cheers,

 

[ian_m]

and if the tank is large enough, then just use a teaspoon. I see no need for any weighing. This is another unnecessary complication.

To save time and messing around with tea spoons etc every day, pre measure EI dry powder doses (using tea spoons) into small plastic containers, labelled for each day of the week. I mixed up a large quantity of EI MIX, many weeks worth, then placed in labelled containers for easy dosing. My mistake was to use narrow bottles, which made getting the doses into the bottles hard.

Then come say Tuesday, pick up Tuesday container, open dump in tank, place empty container in bag for refilling next time you get round to it. Job done, easy peasy.

For example these 10ml plastic jars, big enough to about 2 tsp of EI mix. Buy 36 for 6 weeks supply (dosing 6 days a week).
10ml Clear Screw Top Jar With White Lid - Ampulla Ltd - 0161 367 1414

 

[REDSTEVEO]

Having been around the block a bit, several times I have some experience both good and bad.

My issue is not anything to do with EI Dosing or CO2, or light. Over the years I have used just about every substrate available from ADA Amazonia Aquasoil, ADA Power Sand, Powders, Tropica Substrates, Soil, JBL Planting Medium.

And having tried them all, the ones that gave me the most problems and biggest issues with every kind of algae possible are the brown Soils and Powders. The dust from these soils remains suspended in the water column and settles on the leaves of every single plant. Very quickly that creates a barrier preventing the light from getting to the plant. Brown diatoms, algae forms quickly and once in it is a very tough job to get rid if it.

So I always end up going back to the thing that works for me. SERA Floradepot as the Base substrate, 1.5 to 2 inches deep, capped off with 1.5 to 2 inches of Unipac Quartz White Maui Fine Sand. The depth is determined by the type of plants you intend to use.

Really healthy growth, zero algae problems. All supported by EI Dosing and injected CO2.