EI dosing on a new tank

[vurbul]

I'm planning to redo my current 4 mnth old 1feet cube tank after being attack by GW, Clado and BBA. Its currently on 24watts PL lights and pressurized co2 with EI ferts dosing. I plan to do a 100% water change, replace all my plants, scrub the tank walls and rocks and clean up the substrate and start everything on scratch.

The question is, should I start dosing EI immediately after the redo or should I wait for a couple of weeks. Flora would be just glosso and hairgrass and duckweeds.

Any other pointers from fellow hobbyist would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Shadow]

In my opinion, 24 Watt for standart 1ft is too much. Too much light meaning you have less space to manuver, algae also grow faster. Green water defenetly due to too much light.

I usually start my EI immediately, but for the fist week I just turn my light for 5 hours.

[Shadow]

maybe you want to start new thread at Algae section with information of you light, CO2, fert dossing, etc.

[vurbul]

Thanks Shadow. Well, I screwed up the co2 among other things during the 1st month. Algae took over and it never recovered. Thats why I decided to start all over. I am monitoring it more closely now and blasting co2 together with EI and I'll see how it goes.

Agreed 24watts is a lot for a 1 footer. But thats the only way I can get the HC to creep. At 18 watts, they seem to grow upwards. Well, I'm sticking to the 24watt light foor the moment and see how it goes and its turn on for only 5 hours at your advice.

Thanks

[AquaObsession]

24 watts is okay if you do the EI the proper way. Start the EI straight away. Maintain discipline of doing the weekly water change. However, if you are thinking of doing the 'Non-Co2" method in the first stage, then switching to EI, then in the adaptation period, you plants might get some algae. Usually it is worse the other way round.

Christophe

[vurbul]

That was the biggest mistake I made. I started with Non Co2, then DIY co2 which was not very stable then decided to go canister way. But by then algae started appearing. And its downward all the way.

Its been a few days now and plants seems fine. No sign of algae, ammonia is 0 and with the help of seachem stability, water is crystal clear. Hope I'm in the right track this time.