Dry Fert Ei Dose Or Pps?

[liamhuckle]

Im looking at dry ferts at the minute and been looking at ei and pps pro

What system does everyone use from what i understand could possibly be wrong

Ei you are basically over dosing the tank so the plants never run out hence you need big water changes

And pps pro you just dose what the plants need


Im sure people will prove me wrong

What system is best and where is best to get dry ferts from

Im currently using tpn+

Looking at changing when i run out

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I'm using this: http/www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/ei-starter-kit.html
 
Seems ok to me. You can dose dry or mixed up. Whatever you prefer!

 

[liamhuckle]

Ive been reading this http/www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html and noticed in the pack you linked to it is missing ks04 is this necassary ?

And i yhink i would mix into a liquid

 

[DrRob]

Depends a lot on what you want to have as the limiting factor in the system. Most of the planted guru's I know of rely on plenty of CO2, plenty of nutrients and controlled lighting.
 
The water changes in EI are largely because of the things that you can't measure, such as dissolved organics that you can't clear any other reliable way, although they do use carbon and purigen type filtration to help with this.

 

[SO19Firearms]

The water changes in EI are largely because of the things that you can't measure, such as dissolved organics that you can't clear any other reliable way, although they do use carbon and purigen type filtration to help with this.

n1

It's always the water change bit that gets skewed, even when we realise that added Nitrate is nothing to worry about we have to reassure ourselves that the water change will save us....
 
as for EI or PPS - It's personal choice, you can save money on an already cheap system by dosing lean with PPS, but you lose the benefit of why EI was developed (to prevent algae)
You can trade off water changes against reduced plant growth too if you want to make life easier - or dose less EI (again, EI water changes to reduce toxic organic build up from accelerated plant growth) but you might leave yourself open to algae.
 
The Potassium (K) in EI comes from your KNO3 and KH2PO4 and as it's only about Number 3 in the nutrient hit parade you should have plenty.
 
IMO

 

[liamhuckle]

So can someone run through the ei as im guessing this sounds the best

Does anyone have the formula handy and how much to dose for a 20g tank

 

[SO19Firearms]

There's an easy EI calculator here - and this website for more info Estimatibe Index.
 
HTH

 

[liamhuckle]

Great thank you so does most people dose dry or make a liquid up i just think measuring powder everyday could b fidderly

 

[SO19Firearms]

I dose dry with measuring spoons.
Other ppl make up liquids and measure that.
 
The absolute simpliest way is to use the end of a teaspoon and not really measure it much at all, but that sounds too easy so nobody believes it.

 

[liamhuckle]

Yeah and i surpose everyone wants exact and i suppose id be scared of overdosing

 

[SO19Firearms]

You can't really overdose if you follow the plan and as it's estamitive it doesn't really matter. What if you have 12 plants less than the next guy with the same tank? Would you be overdosing? Nah.....
The benefit of being exact is you know how much you're putting in everytime, so you could confidently say "I need more Phosphate because I can see a deficiency and I definately put this amount in...." etc...but thats about it.
 
IMO

 

[liamhuckle]

Makes all good reading desperatly need to upgrade my lights as have co2 and ferts butnonly 1.5 wpg

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Makes all good reading desperatly need to upgrade my lights as have co2 and ferts butnonly 1.5 wpg

If you get the ferts and CO2 right you won't have to worry about the lights.

 

[liamhuckle]

Thats to hear hopefully my co2 should be ok drop checker always green so just ferts now theres so many just been looking at Tobis Mikro and Makro Special Ferts

 

[SO19Firearms]

Thats to hear hopefully my co2 should be ok drop checker always green so just ferts now theres so many just been looking at Tobis Mikro and Makro Special Ferts

 
He makes good ferts