# Calling Plant Gurus



## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

I know it sounds weird but I think I need to dose Nitrates. I tested my params and they are as follows:
PH = 7
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Daily dose of flourish excel
Weekly dose of Flourish Comprehensive
Bi-Weekly dose of Flourish Phosphate
1.92 WPG
Lots of dwarf sag, large amazon sword, several crypt wendtii, lots of java moss, a couple java ferns, and a few anubias bart.
not sure if there's anything else I haven't specified...

Now for the problem:

I haven't tested my params in a while but decided to once I noticed my water sprite dying. It has always flourished like a weed but is now barely growing at all, mainly just turning brown. I think there might be a correlation between my spot algae problem (have had it for months) and the water sprite's growth. When the water sprite used to grow there was never algae, now that it is pretty much gone...there's tons of it. Just wondering if you plant guys think I should dose Nitrates since I don't have any traces of them in my tank. Could this help the algae be out-competed for nutrients? and what sources of nitrates are there in bottle form?...I can't seem to find any.

Thanks


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

Sounds like you need to dose nitrates, phosphates and potassium. The lack of phosphates will cause GSA. Assuming the nitrate test is correct, you should at least get some nitrates to start with. I would recommend the following site to buy dry ferts from, www.aquariumfertilizer.com.

Get 1 lb of each and it will last you at least 6 months.

Mono Potassium Phosphate
Potassium Nitrate
Potassium Sulfate


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## Ba20 (Jan 29, 2003)

Sounds like you have a nutrient deficiency which is common in the planted aquaria. This here is the package you will need to maintain your aquarium http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html Also im not a big fan of the watt per gallon, but say you have a "55" Im guessing b/c you didnt post your aquarium size. Two watts per gallon is alot of light without co2 im supprized excel has been able to handle the co2 demand your plants need.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

Thanks guys, I'll get right on ordering the ferts. Are there instructions when to dose? Oh and I'm saving up for a CO2 system, I just need to find a good company for a good price.


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## Uncle Rico (Sep 4, 2005)

Do you have any fish in there? I was just wondering what the source of nitrogen is normally without the supplement. My 100 gallon is not supplemented with nitrate but still stays at about 5-10 ppm of nitrate and it is a high tech tank (high wpg, CO2 etc.) It does have a lot of rainbowfish though and I feed a lot, so I don't dose phosphates and nitrates. Every tank is different though (plus the water is different in each tank also. some water supplies can contain high amounts of phosphates and some nitrates). I would recommend potassium nitrate (KNO3) as your nitrogen source. Google "PMDD dosing" to get some good info on creating aquarium fertilizers.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

Uncle Rico said:


> Do you have any fish in there? I was just wondering what the source of nitrogen is normally without the supplement. My 100 gallon is not supplemented with nitrate but still stays at about 5-10 ppm of nitrate and it is a high tech tank (high wpg, CO2 etc.) It does have a lot of rainbowfish though and I feed a lot, so I don't dose phosphates and nitrates. Every tank is different though (plus the water is different in each tank also. some water supplies can contain high amounts of phosphates and some nitrates). I would recommend potassium nitrate (KNO3) as your nitrogen source. Google "PMDD dosing" to get some good info on creating aquarium fertilizers.


I have 1 large tern in the tank and some danios and flying foxes. I just received the fertilizers in the mail and dosed for the first time today. Hopefully it works out. The K2SO4 solution isn't mixing very well though. The KNO3 mixed fine. I'll check my params before my lights go out tonight. I guess I can regulate dosing amounts accordingly.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

How much of each did you add?


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## Uncle Rico (Sep 4, 2005)

I was about to remind you not to buy MgSO4 since it is overpriced at some aquarium stores and is simply "epsom salt" you can buy at walmart(since you are using flourish products I don't think you will have to worry about that part anyway). The fertilizer scheme I use as far as KSO4 has 1 tablespoon of KSO4 to 500mL of water, and it dissolved OK (actually the plantex had a harder time dissolving in the 500mL). I know others who used the same fertilizer scheme and had to dilute it to 1000mL to get everything to dissolve well (maybe they had really hard water or something). Then they would just double their dosing amounts in the tank.

*Another thing, I noticed you have water sprite in there. Water sprite it pretty much a nutrient sponge since it grows so fast. I used it when I first started my tank to control nitrates. It is not uncommon that they would consume all the nitrates in the water, you should be fine once you dose nitrates. Try to keep the nitrates around 10ppm or so (5ppm is good too but I like having the buffer, and both those values are extremely low when compared to non planted tanks anyway).


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

As of today the nitrates have increased. They appear to be <5ppm, but noticeably higher than 0ppm. I guess that's a good thing. I only dosed the nitrate and potassium sulfate (which is still not dissolved, and is turning yellowish at the bottom of the 500ml bottle







) since I already dosed my phosphates for the week. I used 4 drops per gallon. It's a 50 gallon that equaled out to 4 cap-fulls. The water sprite hasn't grown throughout the day though. It used to branch out about 3-4 inches within a single day before. I'll continue dosing daily and hopefully bring some life into the thing. Thanks for the suggestions and feedback. I ordered from aquarium fertilizer.com by the way.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I just put 1/2 tsp in a plastic cup, put some tank water in it, swirl it around and dump it into tank. Much easier than trying to figure out the correct ratio for a solution. That should raise your nitrates up to about 10ppm. I add one Tsp of potassium, and about an 1/16 of phosphates. The phosphates dont really mix with the water so well so I just dump it in. No troubles in the last year+ doing it that way. Dont be so worried about how high the nutrients are but do a 50% water change once a week and dose again.

Here is a good article by Tom Barr.
http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=178064


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## Ba20 (Jan 29, 2003)

+1 Maknwar thats what i do too


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

maknwar said:


> I just put 1/2 tsp in a plastic cup, put some tank water in it, swirl it around and dump it into tank. Much easier than trying to figure out the correct ratio for a solution. That should raise your nitrates up to about 10ppm. I add one Tsp of potassium, and about an 1/16 of phosphates. The phosphates dont really mix with the water so well so I just dump it in. No troubles in the last year+ doing it that way. Dont be so worried about how high the nutrients are but do a 50% water change once a week and dose again.
> 
> Here is a good article by Tom Barr.
> http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=178064


Wow that article is perfect. Do you think that 2x weekly 25% changes would be just as efficient? I 50% is a lot of water.


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