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Trying to get plants to grow.

Isnt it true that the big water change every week helps to reset the balance when using EI? Having not used it myself im not 100% sure, so if someone could enlighten me?
 
Well there are differing opinions preached by several key players on this forum - some say the water change is about removing impurities produced by the plants & others believe is to re set the parameters! (or something like that)
Both sets of reasoning seem valid if you read the individuals opinions :?
 
foxfish said:
Well there are differing opinions preached by several key players on this forum - some say the water change is about removing impurities produced by the plants & others believe is to re set the parameters! (or something like that)
Both sets of reasoning seem valid if you read the individuals opinions :?
Click to expand...

Ah mr foxfish, good day sir, thanks for that, do you have an opinion on the opinions at all?
 
Hi all

trumpton_excursions said:
do you have an opinion on the opinions at all?
Click to expand...
Made me smile 😀

I believe that first and foremost it's all about keeping the tank clean and removing all the junk that the plants produce in a high energy tank. Which is why it pays to swish your hand through the plants on water change day to loosen it all.
The 'resetting' of nutrient levels is just a consequence of the water change.
 
What makes you wonder if either opinion is either right or wrong, is there some problem your worried about? As fox says though generally speaking both points are valid. If a water change was not carried out fish and plant waste would just build up.
 
It wasnt about either being right or wrong really, with opinions i suppose they couldnt be, it was more that foxfish gave me the information and then i was interested if he had his own feelings on it, more for the sake of discussion than anything else, but i probably shouldnt hijack this thread anymore hehe
 
Hi TE, my opinion is - I have been doing the recommended 50% water changes for 20+ years so it a way of life now :shock:

As for the logic ... I dont know if re setting the tank due to EI, is a very good description because EI has only been popular for a few years!
I did use regular fertilisers 20 odd years back but, the 50 % water change back then, was recommended to avoid algae issues not to re set the tank - at least that was the termanology - perhaps nobody new exactly why the big water change worked just that it did?
Whatever the reason I just cant sleep at night unless I have done at least one 50% water change a week 🙂
 
It's probably best to forget about the water change and what that does with your fert regime. I just look at it from the point of view of your fish are in a closed environment where all it's needs are provided by the keeper instead of nature doing it's job(although nature does play a part) The waste from the fish and plants same as in humans just builds up, doing a water change is like opening a window to let fresh air in and having a clean up. How this affects your dosing isn't that important.

The BIG contentious issue is whether or not adding this amount of Nitrate in particular can harm fish I suppose. I have seen studies showing that fish show no signs of ill health and will quite happily breed with very high levels of nitrate in the water with the exception of some marines and coral with a bit of a grey area around sensitive freshwater fry. A lot of the nervousness around nitrate comes from keeping tanks without plants, old fishkeeping books that treat it like the devils own and the myriad of nitrate removing resins on offer. Generally speaking though in a planted set up with anything other than very low lighting the addition of nitrate will almost be a necessity. With reasonable lighting and healthy plant growth it's rare for the fish waste to be enough.

Some low lit and substrate additive tanks will get by though I hear but are a fine balanced thing. I also don't really go with the 50% change weekly, I will do one when time allows it but I don't lose sleep over it anymore 🙄 😀 I used to do that religiously but now I generally change a certain amount a month however I can whether that be a few small ones or a couple of big ones usually dictated by whether my missus is going out. If I mess too much with my tank this tends too annoy her. 😀
 
Sorry if this is a dumb question but why use easycarbo if you've got CO2 running? I've not heard of anyone having both at the same time but my experience is limited! Is there any benefit to it?
Viv
 
Depends if you like living on the edge :shock:
Easycarbo can be used as an algaecide, it can be double dosed into the tank or injected neat onto problem areas!
To be honest you dont hear so much about this type of use for the product as you might of a year or so ago.
I think we tend to address the underlying problem more nowadays?
 
Another reason people inject co2 and dose EC is that too high a co2 level is toxic to fish and so is EC, dosing together is an effective way of having a high amount of carbon in the tank without having to go to dangerous levels of either. CO2 is also a bit erratic levels can change in certain areas depending on things like your plants needing trimmed and is hard to keep in the water, from the second you dose it its trying to get out of your tank and into the atmosphere, EC on the other hand will stay in there until it degrades usually about 24 hours.
 
I see. Do you use the same dose or less because of the CO2? I'm interested because I'll soon be changing over to pressurised CO2. Currently dosing a 180l tank with 5ml of aqua carbon every day. Would it be a good idea to keep up with this and maybe add a bit of CO2 rather than changing over completely?

Viv
 
Generally speaking its not an either or situation with co2 and EC the plants can't tell the difference between them so for instance a green drop checker while adding the reco dose of EC would be the equivalent of running in yellow but without chancing toxic of either if that makes sense.

Are you looking to stop using EC altogether? If so the best way would be to gradually reduce the dose until you stop.
 
That was the intention - now I'm not sure! It isn't easycarbo I use. It is actually called aqua carbon (from Aqua Essentials) but I suppose its exactly the same stuff?

Its taken me over a year to decide to go pressurised and now I'm wondering if I should :? 🙂 Too late now though as I suspect I've got a lot of Christmas pressies coming that will help me set it up!! :lol: I will make the change gradual and maybe keep 1-2 ml of the liquid going so that I can play it safe with the gas. Thanks for helping 🙂

Viv
 
Easy Carbo, Flourish XL and aqua carbon are essentially the same product. It's a chemical called gluter something or other and in used for sterilising medical equipment. When in the tank its act as an algaecide and provides a source of carbon the plant can use.
Here are some pointers which aren't my own because I have never tested them but I have picked up from the general opinions of this board from the people I feel know.

Co2 gas is better than liquid carbon for plants.
Easy carbon and the like is toxic to humans and can cause breathing problems if not handled correctly.
Easy carbon is a lot easier to use but more expensive if you shop around for co2 equipment.
A lot of people will use both liquid and gas to get the best results.

The reason you should reduce the liquid gradually is because BBA algae love a fluctuating co2 level so it's best not to make any sudden changes to the levels. If you are still getting used to gas it maybe an idea to carry on with the liquid as well which will soften any errors you make getting the gas injection right. When you get more confident with gas you could ditch the LC to save money especially if your lighting is not too high.
 
Thanks for this. I have been stressing over making the change so deciding to take it slow and play it safe is helpful. I can't imagine being confident with the gas atm but like anything else I'm sure that will change with use and familiarity!!

Viv
 
The gas is just about timing, a drop checker with correct 4dkh fluid in will give you a guide and the plants will confirm this. If the co2 is set on a timer people reckon to have it start 2 hours before lights on and two hours before lights off with the goal being having a lime green drop checker right through the period when the lights are on. Injection rates will be specific to your set up its just trial and error. The EC you have left will help with the errors as you can get it into the tank straight away should you have misjudged and not put enough co2 in the tank.

Some people will run it 24/7 in the absence of a timer solenoid for the co2 just at much lower rates but it's thought that it's pointless running co2 when the lights are off so getting a timed solenoid could eventually work out cheaper in the long run. Once you get to the point when your getting target colour in the drop checker regularly you could ease back on the EC until its finished and make sure your getting the co2 enriched water flowing all round the plants.
 
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