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Help with low tech EI strategy

rolexbene

Member
Joined
6 Jan 2012
Messages
266
Location
South London
Hello I have just set up a low tech 40l arcadia tank with an 18w light and a basic ehiem sponge ball filter. The tank has a little bit of aquasoil topped with sand, but for the most part has just sand so I was thinking I could dose nutrients through the water column, I am currently using EI on my other tank and was wondering how this could be adapted to work on such a low light tank.

Should I be dosing with MICRO and MACRO?
How often should I be dosing and in what measures?

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.



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This is something I've been playing with for some time. I dose EI levels but only dose Macro's, Mondays+Fridays, trace goes in Wednesdays. My latest low tech adventure is for RCS and I'm still unsure how to go about the dosing.

Hope someone else chips in that can give more useful info than myself. ;)
 
The principle is the same as standard EI, just the nutrient consumption will be lower. On my low tech nano with an 11w light i dose 3 times a week both macro and micro on same day at 50% EI. Im sure i could drop it to at least 25% if i wanted but there is no advantage aside cost which is tiny anyway on a 40lt and measuring 2.5ml is frustrating.
 
Standard Operating Procedure for non-CO2 tanks:
Add roughly 1/8 teaspoon of KNO3 and 1/32 teaspoon of KH2PO4 per 20G respectively once a week or two. If you're using commercial ferts, you can just dose per bottle instructions (assuming it's an NPK mix).
While trace mixes can be added, SeaChem Equlibrium is suggested as an alternative, since it has Fe and Mn as well as Ca/K/Mg/SO4. But you can add trace, say 1/32 teaspoon per 20G if you already have them.
Standard dosage for Equilibrium is 1/4 teaspoon per 20 gal tank once every week or two.

Cheers,
 
I agree; the quantities involved are so minute that perhaps you should give some thought to ready made liquid ferts such as TNC Complete or Lite - for convenience sake. I use them and find them economical for my 90 litre low energy soil substrate tank.

Nice scape by the way, very elegant.
 
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