Rest days for EI Dosing

[curefan]

Hi all,
I recently started EI dosing (dry dosing) using the method below (560L approx):

Day 1 - 2 tsp KNO3, 1 tsp KH2PO4, 4 tsp MGSO4
Day 2 - 1 tsp Trace
Day 3 - Same as D1
Day 4 - Same as D2
Day 5 - Same as D1
Day 6&7 - Rest.

What I really wanted to know was, what is the purpose of the rest days :?:
Would you saturate the tank if you dosed everyday? Would it be the same to dose a little less everyday?
Just thought it would be good to know why im doing what im doing

Thanks, Dave.

 

[hinch]

personally there isn't one.
same as there's no real reason to dose trace/macro separately.

mix it all together chuck it in once a day problem solved.

 

[nry]

If you dose daily, make sure you reduce each dose accordingly. I do both on the same days, Mon/Wed/Fri, then it rests the weekend...

 

[ian_m]

Macro EI and micro EI react to produce insoluble iron phosphate, thus reducing available phosphate (by a tiny amount) and taking all iron out, which is why you dose alternate days to give the plants a chance to absorb first.

I placed some macro and micro in a pot and left for a week, and didn't see any precipitate. But it is a known reaction.

Rest days are to make dosing easier, 3 macro and 3 micro per week and not waste a dose just before a water change.

I automatically dosed both macro and micro for a while, via dual peristaltic pumps, until I modfied my pumps to do alternate dosing.

So I now automatically dose alternate days, with no rest days and plants don't seem to mind.

In the end I don't think it really matters, just see see what the plants "say".

 

[nry]

So how do the likes of Tropica Plant Nutrition Plus work then?

 

[ian_m]

So how do the likes of Tropica Plant Nutrition Plus work then?

They keep the solution acidic to stop phosphate reacting with the iron.

Make your own here.
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm

Do bear in mind, some people have had "failures" with their own all in one. Mould is one of the issues. Most likely as they got the pH wrong or didn't used distilled water.

With seperate macro and micro, can't really go wrong.

 

[hinch]

add a stabaliser in and you don't have a mould problem i mix up 1 litre at a time which lasts for about 3 months before i need to mix up more.

 

[plantbrain]

I dose 2 to 3 x a week, add everything at once.

No issues, see the 120 Gal dutch something or another. Or the 180, or the 350 or or or....well, you get the idea.

Light/CO2? Much more important.