Re: [APD] EI method in heavily stocked tank?

[Vaughn Hopkins <hoppycalif at yahoo_com>]

The central idea behind EI is that by doing weekly 50% water changes  
you can afford to add more than necessary of each fertilizer and not  
have to worry about building up too much - the water changes remove  
the excess, limiting the buildup of every fertilizer to about twice  
the weekly dosage.  And, since it has been well demonstrated that an  
excess, within limits, of any or all of the fertilizers does not  
cause algae, nor does it harm the fish or plants, there is no reason  
not to slightly overdose.  Furthermore, if you have a heavily planted  
tank, with CO2 injection and high light intensity, the plants will  
consume most of what you dose anyway, so the buildup will be slight.   
The limits for each fertilizer are far above twice the recommended  
weekly dosages.  So, no, you don't need to cut back on dosing  
nitrates and phosphates when you have fish in the tank - almost all  
of us have fish in our tanks.
Vaughn H.

On Nov 29, 2006, at 10:05 AM, KM Nancy Hsu wrote:

> I'm new to the whole planted aspect of aquaria but not quite ready  
> to give
> up the fish side.  I've been soaking up all the info I can find on the
> subject in the past couple of months, and want to give EI a try.   
> Would I
> have to adjust the fert amounts in a more heavily stocked tank  
> (that is also
> heavily planted, 2.5 wpg, co2+)?  I'm thinking that maybe I'd have  
> to cut
> back especially on NO3 and PO4?  I'm not planning on overstocking  
> on fish;
> just wanted a little more than a school of neons or something...
>
> Thanks, Nancy
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