Dosing When Away?

Gbark

Guru Class Expert
Jun 15, 2009
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Good evening all,

I have been dosing EI for a few weeks now, and all is going well. I have made solutions for NPK and Mg and i use Tropica for micro's.

My question is, I go away on my hols (vacation) shortly, and my brother is going to look after the Bowl!! :eek:

Can i let him dose all the Macro's and Micro's weekly while i'm away, as long as he does the water changes?

Thanks Guys:)
 

Philosophos

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Weekly probably means dissipation to limiting nutrients by the end of every week. See if you can lower your lights down to minimal requirements for your plants while maintaining CO2 to help.

-Philosophos
 

Gbark

Guru Class Expert
Jun 15, 2009
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I can't dim my lights they are set, either on or off.
Will it harm the critters if he doses once a week for me?
 

deucebiggss

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Aug 31, 2009
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Why don't you just pre measure everything and label the cup(s) with day and time, can't F that up. If he does disown him ;)
 

Philosophos

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Run lighting for a shorter period then; knock a couple hours off. If you keep your NO3 under about 80-100ppm cumulatively, you should be fine with most fauna. I'm not sure how much of the nutrients will be broken down into less useful compounds by the end of the week, though.

How long are you gone for?

-Philosophos
 

Gbark

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Jun 15, 2009
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I'm away for 2 weeks, and my brother will only be popping into mine every 3 or so days. The fish have an automatic feeder so they are sorted.
 

shoggoth43

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You may also be able to put something between the lights and the surface to "dim" them. I'm actually consider something like this in my biocube since I can't adjust the height on the lighting and haven't gotten off my but to make the LED lighting for it yet.

-
S
 

Philosophos

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2 weeks with drop ins every 3 days? You should be fine. Find a way to reduce your light, get him to dose double what a daily dose would be every 3rd day when he's in, and put a water change in the middle of things. Make sure he gets the macros get in after the water change of course. The result should be slightly leaner dosing than normal, but also light low enough to prevent the drive for uptake.

-Philosophos
 

Tom Barr

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Jan 23, 2005
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Try some shade cloth, 50%, available at garden centers.
This will block 50% of the light.

I cannot adjust the sun at the lab any other way.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Gbark

Guru Class Expert
Jun 15, 2009
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Thanks all,

I am now in sunny Orlando, FL :D

So the plants are in the fate of my brother. I have bought some cloth, and reduced the timer to 8 hrs.

He is dosing for the week, because he doesn't understand, and i had to make solutions for him, in labeled bottles.

We will see in 2 weeks.

~G
 

Gbark

Guru Class Expert
Jun 15, 2009
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Back from hols!

Everything is fine and dandy, and much pruning is required:D

Co2 did run out while i was away though, but it hasent harmed the plants.