Algae Or Detrius Build Up?

[JoshuaA]

My 8g from last year ended up guzzling 8ml of TPN+ a day! And your tank is much bigger than 8g. I did have a heavier plant mass, though.

I am curious, I've seen many comments like this before... How do you know how much it consumed a day? Just a guess or you put it until you notice a bad side effect?

All trial and error.
For instance, add 2ml per day. Still seeing nutrient deficienies.
Increase to 3ml per day. Still seeing deficiencies.
So on and so forth until in this case, 8ml was added per day, and no deficiencies were seen. All this would probably take a few weeks. Shorter if the need for a higher nutrient dosing regime was anticipated thanks to perviosu experience.

RadaR is right, there comes a point where you can guess what you'll need to start off with based on plant mass, lighting, and livestock levels. The great thing is when you start dosing like that, you can always reset with a water change. Also, you have to account for changes in plant mass. People kind forget this. They get a level that's working great for them, then 3 months down the road they have problems again. First thing I'll ask is how's your flow? Then I'll ask have you changed your dosing? Plants grow, that's our goal, what wasn't blocking the filter before is now. The dosing that was good then, won't be enough now. It constantly changes.

llj

Thanks for the insight,

I've been dosing the trace elements a lot more now that I've almost doubled my light input and Co2, growth is at a high point now but can't help but think my plants are starving if I don't dose daily/every other day on the trace elements.

 

[RadaR]

My 8g from last year ended up guzzling 8ml of TPN+ a day! And your tank is much bigger than 8g. I did have a heavier plant mass, though.

I am curious, I've seen many comments like this before... How do you know how much it consumed a day? Just a guess or you put it until you notice a bad side effect?

All trial and error.
For instance, add 2ml per day. Still seeing nutrient deficienies.
Increase to 3ml per day. Still seeing deficiencies.
So on and so forth until in this case, 8ml was added per day, and no deficiencies were seen. All this would probably take a few weeks. Shorter if the need for a higher nutrient dosing regime was anticipated thanks to perviosu experience.

RadaR is right, there comes a point where you can guess what you'll need to start off with based on plant mass, lighting, and livestock levels. The great thing is when you start dosing like that, you can always reset with a water change. Also, you have to account for changes in plant mass. People kind forget this. They get a level that's working great for them, then 3 months down the road they have problems again. First thing I'll ask is how's your flow? Then I'll ask have you changed your dosing? Plants grow, that's our goal, what wasn't blocking the filter before is now. The dosing that was good then, won't be enough now. It constantly changes.

llj

Thanks for the insight,

I've been dosing the trace elements a lot more now that I've almost doubled my light input and Co2, growth is at a high point now but can't help but think my plants are starving if I don't dose daily/every other day on the trace elements.

Plants are wanting maceo nutrients more than trace elements. Even on high light tanks with CO2, you can get away with dosing trace elements, 2 or 3 times a week.