I do not think a non CO2 tank can be done well without an automated type, or a semi automated type water changer.

I've seen the dramatic results Alan has had over many years with his automated tanks and he has a 185 gal, has 3 Fire eels, the largest I've seen, about the size of a large man's arm each, a dozen other massive fish, he feeds them a great deal.

He tried every thing to get rid of algae and other issues.
Could not do it.

His Java ferns look gorgeous now.
Healthy growth, fish health and activity are way up.

This is not just for convenience, if you really care about livestock and you have high density, you do water changes, that's that way it's done.

Live with less density, or live with more water changes.

Water changes need not be entirely automated, a simple hard plumb drain and refill valve are all that is required. I've plumbed some posh offices with that type of set up so the clients can just turn and drain and fill a tank inside 30minutes on a tank this size.

Unless you are uncomfortable with bulks head and basic plumbing, this should not be a problem and is worth while.

Large fish are messier than heck, a good way to resolve that is to clean it.
Water changes are the best way.

The lowered PO4 rate is what allows the flex for the CO2 with Edward's supposedly "new approach". That slows the growth down.

If the fish seem stressed, try some decent surface movement.
All my tanks have good movement, not quite a rippling, not air breaking the surface etc.

I can add more CO2 easy enough. And with more current, the fish eat better, and the plants look better, tank is cleaner etc.

BTW, eI has never required much of anything, it's mighty flexible, weekly water change is just a simple starting point for new folks and to make the math for the build up easier.

I've often gone 2-3-4 weeks.
But..........the tanks always look better if you do the water change weekly, even the best most critical folks in this hobby I've ever met, will attest to that.
Edward ain't one of them either.

Amano, Jeff Senske, Jeff Kropp, David Oliver, myself, CAU, everyone.......
Can we do less?
Sure, do we?
No.

You can use the PPS pro if you wish, but there's nothing says you cannot run EI lean either, many do, say 50%, 25, % etc of the normal dosing.

It's only if you really want to explore the leaner side of PO4 that PPS Pro might be an issue that might be better, however, simply deleting some of the KH2PO4 is simple also from EI.

Anyone can toss together a mix and call it their "own" but it needs to flexible enough to work for everyone, EI generally suggest dry dosing so you can change and alter things without having to remix of make new solutions up.

You can vary KH2PO4, or KNO3, or whatever you want, your tap might have PO4, so you might not need to bother adding or wasting that.

I've never said much about anything ever being "required" for EI.
Edward like to make that assumption which is horse manure.
You can use it however you want. Obviously the farther away you get from the weekly frequency and the smaller % you do, the less accuracy you will have.

It just what some folks assumed on their own and limited their own thought process, not the methods.

I think you'd be better off making a hard plumbed line to do the basic water change. Hire a plumber etc if you are not easy about doing it, the 200$ or so will be well spent. It's an extremely simple solution that benefits all involved.

If you bother with a tank and care about the fish, the plants, have a 180 gallon tank if your home, this is small price to pay and not a lot of effort to solve things and never touch and water change device other than a turn of a ball valve again.

None of my clients have anything different and they have places I cannot spill anything. The room is worth more than I am

You do fast and quick when you are there.
I'm serious, this is a very simple solution.
After 3 months, I'd have enough on a 180 gal tank.


I think if your interested in less growth/algae, try less light.
Best bet.
Leaner N and P.

Just add TMG, K2SO4, perhaps GH booster, 2x a week, use 2w/gal max, 10hours at most(try 9 also), run CO2 good, add N and P at about 1/4 + 1/16th teaspoon 2x a week. That ought to hold things pretty well.

I still think you ought to just put hard plumbed drain/fill valves in, there's no sense in having a large tank without that set up in mind and installed.

Regards,
Tom Barr