Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

[Spar]

i started this dosing scheduler quite a while back and have since improved it to a point that I think it will help people to plan out their dosing regimes.

it allows the person to select each dosing item on any day of the week, and spits out an analysis as to the ppm dosing per week (and a sub-section for ppm per dosing). then there is a "recommendations" section that compares the inputted results to the EI method of dosing, and recommends what to do better.

Since it is Excel file based, people can just download it once and then retain all the inputs for later. most online ones require to reenter everything just to get the ppm dosage.

this requires that you have MS Excel (or a compatible program).

If you try it out, let me know what you think. I have it set to where you can only change the fields that are inputtable (i.e. not formulas). This includes all fields in Green and any field within the dosing schedule.

Link:
http://www.fwstingrays.com/DosingCalculator.htm


edit>> forgot to say. if you want your products added to it let me know and I can put them in. i just need what contents are, and the ppm added per ml/t.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Thanks Cliff, I have several other folks that are interesated in doing a modeling program and calculator.

Vadf, Jason and Greg as well as myself.
We might want to set aside some time and do a chat or email on a list.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[wob]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Looks like it works with OpenOffice too (from my own testing) so if you don't have microsoft excel, you can always download the OpenOffice suite at http://www.openoffice.org

Robert

 

[AV8TOR]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Cool Spreadsheet. I have a question, when calculating the amount of tank water do you all use tank volume or subtract to compensate for gravel, driftwood, etc.? I calculate 50 gallons for my 55 gallon tank but have always wondered what is the preferred way.

 

[Spar]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Cool Spreadsheet. I have a question, when calculating the amount of tank water do you all use tank volume or subtract to compensate for gravel, driftwood, etc.? I calculate 50 gallons for my 55 gallon tank but have always wondered what is the preferred way.

need to subtract to compensate (so use 50, not 55). i am working on adding comments to each of the cells to give additional "pointers". i think that cell, if you drag over it it will say the compensation comment. probably in the cell with the description, not the cell with the inputtable value.

 

[Spar]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Thanks Cliff, I have several other folks that are interesated in doing a modeling program and calculator.

Vadf, Jason and Greg as well as myself.
We might want to set aside some time and do a chat or email on a list.

Regards,
Tom Barr

sounds good to me. just let me know around the time you would like to do this. thanks,

cliff

 

[fosteder]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Cliff,

First off, that is a great calculator! You did some cool things. I do have some suggestions though.

1. More Ph values. You go from 6.7 to 7.1 with nothing in between.

2. I found the layout a little confusing at first. I don't have any specific suggestions right now, but I will at a later time when I get some time to think about it.

All in all, it's a nice calculator. With a little tweaking it will be a masterpiece!

 

[Spar]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

thanks for the testing

I will add some more pH values for you.
edit>> just noticed what you meant... not sure why that jump was in there. will be fixed this weekend though.

I kind of gave up on making too many changes to it. I have tried getting newbies to use it through PM's, and almost all of them say they would rather just ask for a dosing regime in a post and not have to learn all the general terms/ppms/etc. makes sense for the not so chemically interested people.

this calculator really focuses more towards the people wanting to know the ppm's going into the water.

being an accountant, I love to see the #'s crunched

i think my next plan is to make a beginners recommended schedule creator out of it. meaning, they just plug in their wpg, co2 (if appl), and gallons, and then a schedule pops up for them with the days and amounts (probably set it all to dosing dry) recommended.

i think more use would also come from it if I had time to mess with Java Script and get it online (other than a download).

 

[defdac]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

I have a question.

I normally make a KH2PO4-solution with a 200 ml container with 2 tsp KH2PO4, and I dose around 5-25 mls of this solution every other day in my 100 gal.

How do I put this in the Excel-sheet?

If I select 200 ml container and 2 tsp KH2PO4 the calculator think I should dose 100 ml (half the container!) each dose.

 

[defdac]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Ahh.. I think I've found my error. I neglected the "Normal dosage"-setting. When I put 1/4 tsp in there the dosing amount became 25 mls.

 

[Spar]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

ya, that is one thing I don't like about how my settings are. I want to make the Normal Dosage part be automatically set based on the scheduler, but if someone chooses different dosing amounts on different days, then how can the "normal dosage" part determine which one/amount to utilize?

that is why I put in the conditional formatting to highlight certain cells in Red once you change a setting that will require you to reset the scheduler cell.

now that I think about it, I have the PO4 set to where you can't change the dosage amount on different days... so I could just have it automatically set in. I will work on that as well.

Do y'all like that "Single Dosage" part? (I assume this is what is referred above as Normal Dosage")? I like it since it keeps the scheduler (weekly ppm's) independent from if you want to see incremental changes in dosing amounts.

 

[defdac]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

The only thing I was a bit confused by was that I wanted to put in 25 mls of KH2PO4-dosages every other day but it was based on the dry "normal dosage", something I'm not used to when it comes to KH2PO4. Not a major problem though when I figured it out.

But I have one question, how do you calculate the uptake-ratios?

 

[graham p]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Any chance you could include UK gallons.

 

[Spar]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Any chance you could include UK gallons.

yep, that is another plan for the weekend. but... i need the conversion ratio if you have it, please post it here. I am sure I can find it through google otherwise.

But I have one question, how do you calculate the uptake-ratios?

it is just the weekly ppm / 7.

i actually thought about this the other day. is there an error in this theory? wouldn't this formula assume that all the dosages are utilized throughout the week (i.e. you have 0ppm of everything at the point of a weekly water change)? maybe not, but worth considering so I can update the formula (some how...)

and on a side note. the spreadsheet is password protected, but only so someone doesn't accidentally change an essential formula. since it is re-downloadable again if you mess something up, below is the password:

password = australia

just go to Tools --> Protection in the menu bar to unprotect it.

unlock it and you can see all the formulas used, etc. there is a lot of redundancy in the formulas (i.e. some formulas could probably be reduced down a little), as it has been through so many phases, but the functionality still works.

 

[Spar]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

FYI,

it is up with the added UK gallons option, and added pH values.

I also put up pictures of my dosing regime.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Cliff, I'd worry less about new folks using it, main thing does it answer the questions many of non newbies have, that way it's easier to give the newbie a specific answer with less work and then reference the calculator for them to use when they are ready(if ever).

So it saves non newbies time......

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[graham p]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

FYI,

it is up with the added UK gallons option, and added pH values.

I also put up pictures of my dosing regime.

Cannot access uk gallons,wheres the pics?

 

[Spar]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

where it says "Metric Systems" & USA is pre-set, you can drop the menu down and UK is now there.

if not, then be sure to hit the Refresh button on your browser. If you don't see the pictures on the site, then I think that is actually what is happening.

http://www.fwstingrays.com/DosingCalculator.htm

 

[graham p]

Re: Dosing Scheduler / Calculator - need some beta testers

Thanks got there in the end,had to refresh about 5 times.