Do you think it's time for me to increase my dosing levels?

Whiskey

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Jun 14, 2010
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Hello all!

I have a 29G tall tank, that is a couple months old. I'm running pressurized CO2, 30PPM at tank bottom by drop checker, 10X tank turnover for flow, part of that is a Fluval 204 for filtration, 1X55W PC bulb in a parabolic reflector, along with an 18W Bulb in no reflector about 12 inches off the water, and it has a decent plant load.

Up until now I've been dosing it with 1/2 EI because my tank started off with a lower plant load.
My current dosing is as follows:
1/8 TSP K2NO3
1/8 TSP K2SO4
1/32 TSP K2PO4
On Monday, Wensday, and Friday.

1/32 TSP CSM-B
1 ml Flourish Iron
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

With my water change on Sunday.

Now, my plants have grown some, and I noticed that the plants perl far more on the days when I dose my Macros, then they do on days were I dose my Micros - and I just tested the tank, finding my Nitrates at only 5PPM or so, my water change day is tomorrow so this is the highest it will get.

My thought is that it's time for me to double my dosing levels, going to the full EI recommendation for this tank size. What do you think?

Thanks!
Whiskey
 

dbazuin

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Dec 30, 2009
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Yes go for the full dosing. You measure the NO3 and that is 5 witch very low but how about PO4 maybe that is even worse.

The micro's is that the full measurement?
If not you should better increase that to.
 

Oreo

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May 6, 2010
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Only 5ppm? I'm running 40ppm and I don't have a ton of plants either. I'd think you want to get that up to around 30ish ppm.
 

Tug

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Whisky Cures What Ails Ya.

Hi All,
What the OP indicates to me is even 1/2 doses based on EI are non-limiting. I do think you are on the razors edge and full EI doses are a better option. If you forget to feed the plants one of those days it would give you a broader margin for error. The K2SO4 might be the only exception. Increasing the K is likely unnecessary. Keep us informed.

Using KNO3 as the sole source of K+ (no K2SO4/KCl needed: A Ratio analysis).
 
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Tom Barr

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10ppm lower, 30ppm upper for NO3 is fine.

I'd rather see a pic of the tank.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Whiskey

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Jun 14, 2010
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San Diego, CA
dbazuin;52107 said:
Yes go for the full dosing. You measure the NO3 and that is 5 witch very low but how about PO4 maybe that is even worse.

The micro's is that the full measurement?
If not you should better increase that to.
Yeah,.. The Micros dosing will be doubled along with everything else,.. that was exactly my thought - if NO3 is that low,.. how low are the things I can't test for?

Oreo;52108 said:
Only 5ppm? I'm running 40ppm and I don't have a ton of plants either. I'd think you want to get that up to around 30ish ppm.
That's what I was thinking too - I'm not sure if 5PPM is limiting or not, but if it's that low, another level might be.

Tug;52112 said:
Hi All,
What the OP indicates to me is that even 1/2 doses based on EI are non-limiting. I do think you are on the razors edge and full EI doses are a better option. Incase you forget to feed the plants one of those days it would give you a broader margin for error. The K2SO4 might be the only exception. Increasing the K is likely unnecessary. Keep us informed.

Using KNO3 as the sole source of K+ (no K2SO4/KCl needed: A Ratio analysis).

I've done some reading about that,.. but I had also seen a graph around here somewhere that showed the limiting values for K, and the toxic values for K and there was a HUGE margin of error - so I figured I'd dose it, and err on the side of cation. It's not expensive.

Thanks for your imput!
Whiskey
 
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Whiskey

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Jun 14, 2010
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San Diego, CA
Tom Barr;52130 said:
10ppm lower, 30ppm upper for NO3 is fine.

I'd rather see a pic of the tank.


Regards,
Tom Barr

That's no problem,.. Please ignore how messy it looks, I just snapped a quick picture - and it is a pretty new tank still going through it's inital growing pains.

25fts.jpg


Thanks,
Whiskey
 

Tom Barr

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1/2 EI is still fine.
Add another 30-40% more biomass, then you can up it.

Regards,
Tom Barr