If I am following the EI dosing method, and I have very hard well water, do I still need to use the equillibrium?

If your hard water has a GH around 6 or higher, you don't need Equilibrium. But, if the "hard well water" just has a high KH, you may want to use Equilibrium to get enough calcium and magnesium for the plants.

If you can either test or ask the water dept about what is the GH made out of generally, then you may not.

Some places have high Mg, some moderate etc, some, hardly any at all.
Most places have high Ca, and in some cases hardly any Mg at all.

So adding MgSO4, epsom salt, might be all you need in that case.

If the Mg is high and the Ca low, CaSO4(Gypsum) or CaCl2(Pool Calcium hardness increaser- Lesilie's pool supply, Home Depot etc) might be better.

Regards,
Tom Barr

What is considered high Mg and Ca in a planted aquarium?

I'm not sure how high ppm's are considered "bad". Low, about less than 1-2 ppms for either. A wide range in other words and adding a bit more to account for ratio uptake based on N can help get a rough estimation how much to dose.

Regards,
Tom Barr

I live in Maine ...the GH and KH are both very low (if only 1 drop changes the water color, is the value considered 1 or zero?).

If I use Equilibrium for GH what should be done about the KH?

What are good vallues for a low light, Excel tank?

Thanks.

I really do not add anything for KH.
Never really have.
I've had tap water going from GH to 24 down to 1, and KH's from 0.8 to about 15.

GH are plant nutrients, KH, as long as you have enough carbon, is not.
KH can be used as a source of carbon, but that's not a situation you want.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Tom,

Does that mean there is no real need for me to continue to do KH testing?

Doing a test for reference is fine but from there on it really isn't needed.

Not a bad idea to check it every few months.

Regards
Tom Barr