# Estimative index?



## j-man the skater-man (Apr 4, 2005)

According to a table i found from an experiment Barr did he suggested 1/4tsp KNO3 and 1/16tsp KH2PO4 and K2SO4 3 times a week. Chuck's Planted Aquarium Calculator suggests 5ppm nitrate, 20ppm potassium and 1ppm phosphate. When i did the conversions the Barr amounts were close or over for everything but the potassium amount was only half of what Chuck suggests. My question is should i be trying to dose Chuck's suggested level 3 times a week? I know the scedule and amounts can be tweaked to some degree to provide what the plants use per day but since the general idea is a little excess wont hurt shouldnt i dose Chucks levels 3 times per week.

any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Jason


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Use Tom Barr's method. Either should work but I have been using the E.I. method for over 3 years now with no problem, provided you do the waterchanges.

And I think you switched your Nitrate and Potassium in your post


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

my first question is do you have soft water, what are your PO4 readings? and if your dosing KNO3 you're probably getting enough K, unless your plants are telling you otherwise. but on the other hand, if your tap has good PO4 then I wouldn't dose it either. high PO4 is a sure source for algae.
either way (Chuck or Tom's method) work well. I dose Ei as with no probs. The best part is if you do overdose the 50% water change every week will reset the problem. I don't think you're going to run into a K overdose situation regardless.

It's funny, if you read Amano, Edward, Tom, Chuck, and so on you will hear that their way is better and they all back it up as to why. For simplicity and effectiveness, Tom's version of EI is probably the best suited for the average plant guy.

Zig.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Tom is the only one in the group that studies plant physiology. Amano is a decorative person not really dealing with the ins and outs as to what plants specifically need. Call me a Barr junkie if you will, but I've never heard anyone talk about plants as in depth as Tom Barr. Highly respected in the botanical world.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

Damon said:


> Tom is the only one in the group that studies plant physiology. Amano is a decorative person not really dealing with the ins and outs as to what plants specifically need. Call me a Barr junkie if you will, but I've never heard anyone talk about plants as in depth as Tom Barr. Highly respected in the botanical world.


I am as well


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

girth vader said:


> The best part is if you do overdose the 50% water change every week will reset the problem.


Which is why I would never contemplate using this method!


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Thats the whole theory behind the estimative index. Dose more than the plants need and reset it each week with a large waterchange. People think it wastes money but you figure the cost of ferts is cheap if you buy from greg watson and tesing is not needed once you zero in your schedule which takes less than 2 weeks.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

Damon said:


> Thats the whole theory behind the estimative index. Dose more than the plants need and reset it each week with a large waterchange. People think it wastes money but you figure the cost of ferts is cheap if you buy from greg watson and tesing is not needed once you zero in your schedule which takes less than 2 weeks.


Tried tested and true......


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

What I meant was not wasted money with ferts down the drain, but far too much time spent doing water changes! This may be a good way to run high-tech tanks, but it's too much work for me.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

MyraVan said:


> What I meant was not wasted money with ferts down the drain, but far too much time spent doing water changes! This may be a good way to run high-tech tanks, but it's too much work for me.


It's all about preference and trying new things.  If we all did the same thing, we would never learn anything new.

Definition of insanity- repeating the same process and expecting different results!


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## Anonymous (Jan 15, 2005)

Hello,

I have just gotten back into plants after considering it for a couple years, so am a bit on the rusty side. I am curious if there are online references for these methods. I have't been able to find them, but didn't really know what to search for either.

Just so everyone out there knows, I've only been back into plants for 2 weeks, and now 24 tanks planted for propagation. Only 1 that I'm actually decorating. I guess a good way of explaining this would be : "I can get onboard with any idea, but the only way off is to go overboard":lol: 

Larry Vires


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

pleco_breeder said:


> I am curious if there are online references for these methods. I have't been able to find them, but didn't really know what to search for either.
> 
> Larry Vires


www.thebarrreport.com


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