Lunch time woe's (TPN+)

[Dillinger]

Hi all,

I’ve had been dosing my 35L Nano with the ‘box dosing instructions’ of TPN+ and also the ‘Recommended dosing’ of Excel, just to be on the safe side. Been doing this for about a month now.

Now, on my lunch break I was looking through a few previous posts on TPN+ dosing and many seem to be doing daily dosing(1ml per day seems to be the average consensus).

I Have begun to scratch my head, as I'm dosing 3.5ml per week after doing the math from the TPN+ ‘dosing instructions’.

I'm using Two 11w T5 Arcpod lamps, and using only excel as a source of carbon, plant load is medium and my water is Devonshire sourced.

Now I’m questioning as to whether I'm under dosing, or not using my ferts to best use?

Any input would be much appreciated.

Best Regards,

Dillinger

 

[Steve Smith]

What are your plants telling you? Any deficiencies showing in the colouration of the leaves etc?

 

[Dillinger]

What are your plants telling you? Any deficiencies showing in the colouration of the leaves etc?

Plants seem to be fine, no discolouration, melting or signs to alarmed by. Nana Vals sending fresh green runners and plenty of growth on my various mosses.

Although Hair grass seems to be growing and filling in very slowly in the oynx sand substrate.

 

[YzemaN]

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
I overdosed Excel on my 25L and had plenty of good growth of HC & P. helferi, but all grass-like plants just survived, didn't put out any runners. If your vallis and the rest are doing fine you're not overdosing, so don't change anything...

 

[Superman]

I was struggling to get good growth dosing 1ml per day of TPN+ in my 14 litre nano.
I then switched to a DIY all in one mix based on EI and the difference has been amazing.

Although, if there's no signs of anything going wrong with your plants then the best advice would be to keep things settled.

 

[Dillinger]

Thanks all,

I should be popping up a journal on the tank soon so at least I can show pictures of my dosing results, just need to sort the DSLR photos out in order of evolution.

So basically I should just carry on till I see any Ill effects with the plants and the start revising my dosing?
Would be interesting to see what Tropica have based TPN+ dosing on, although I did read somewhere it was a low tech based tank.

Many Thanks again!

 

[YzemaN]

I think Tropica based their calculations on the average European consumer. i.e. some plants and lots of fish in a non-CO2 injected tank. I seem to remember that if you dose the amount (in ml/week) that they recommend it approximates what you would dose 3 times a week in an EI tank.