Tom, I know that you have spoken about how the estimative index is just that estimative and can be adapted/modified in accordance with one's particular tank parameters lighting, plant density, stocking levels, tap water parameters, and c02 non c02 injection.

So here is what I am wondering about. I am sorry if these questions seem stupid, but I am trying to learn as much as I can about this. This would be for a high tech, high lighting(3 watts/gallon), high plant density tank. If the idea is to do a 50% weekly water changes to get rid of excess nutrients and reset the tank, would doing water changes every two weeks and not dosing the second week be sufficient to allow the tank to utilize the extra nutrients that would normally be removed through water changes within the first week?

Second, could the amounts normally used be reduced so that there is no excess build up but the plants benefit just as well. For instance, reducing the normal doses by say 50% per week. Then just dosing that amount weekly and perhaps changing water only once a month.

Is Estimative Index more like "Guesstimative" Index in that you may have to eyeball the plants carefully and adapt or modify the original EI doses to address specific nutrient deficiences, kind of like when a farmer eyeballs his crops and without testing can determine with pinpoint accuracy which fert nutients he may need to increase or decrease to improve crop quality.

Thanks.