ceg4048,

One reason I have always gone with Eheim is the low noise as well. I hear the Eheims are the most power efficient as well. I have used Eheim's since I was a kid and nenver had one break on me. So mt motto has been why fix something that isn't broken....

Hmm, a 2217, a 2028, or a 2076?? I do have a height limitation inside my cabinet. Or I would probably go with a 2180/2080. Eventually, I will upgrade this tank to something larger.

Okay, I have started a new dosing schedule. Just wanted to get opinions on it. It is a 60 gallon (50 gallons of water) tank that is heavily stocked. I am not sure of how to deal with the extra water change in my schedule with regards to dosing. I am using a electronic doser to inject Tropica Master Grow (I have it so why not use it) in every morning before the lights turn on. Macros will be dosed in the evening hours. The tap water is fairly hard water (San Diego Tap - KH=8, GH=13, pH=8).

Targets Are:
Nitrate - 8ppm (4 discus supply the rest)
Potassium - 20ppm
Phosphate - 1ppm
Iron - 0.5ppm (via TMG Liquid)
CO2 - 30ppm (via drop checker w/ 4dH water)

Saturday: 50% Water Change, Prime, Morning 4mL Tropica Master Grow, Evening 0.25tsp KNO3, Evening 0.25tsp K2SO4, Evening 1/16tsp KH2PO4

Sunday: Morning 4mL Tropica Master Grow

Monday: Morning 4mL Tropica Master Grow, Evening 0.25tsp KNO3, Evening 0.25tsp K2SO4, Evening 1/16tsp KH2PO4

Tuesday: 50% Water Change, Prime, Morning 4mL Tropica Master Grow

Wednesday: Morning 4mL Tropica Master Grow, Evening 0.25tsp KNO3, Evening 0.25tsp K2SO4, Evening 1/16tsp KH2PO4

Thursday: Morning 4mL Tropica Master Grow

Friday: Morning 4mL Tropica Master Grow

Seems fine to me, the discus will produce enough to keep the plants fine at this rate.

Note, you can mix the KNO3 in the Trace TMG mix as well.

Then just dose the PO4 2-3x a week.
That will reduce things down to 2 things dosed.



Regards,
Tom Barr

Thanks Tom,

Being that I am doing (2) 50% water changes per week, does that mean I have to dose slighty more that a (1) 50% water change schedule. I am using the Nitri Calcc software program to get the dosing but I am sure that assumes only (1) 50% water change per week.

2x week can be adjusted by using the 3.5 day time frame as a "week".
It'll improve the tolerances and accuracy of your dosing basically.
So your estimation will be higher.

Think about it like this: 90% daily water changes and dosing thereafter give you total control of the parameters. You have 90% accuracy in your measures.
But you have to do a lot of water changes and daily.

This Estimative index is just a trade off.....how far can you get away with and how few can you go with doing less work?

It's arbitrary.......so it's off when folks claim you have to do this or that with EI...........
If you want more accuracy, do more water changes, larger % etc, less= do less!

But there's always a trade off.

Regards,
Tom Barr

SO basically you are saying to double the dosing of the once a week 50% water change schedule?