EI journal

[iggy01]

Zig..... as I've already said, I think you have done a fantastic job of explaining and promoting the E.I.

I know you have stressed the point about CO2 several times already. I would just like to remind everyone how important it is. CO2 levels must be kept at, or around 30 mg/l, for the whole lighting period. Those with pressurised CO2 can turn it off at night if they wish. Tom Barr does this. Failure to maintain a decent CO2 level could result in a major algae outbreak.

Best of luck to all those starting out with the E.I.

If you stay within the guidelines I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[nodding_dino]

if using RO water to make up the solutions, should it be re-mineralised...I'm guessing not?

 

[sif]

Good thread folks keep it up! I might have a go at this EI thing but I do have a question I haven't been able to find much info on... Tom Barr et al reckon PO4 should be in the range of 1-2ppm and dosed to that level. What happens if your tap water (and therefore tank) is at 5ppm already, are we talking negative dosing or removal to get to the required level?

 

[houndour]

hondour i just checked your calculations on the calculator and they are spot on, so i guess the only difficulty is auctually measureing the amounts, i dont remember having any difficulty dissolveing the chemicals in the water so that should be easy, and i think your correct to forget about the K2SO4 you might have never used it and it probably would have been a waste of money.

Also dont forget you need some thing to supply the Micronutrients or trace elements (i know i know more money, but at least you should allready have this) any decent general purpose liquid fertiliser, good ones would include the following, Kent Botanic Grow, API Leaf Zone, Waterlife Tropiflora, Seachem Flourish, but whatever you have been useing up to now im sure will be fine.

Thanks for checking zig. I getting really excited about this. I'm still trying to get my CO2 levels up. I noticed yesterday my bubbles in the new ladder were missing the ladder and going straight to the surface. Now that I have twiddled and they are using the ladder I'm hoping my CO2 tonight will be certainly over 20ppm.

I already have kent grow and kent Fe. Thank god the Grow wasnt a waste of money then

houndour..as if we haven't read enough...I found this and thought it was quite interesting! I finally understand the maths behind the 50% water changes...

Thanks ND, read half of it, but have a bit of a short lunch today, so will have a further read tonight.

I might get myself the API Phosphate kit next month. Didnt know API did one, or I would have got it in the first place. *sigh*

Let me know when your chemicals arrive! Have you done your calculations yet? I used Chucks calculator. I think its the same as the one you download to windows.

 

[George Farmer]

Good thread folks keep it up! I might have a go at this EI thing but I do have a question I haven't been able to find much info on... Tom Barr et al reckon PO4 should be in the range of 1-2ppm and dosed to that level. What happens if your tap water (and therefore tank) is at 5ppm already, are we talking negative dosing or removal to get to the required level?

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My tap is 5ppm PO4 too (2.5ppm after mixing with 50% RO). However I still dose KH2PO4 as my plants suck it up quite quickly.

If have good light and CO2 then you may be ok with 5ppm. I wouldn't worry about removing PO4 unless you're getting algae - even so it's likely will be caused by other factors other than high PO4 alone.

 

[nodding_dino]

well, as I mentioned earlier, the essential ingredients have been ordered and today I have bought some proper measuring spoons (the smallest is .25 tsp), 2 litres of RO water, some API LeafZone and a phosphate test kit. So bar a couple of 500ml storage bottles, I think once the KNO3 and KH2PO4 arrive, I should be ready to go!

I changed the mixture in the second CO2 cannister this morning, and having been out for a couple of hours, it's now bubbling away like crazy! I will do another pH/KH test tonight to see if it's had any effect...I'm also interested to see what the hardness reading is like today.

I downloaded chucks calculator and worked out the following (based on a 125l tank) and solutions of 500ml

KNO3 16tsp (100.8g) = 0.99ppm
KH2PO4 2tsp (9.6g) = 0.1ppm

Someone please shout if these figures don't look right

Everything seems to be coming along nicely!

EDIT

I still haven't heard back from Anglia Water...will chase!

 

[nodding_dino]

ooh ooh...just got an email, KNO3 and KH2PO4 have been despatched...YAY!

 

[nodding_dino]

I will do another pH/KH test tonight to see if it's had any effect...I'm also interested to see what the hardness reading is like today.

well, CO2 is up to 27ppm so it looks as thought gf's recipe has really done the trick!

I rang the water company again, they are apparently sending out a water quality pack in the post. The lady I spoke with kindly gave me the following readings (mean values/based on 2004 figures):

NO3 22.2 mg/l
Fe <31.6mgm/l (microgrammes per litre?)

Apparently they are not obliged to publish phosphate and potassium figures, but has said that she will include these figures with the pack she sends out!

 

[George Farmer]

NO3 22.2 mg/l
Fe <31.6mgm/l (microgrammes per litre?)

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That's a nice NO3 level - you won't need to dose as much if you stick to 50% weekly water change.

I'm not too sure on the iron, I think it may mean milligrams per millilitre which is the same a micrograms per litre. Too little to think about really when dosing micronutrients.

 

[RYO]

mmm looks like i need to dose up on my nitrates, tested water 4 days after water change
ph -6.8
ammonia- 0
nitite -0
nitrate - less than 5ppm
phosphate - 2ppm
gh-35.8 ppm
kh- 143.2 ppm (bufferd with bicarb, 17.9 with no bicarb lol any softer i could use it as a pillow)
guess that makes disolved co2 - 35,68 mg/l CO2
weekly dose with jbl ferropol liquid fertilizer

As im about to up the lighting to around 4wpg looks like im going to be trying this E.I lark out (lol who was it that said somthing about cutting back on time spent on the tanks - GEORGE)

Oh yea George check out your squipers ref co2 bottles and recharging

 

[George Farmer]

As im about to up the lighting to around 4wpg looks like im going to be trying this E.I lark out (lol who was it that said somthing about cutting back on time spent on the tanks - GEORGE)

Oh yea George check out your squipers ref co2 bottles and recharging

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Actually mate the time spent is minimal compared to what I used to endure. Now I simply add my Dennerle A1 and 5ml EI DIY solution daily. Do a 50% weekly water change, fertilise with weekly ferts and thin out a few sag plantlets. Probably spend 1 to 2 hours max per week now. Staring at the tank (and Digweed) is another matter!

Already spoke with squippers - costing me a few beers!

 

[RYO]

Already spoke with squippers - costing me a few beers!

lol me too just need to find a regulator to fit the bottles . Not to sure on the thread for most regulators.

 

[George Farmer]

3/4" BSP I think

 

[houndour]

KNO3 16tsp (100.8g) = 0.99ppm
KH2PO4 2tsp (9.6g) = 0.1ppm

Cool, that's the same ppms as mine (but more tsps cos you have a bigger tank).

My KNO3 and KH2PO4 has also been dispatched. I'm going to try and get to my LFS on Sunday to get the water. I want to get my CO2 up before I start dosing too. It's not going that well. Tested tonight and I have 17ppm. I've changed the 'first' unit, and my second unit is doing very well bubbling away. However my plants have been pearling since my water change last sunday, so even the small rise in CO2 must be helping, and also the algae has not come back as quick as before

I think we need to post some pictures of plants for befores and afters. I will try and get some close ups of my plants with algae so I can compare a few months down the line. It's easy to forget how bad things were sometimes. It's quite good actually cos we'll see the difference from a more established but algae ridden tank and a newly set up one.

 

[nodding_dino]

my order from GardenDirect has just arrived!