EI Dosing only for speeding up the initial planted setup?

[np73]

Hi guys,

My 4ft planted has been setup for around 3-4 weeks now. Plants are all growing well (after an initial shock where some turned brown/ yellow etc). All are growing but not at a fasst enough rate. Especially of concern is the jap HG which are supposed to be my foreground plants. In my mind, I have them propagating to cover the entire foreground. I can see runners from the sides of the tanks, but they are developing rather slowly. 2 weeks to see runners, and the last week or so, new shoots only growing about 1cm on average.

I have read about EI dosing, but am just wondering before I take the plunge.....
Can I start with EI dosing now, but stop with it as soon as the jap HG has propagated to entire foreground? By stopping, I mean go back to normal fert dosing on a weekly basis. What is the impact if suddenly i stop with EI dosing, say ie 1 mth down the line? Will there be a sudden nutrition drop, so much that alage will quickly take over the tank?

Below are the tank specific info.

Co2 => 24ppm
ph => 6.4
gh => 6dkh
kh => 2dkh
Ammonia => 0ppm
Nitrite => 0ppm
Nitrate =not sure, looks like 0, could be 10ppm (from strips its 10, from drop reagent its 0)

On a side note, seems like nitrate is too low, ie plants currently doing their job well? No ammonia, nitrite and nitrate almost 0 despite having 100 neons, algae crew and 12 penguin(?) tetras. Been feeding them rather generously.

[Shadow]

not in my opinion. When you start dosing fertilizer, the nutrient inside your tank may no longer able to support the plant growth. Plant growth will stunt and leaf start to rot, new leaf will not grow properly and this is when Algae will normally attack.

[np73]

not in my opinion. When you start dosing fertilizer, the nutrient inside your tank may no longer able to support the plant growth. Plant growth will stunt and leaf start to rot, new leaf will not grow properly and this is when Algae will normally attack.

shadow, does it mean once i start on the EI dosing, there is no real way to stop the dosing? If so, I think I will just have to be patient and do whatever I've been doing so far.

[Shadow]

Try not to do some drastic change. I'm not sure whether it will work or not if you slowly cut back the dosing. Give time for the plants to adapt. I never try it my self