If I was to overdo IE?

[JenniferK]

If I was to overdo tank fertilization with IE, say for the sake of discussion I doubled the recommended dosage for my aquarium size. Does that mean only that my plants would be bathed in an excess and that I still wouldn't get any bad algae growing?

Thanks

Jennifer

 

[Biollante]

Folks Will Call You Names… Like, Sniff…Nutrient Type… Oh The Shame...


Hi Jennifer,


Doubling or tripling the EI dosing will not do much other than assure yourself that your dosing is truly non-limiting.



Biollante

 

[Tom Barr]

It will not increase growth, it's as stated, already non limiting. There is a VERY wide range from non limiting till you hit the toxicity range.
NH4 and copper are the exceptions, might be a few others, but in general, those are the only two. CO2 is toxic over a semi narrow range compared to most nutrients.

 

[scottward]

If I was to overdo tank fertilization with IE, say for the sake of discussion I doubled the recommended dosage for my aquarium size. Does that mean only that my plants would be bathed in an excess and that I still wouldn't get any bad algae growing?

What is 'IE' by the way?

 

[JenniferK]

ah IE! duh silly me EI EI EI EI ok I have drilled that deep down into my subconscious now

Very happy with the answers to my question. It confirms that there is nothing to worry about dosing (or overdosing) using the EI method. I think this is a big hurdle for a newbie putting these chemicals into their tank, especially when all the books that I have read discuss these chemicals as the biggest problems that us aquarists can have in our tanks and should always do everything in our power to remove and keep to a minimum these to prevent an algae outbreak. When it fact it's these very chemicals we should be actually putting into our tanks!

Thanks,
Jennifer

 

[JenniferK]

Are quotes like below now totally outdated?

This was from Chucks' Planted aquaria:


"BBA thrives in situations of high phosphates. Phosphates come from fish waste, excess food, and occasionally will be present in the water supply. The best way to eliminate BBA is to let the plants out-compete the algae for the nutrients. In heavily planted tanks, BBA will often show up when the plants have used up all the nitrates. This causes plant growth to slow or stop, which leaves the excess phosphates available to the algae. By supplying extra Nitrate to a planted tank, we allow plant growth to continue until all phosphate is consumed. Then plant AND algae growth will slow/stop. As long as a usable (5-10ppm) level of Nitrate is maintained, the the plants will continue to use up the available phosphate, effectively controls BBA and other phosphorus-dependant algaes."

 

[Matsyendra]

I can see the comment about how CO2 and phosphates are interlinked coming... add CO2 or keep it stable and BBA won't take hold? It has nothing to do with phosphate... all about CO2... I think?

I am thinking of the "algae control or growing plants" sticky in the Estimative Index forum...

 

[dutchy]

True, matsyendra. The high PO4 = algae hypothesis has already been falsified for a long time, it is from the time that limiting PO4 was believed to be necessary. Aquarists back then didn't understand that with having more PO4 they alleviated the deficiency. Plants started to grow faster and a CO2 deficiency would occur which lead to algae. With PO4 limiting there was also low CO2 demand, and plants had enough with the limited amount that was added. In that time 15 ppm of CO2 was already seen as an absolute maximum.

PO4 was the secondary issue, CO2 the primary.

Too bad that this myth is still al over the net and keeps convincing people PO4 is bad. Algae only happens when a deficiency occurs and growth stagnates, not because of high X or Y, with NH4 as an exception.

People that still want to believe that high PO4 = algae are invited to tell me why my tank doesn't have algae with 3 to 4 ppm PO4.

 

[Tom Barr]

Are quotes like below now totally outdated?

This was from Chucks' Planted aquaria:


"BBA thrives in situations of high phosphates. Phosphates come from fish waste, excess food, and occasionally will be present in the water supply. The best way to eliminate BBA is to let the plants out-compete the algae for the nutrients. In heavily planted tanks, BBA will often show up when the plants have used up all the nitrates. This causes plant growth to slow or stop, which leaves the excess phosphates available to the algae. By supplying extra Nitrate to a planted tank, we allow plant growth to continue until all phosphate is consumed. Then plant AND algae growth will slow/stop. As long as a usable (5-10ppm) level of Nitrate is maintained, the the plants will continue to use up the available phosphate, effectively controls BBA and other phosphorus-dependant algaes."

Yes, quite a long time ago, I know Chuck Gadd personally.
This is old PMDD advice.

He made the 1st real planted tank dosing calculator that I am aware of.

Plants do not compete for nutrients with algae spores/adult algae. Light is where most of the "competition" would occur in natural systems and likely for planted tanks as well.

 

[Tom Barr]

I can see the comment about how CO2 and phosphates are interlinked coming... add CO2 or keep it stable and BBA won't take hold? It has nothing to do with phosphate... all about CO2... I think?

I am thinking of the "algae control or growing plants" sticky in the Estimative Index forum...

Actually you can stabilize CO2 by strongly limiting PO4, but then CO2 is DEPENDENT on low PO4. So adding PO4 = algae.
If the CO2 is well managed and INDEPENDENT, then adding 0.5-1,2-5,20ppm of PO4 will do nothing for algae bloom/germination.

 

[Tom Barr]

Bottom line and put in a simple way: the goal is to grow plants well, so focus on the plant's needs, not the algae.
There are FEW old timer plant folks who tell people differently.

It's deceptively simple.