Making Ei Solutions

[afroturf]

My EI powders arrived today from AE i've read on APC that it is possible to mix all your macro nutrients in one large bottle once you have worked out you dosage levels. for example in a 1 litter bottle 59 grams K2SO4, 65 grams KNO3, 6 grams KH2PO4 and fill up with distilled water. Can this be done? or could it cause problems by mixing the chemicals in small amount of water?

 

[Themuleous]

It can but you're better off having a separate bottle for each. What happens if you find the plants are using more PO4 and less NO3? Its very useful to be able to dose one without dosing the other.

Sam

 

[sophos9]

It can but you're better off having a separate bottle for each. What happens if you find the plants are using more PO4 and less NO3? Its very useful to be able to dose one without dosing the other.

Sam

Sam, how would you know such things?

 

[Themuleous]

Sorry I'm not following? How do I know what?

Sam

 

[sophos9]

What happens if you find the plants are using more PO4 and less NO3?

How would you know if plants were doing this? I'm dosing small amounts of macros and don't have a phosphate tester, trying to do it by watching how the plants react

 

[Themuleous]

Testing is the only way.

I know test kits are not very accurate but they give you an idea of what's going on the the tank. For EI tanks its not as necessary as the overdosing you do should prevent low nutrient levels. However I find in my lower light tanks that the PO4 especially can vary quite a bit. For example before I did my major prune in my 20g there was 0.5ppm PO4 detectable, but after the prune it seems to stay at roughly 2ppm PO4. So I dose PO4 accordingly to bring the level back up to 2ppm. Its probably not necessary and will mostly likely be hugely inaccurate but it gives me piece of mind.

Plant type also makes a difference and will lighting, etc.

Hope that helps?

Sam

 

[sophos9]

lol - not really

I understand what you are saying though... How much are phosphate kits? I'm hoping to just carry on dosing small then slowly increasing dose sizes over time, if things work out then plants will grow, if they dont - bring on the algae!

 

[Themuleous]

Unfortunately PO4 kits tend to be more expensive, the API one I use is around 10quid so not cheap but it should last a good few years.

Sam

 

[afroturf]

I brought a PO4 test kit along with the powder from AE it cost £6.99. I tested the tank water and it came up as about 1ppm i also tested the tap water as i was going to do a little water change before my first dose and the tap water tested over 5ppm is this usual?

In terms of the solutions i shall make up individual solutions i don't think i want to add any more PO4 to the tap water if its going to read 5ppm all the time.

 

[Themuleous]

5ppm PO4 in tap water is fairly normal, as they add it to help reduce corrosion.

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

Afro,

I have found since adding fish that I rarely need to add phosphates.

With my tank I did a lot of testing at first to spot any trends, rather than using the kits as a means to finding accurate levels of specific things. You will soon get a feel for how things are going and find yourself rarely testing after a while.

Dave.

 

[afroturf]

Is 5ppm a dangerous level or just adove advised? How can i tell if i'm adding enough K as there is no way of testing for it?

 

[Themuleous]

5ppm PO4 is fine, I used to have 5ppm in one of my tanks, didnt seem to bother the fish or plants. If youre adding KH2PO4 to the tank, you'll be adding K.

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

Is 5ppm a dangerous level or just adove advised? How can i tell if i'm adding enough K as there is no way of testing for it?

That is a good question. I don`t add a great deal of K through my phosphates, but because I am dosing my KNO3 regular and everything appears OK, I assume there is enough K in the tank.

If you find you are not able to get enough K in there with phosphates and nitrates at target level, you could consider adding K2SO4.

Dave.

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh there is always K2SO4, the plants will tell you if they are lacking K, however as its a low light tank (assume it is?) the growth rates will be much slower anyway so the K in the KH2PO4 should be plenty. There will probably be some in your tap water.

Sam