Thanks Tom Barr!

Hey Guys this is my first post here. I run into Tom Barr a week or so ago in another forum and we had a great discussion about the subject we are all here for. My tag there was The Plant Man. I had never heard about him or his EI method. I’ve been practicing growing plants for about 5-6 years now and “thought” I had a firm grip on it. I mean I do all right. But Tom opened my eyes about a great many things and I just wanted to say thank you Tom Barr.

You’re all right.

The tank is a 46 Bowfront with 2 T-5 fixtures 4 21watt bulbs 2 x 7,600k and 2 x 10,000k. Filters a 2215 with 2217 impeller and a 2217. 4 year old flourite substraite I do 35-40% water change with 15ml Tropica aqaucare ferts per week (for now).

I am not yet completely using his method but not because I don’t want to, I’m just not set up for it yet.

I did make a few changes to my DIY set-up in accordance with his ideas and they have made a remarkable difference!

Some pics.

This is when I set it up just over 3 months ago.



This is now, today



Changes I made because of what I learned from Tom are.

I dropped my light down to 1.8 watts from 2.2 watts.

I added a third bottle to my DIY Co2 set-up

I bought and installed a Drop Checker with 4dkh solution in it and use API's PH drops.

I modified my method of defusing Co2 to get better efficiency.

I dose more ferts and do larger water changes once per week then I was

I will be purchasing a Rexx Co2 system in the future.

The difference in just about 2 weeks has been amazing.

Before adding extra Co2 DIY bottle and after, I defuse it with a power head and an added tube that is restricted at the end. From the three bottles I get a steady uninterupted and smooth stream of tiny bubbles out the end of the tube.





I was dealling with a bit of an algae out break 2 weeks ago but it is mostly cleared up. I am just stuck with a bit of Green Spot on the anubias.

 

It's funny you mention about the Granulosus, I did exactly that just a few days before taking the picture above! It had grown to the surface and was poking out of the water. I figured that because it had grown so crazy fast it would make an excellent foreground plant. So I tore it out in its entirety, separated the stems (I had 6 in total now, it grew two new ones), grouped them in two’s and replanted along the back. Although I did cut off the entire root system and chop the stems up to the leaves, when I originally received the plant it had almost no roots so just assumed it would reroot itself. The amount of roots it grew in just 2 and a half weeks was crazy! It took me about 10 minutes to pull it out with out affecting the Crypts to much! Freakin’ weeds! This has had a negative effect on the plants in general but I think they’ll pull through. I just have to get your IE method in place as soon as I can.

Again, Tom,

Thanks buddy!

One question I have for anyone who may know. I am currently dosing with Tropica. I have both firts (with and without N and P). How much in this tank with it's current growth should I be using?