# EI - what's the estimated ppm addition / dose?



## longhornxtreme (Feb 20, 2007)

Hi all, I'm thinking I'm going to try EI for a while. PPS-pro just seems to be a little lean for my tank.

Anyways, since I have a nice scale and dry ferts and I prefer using pipettes to dose, can anyone tell me what PPM we are trying to add to our tanks with each dose? I can't do that math off the top of my head as I don't know how many grams are in the different volume measurements. 

But If I know how many ppm each of N,P,K I can do the dimensional analysis myself... I'll even make a nice little spreadsheet for everyone to use that takes into account tank size, volume of stock solution, and volume of dose.


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## imeridian (Jan 17, 2007)

The fertilator will tell you.  Just input the quantity of dry ingredients recommended and it'll give you the ppm for your tank size.

You may find this EI method more your style vs. the typical dry dosing. Without intending to offend anybody, it's sort of like heavy PPS-Pro.


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## longhornxtreme (Feb 20, 2007)

Hi Indi... I wasn't aware that the fertilator took into account dry doses. Thanks a bunch. I'll go check out that thread you posted as well.


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

duplicate post


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

I'm not trying to offend anyone either, but I've used the fert regimen that *indiboi* gave a link to. It worked well w/o any green spot algae problems. I went though 3 500 mL solutions while using this and I was pleased. I used Seachem's Equilibrium for the GH Booster and I used Tropica's Plant Nutrition _liquid_ for the trace.

I'm using this 'latest version' of EI with good success now.
http://www.barrreport.com/estimative-index/2819-ei-light-those-less-techy-folks.html


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## longhornxtreme (Feb 20, 2007)

Did I offend anyone? I've read all those threads before, I was just wondering if there was a rough estimate for how many ppms per dose. Just makes it alot easier to calculate. Even going by Barr's estimated Teaspoons, it is significantly different depending on whether you use the large tank size or small tank size in fertilator.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The EI method is based on the belief that the actual concentrations of fertilizers in the water is not critical. They need to be adequate all of the time, but may be more than what the plant needs are. So, the dosing is always given as an approximation. Obviously, if you are dosing more than the plants need, you won't run short of anything. And, if you do weekly big water changes you won't exceed the maximum safe concentrations. That is also why teaspoon measurements are used instead of gram measurements - you don't need that kind of accuracy.

Just to stay with the theme of this thread - anyone offended by this was offended not by my intent, but purely as an artifact of my typing faster than my brain can do a thorough analysis of the potential effects of what I type.


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

longhornxtreme said:


> Did I offend anyone? I've read all those threads before, I was just wondering if there was a rough estimate for how many ppms per dose. Just makes it alot easier to calculate. Even going by Barr's estimated Teaspoons, it is significantly different depending on whether you use the large tank size or small tank size in fertilator.


I know what you mean by the variations.

This may help. You can use Chuck's Calculating dosages of fertilizer elements for a planted tank along with the fertfriend and the fertilator with Barr's dosing charts to figure how to make the dosing solutions.

Here's one of the original EI dosing charts for a 29 gallon aquarium. It's what I use to figure the ppm's that need to be dosed. It's like hoppycalif said: "The EI method is based on the belief that the actual concentrations of fertilizers in the water is not critical. They need to be adequate all of the time, but may be more than what the plant needs are. So, the dosing is always given as an approximation."










These calculations are from using the fertilator.
1/4 tsp of KNO3 = 7.26 ppm of NO3 and 4.58 ppm of K
1/16 tsp of KH2PO4 = 2.23 ppm of PO4 and 0.92 ppm of K
1/16 tsp of K2SO4 = 1.63 ppm of K
1/16 tsp of CSM+B = 0.1 ppm of Fe

One dose of KNO3, KH2PO4 and K2SO4 =
7.26 ppm of NO3
2.23 ppm of PO4
7.13 ppm of K
One dose of CSM+B =
0.1 ppm of Fe

I always dosed dry with spoons, but here is a way to mix solutions. It's from Rex Grigg's site: http://www.rexgrigg.com/dosing.htm

I hope that this may help you, longhornxtreme.

Left C


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## imeridian (Jan 17, 2007)

For the record, the reason I said "without intending to offend anyone" was because I was calling the liquid EI method 'PPS-Heavy' ...I've seen A LOT of really nasty exchanges between proponents of each method, with namecalling, etc, and just didn't want this thread to degenerate into that sort of silliness.


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## longhornxtreme (Feb 20, 2007)

Thanks for the #'s. I was about out of my modified pps pro solution so I can mix up a new one tonight and feed some plants 

Thanks a bunch!


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

Also since you have to do 50% weekly water changes with EI, it is unlikely that you will have major excesses even if you slightly overestimate as the water change will reset the tank and remove the excess. Of course that is assuming that you have sufficient plant mass, your lighting is adequate, and your c02 levels are adequate. 

There is a school of thought that says that Eutrophication can occur and problems(eg., algae blooms) may arise with excessive fertilization when your plant mass is too low, c02 is set at very low levels, and your lighting is insufficient. I believe that this may be more an issue with people who have problems with EI rather than EI itself.

Lol, I hope I don't offend anyone with this post.


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