# A clean start using Tom Barr's EI method



## Harry (Dec 14, 2004)

Hi

after a terrible algae soup including BGA, brown algae, green spots on glass, 
i removed as much as possible, trimmed all infected leaves and i 'm on my first day of blackout process. I dosed the tank with 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3 as instructed. (58 gallons) On Wednesday will do 50% water change, add KNO3, fleet enema and K2SO4 and then use the following regimen


this is the regimen i'm planning to use and my tank specifications:

tank size = 58 US gallons (approximately 56 gallon of water)
Pressurized CO2 @ 30ppm
light: 2 x 55W power compacts @ 6500K
2 x 30 W silvania T8 fluoros (not installed yet)

Regimen:

Saturday: do a 50% water change, add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/2 teaspoon K2SO4
Sunday: add 2 gr of CSM+B powder mix
Monday : do nothing
Tuesday : add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/2 teaspoon K2SO4
Wednesday: add 2 gr of CSM+B powder mix
Thursday: add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/2 teaspoon K2SO4
Friday: do nothing
Saturday: do a 50% water change, add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/2 teaspoon K2SO4
etc etc etc

i wanted to add the expensive ferts (KNO3 - K2SO4) a day before the waterchange so that to give the chance to the plants to use them

please advice guys... did i get this right? are my quantities correct?


cheers


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

Harry said:


> Hi
> 
> after a terrible algae soup including BGA, brown algae, green spots on glass,
> i removed as much as possible, trimmed all infected leaves and i 'm on my first day of blackout process. I dosed the tank with 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3 as instructed. (58 gallons) On Wednesday will do 50% water change, add KNO3, fleet enema and K2SO4 and then use the following regimen
> ...


It sounds like a good plan. I'm not sure about adding csm dry, since I don't know the gram to wet volume conversion. Normally we all mix up 1 tablespoon in 250 ml of water and dose by the ml (in your case about 10-12 ml). 

I belive you have your fleet dose right. 

As far as adding K2So4...maybe cut it back to 1/4 teaspoon. How soft is your water? I have to add calcium to my water or the excess potassium will cause a nutrient deficiency.


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## Harry (Dec 14, 2004)

my GH = 9 

should i lower K2SO4?


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

1/8 to 1/4Tsp K2S04...1/2 Tsp is to much
Mix you're CSM to GD's spec's 1Tbsp to 250ml..2 capfuls 3x aweek on off days mAcro's..everything else seems purdy good..
If you start having some issue's, increase C02.


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## Harry (Dec 14, 2004)

got it.

i 've changed the schedule as follows, CO2 at 30ppm:

Saturday: do a 50% water change, add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/6 teaspoon K2SO4
Sunday: add 12ml of CSM+B powder mix
Monday : add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/6 teaspoon K2SO46
Tuesday : add 12ml of CSM+B powder mix
Wednesday: do nothing
Thursday: add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/6 teaspoon K2SO4
Friday: add 12ml of CSM+B powder mix
Saturday: do a 50% water change, add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3, 2ml fleet enema, 1/6 teaspoon K2SO4

etc etc

now, i can add 3x macros and 3x micro.. is it better this way?

cheers


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## jart (Jan 17, 2003)

Your regimen is similar to what I dose on my 45 gallon. I don't add extra K2SO4, though, and I am only dosing 2mL Fleet per week (1mL/0.5mL/0.5mL). Dawgger and Wolf are the experts here, I've spent a lot of time reading their EI info.


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## Harry (Dec 14, 2004)

i've spent a lot of hours too reading all this material. I hope i got it correctly. 2 more days to go before lights ON

i'll then start from there and see how this regimen goes.

cheers


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

Harry said:


> i've spent a lot of hours too reading all this material. I hope i got it correctly. 2 more days to go before lights ON
> 
> i'll then start from there and see how this regimen goes.
> 
> cheers


Be sure to start with a fresh H20 change and mAcro's.. mIcro's the next day etc.. stay on top of it!! roud:


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Harry said:


> i've spent a lot of hours too reading all this material. I hope i got it correctly. 2 more days to go before lights ON
> 
> i'll then start from there and see how this regimen goes.
> 
> cheers


I can tell you did your homework. roud: In the beginning it's a lot to take in. As far as getting it correctly, only time will tell. Every tank is a little different, but the EI method makes it much simpler than "test and dose". Ei gives you a baseline to work from that should work fine in most cases. CO2 is key, make sure that your dosing at least 30ppm. If you start noticeing problems, check CO2 output first.


Marcel


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## Harry (Dec 14, 2004)

Yeap, i memorised the blackout schedule Wednesday is 50% water change and macros. next day micros

as for CO2, i am buying the Milwaukee ph controller as we speak. 


thanks for your replies and advice

cheers


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## Harry (Dec 14, 2004)

Update:

i uncovered the tank today and everything is clean. The plants are like brand new  bga is gone. 

no fish or shrimp died. most excellent news!!

i did 50% water change, turned CO2 on and added the dosage of macro's according to my regimen

Tom Barr's blackout method did the job.
thanks for all the help



cheers


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

roud:


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## Curare (Sep 15, 2004)

I've currently been doing a blackout over the w/e to remove the last of the cyano from my 55gal.

I've been checking it's progress and we're now on day three and everything green and slimy is looking brown or pretty sick.

I think I'm winning. but I do have an outbreak of hair algae. Might be time to bomb some phosphates, what you think?


OH and for the record, anyone who is planning a blackout, don't foget to throw an airstone into the tank , there's no photosynthesis to keep the fishies happy.


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## John P. (Apr 10, 2004)

Or I suppose you could lower the water level so that the sprabar/filter outlet aerates the water.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Blackouts merely kill it, KNO3 dosing will address the long term issue!!!!
If you don't dose the KNO3, the BGA will come back quickly.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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