# EI or PPS Pro ?



## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

I am reading all day today about these 2 dosing methods. I was almost ready to start the EI but now I am also thinking about PPS Pro. I have a 55g moderate planted goldfish tank with no co2 and 108w to 138w T5HO lighting. Any suggestion will be very helpful.


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## Izzy (Jun 4, 2006)

What kind of plant have your goldfish ignored? What is your nitrate level? What ferts do you have? The EI method works well, but needs to be tweeked with high nitrates usually present with goldfish. You may not need to dose kno3.


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

Izzy said:


> What kind of plant have your goldfish ignored? What is your nitrate level? What ferts do you have? The EI method works well, but needs to be tweeked with high nitrates usually present with goldfish. You may not need to dose kno3.


Thanks for the reply Izzi.

It looks like my goldies do not damage my plants so far (4 months). I have Java, Ludwigia, Anacharis, Red and Green Foxitails, Amazon Sword, Banana Plant.

My nitrates are always between 5 and 10. I do 60% WC every Friday(my day off)

3 juveniles red cap orandas and 2 juveniles black telescope.

I also have an almost similar planted 30g tank with 2 juveniles fancies and one juvenile common.

The nitrates in the 30g always around 5.


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## Izzy (Jun 4, 2006)

The weekly water changes have kept your tank at nice nitrate levels. You still may not want to kno3 or phosphates to keep any algae from gaining a quick foothold with 108 watts of light and no co2 on the 55. How many hours do you run the lights? 

I've been dosing a modified EI on my 55 with 130w of compact flourescent. Just adding dry ferts: mgso4 (epsom salt) and k2so4 with csm+b as a solution.

What is your phosphate level? Some tap water and fish food contains enough without adding extra.

You may want to add plant tabs below the sword. They will contain nitrates and phosphates that could make their way into the water column and feed the sword.


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

Izzy said:


> The weekly water changes have kept your tank at nice nitrate levels. You still may not want to kno3 or phosphates to keep any algae from gaining a quick foothold with 108 watts of light and no co2 on the 55. How many hours do you run the lights?
> 
> I've been dosing a modified EI on my 55 with 130w of compact flourescent. Just adding dry ferts: mgso4 (epsom salt) and k2so4 with csm+b as a solution.
> 
> ...


I keep the lights on for 10hrs. I do use Seachem root tabs. Btw, I have 8 lbs of Epsom and I used about 4tbsp with every weekly WC. Is this OK? How much Epsom do you use? I do not have a phosphate kit yet. I use generic Fleet enema stuff for KH2P04, 4,5 drops twice a week. I am waiting for my dry ferts delivery from GLA...........Plantex CSM+B, Potassium Nitrate (KNO3), The Ultimate GH Booster, Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4). Right now I use Flourish, Flourish iron, Excel, Fleet, root tabs and Epsom. I am just starting to learn about plants and ferts.

Does anyone knows how many grams of dry ferts will be in a tea spoon? Lol, I don't have a scale and I am trying to figure grams/ tea spoon.


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## Izzy (Jun 4, 2006)

I'm dosing mgso4 1 5/8 tsp x3 weekly, starting on wc day and every other day for the the 55. On the 30g is should be 7/8 x3. You seem to be adding 3x as much a I have. Spreading it out over the week will keep the tank better balanced with uptake. 

My calculator does not include GH booster in the settings. It will have an impact on dosing the dry ferts.


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

Izzy said:


> I'm dosing mgso4 1 5/8 tsp x3 weekly, starting on wc day and every other day for the the 55. On the 30g is should be 7/8 x3. You seem to be adding 3x as much a I have. Spreading it out over the week will keep the tank better balanced with uptake.
> 
> My calculator does not include GH booster in the settings. It will have an impact on dosing the dry ferts.


OK, thank you.


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