branfrog

This question is directed to Jay, but anyone else feel free to add your thoughts!

In an earlier thread you mentioned your fert routine: in order to reach a target 30 ppm of nitrates by the end of the week, you would divide it by 3 and dose 3 times in the week.

I know this was just a quick outline of what you do, but it got me a little confused. Ideally, wouldn't you want the aquarium to have the target 30 pmm for the entire time, where it would be advantageous to add the 30 ppm into the new water during the water change and not add anymore until the next water change?

In my thinking, adding the ferts slowly in 3 doses would create an inconsistent tank parameters where the nitrate levels (for example) would be low at the start of the week, then at its target for just 2 days before the next water change.

I assume this assumption is incorrect, as you have established your fert routine this way, but i am confused on how this works.

Going back to the 1/3 fert routine method, we established that adding a fert like nitrate is pretty much cumulative as it isn't consumed very fast by the plants. In theory, after reaching a target of 30ppm nitrate and after a 50% water change, you will have 15 ppm nitrates remaining in the tank tank water before adding more nitrate. Simply by dividing the goal of 30 pmm by 3 doses you would be adding 10ppm on top of the existing 15 ppm. Raising it from 15 to 25, 35 and 45ppm by the end of the week. I'm thinking you are accounting for the existing 15 ppm and perhaps adding just 5ppm at the 3 fert dosing? I just need to clarify this, as my thinking in this hobby is usually incorrect.

Thanks in advance!

Jay

Don't beat yourself up your thinking is correct, you just left the plants our of the equation. I'll get to that way at the bottom of the post.

I find it much easier to have a set routine, which works for my tank, and avoids constant testing and worrying, and makes me be consistent week after week.

My high tech tank is what I usually refer to when talking about fert routines, I need to be more careful explaining that to folks

The tank is high light 4-5 watts per gallon
CO2 at about 30 - 35 ppm I inject a micro mist which baths the plants in Gas.
The photosynthesis engine is really running.

SOO without adequate nutrients the system could not sustain itself. The same principals apply to a lower light tank, you just do not need the quantity of ferts my tank requires.

My goal with nutrients is to be sure there is ALAWAYS an adequate supply available throughout the week, and there is no chance of bottoming out of anything. I am secure in this because I know the PO4 (phosphates) do not cause algae, and that fish can tolerate the tank reaching up to 20 - 30 ppm NO4. Before the water change.

IMO 90% of problems (algae being a big one) with planted tanks is nutrient related.

OK how do I estimate that..... I know from measuring the uptake of the observed plant mass in the tank that it consumes 3-4 ppm of NO3 in 24 hours
and .4-.6 ppm of PO4. I keep my KH at about 6 dKH dose KH booster so that my Ca:Mg is about 4:1 I might check that level once a month if I remember. This takes some initial work and observation. This is why it is recommended that if you are going to go planted, pack the tank with cheap plants, and establish and monitor your bio-load for a while.

So I dose 10 10 10 NO3 = 30 ppm target
The uptake is 28 ppm for the week
The leftover 2 ppm
Water Change 50% 1 ppm

1 ppm is hardly worth quibbling about + you need to consider the fish addition
to the NO3 still nothing To worry about. I throw in a 60% or 75% once in a while to even things out.

Nothing is cast in stone here except not running out of nutrients. A little excess will not hurt the plants, inconsistent CO2 and insufficient PO4 will incuce BBA

I can give you guidelines like these but I cannot give you a precise formula that will make you successful. Experimentation, Knowledge, Observation, Some Testing, sharing information is what leads to success.

Jay

P-Daddy

This may come off as a dumb question, but by BBA you mean Black Beard Algae??

This was something else I was considering, as I am hopeful that my blackout will nuke the algae out of my tank for now, I am worried that it will be back.

branfrog

Wow! thanks Jay, Your post was incredibility helpful!

I misunderstood that the goal fert levels intended for what the plants will uptake in a week...I was under the impression the water levels should test at the goal levels at the end of the week accounting for what the plants uptake...This means i currently i have a surplus of nutrients in my tank water (currently 20 ppm nitrates).

Thanks a bundle, this clarifies a lot of discrepancies I was confused with. Time to adjust the old fert routine once again.

I also imagine this may be why i am still having difficulty with algae. (now green spot algae). Too much nutrients in the water.

Jay

Bran we cannot say thanks a "bundle" in a public forum...folks will talk

A little Green spot algae on the glass is a sign of good water quality in a healthy aquarium. Not a problem!

Jay

branfrog

Hey P-daddy this is a little off topic but Jay Sez: BBA is baaad stuff.

Check out this recent post about it. http://www.fishtankforums.com/7-fres...779-algae.html (algae)

P-Daddy

After checking out that picture in the post, I am fairly certain that is not my problem at all.

I am thinking it may be diatoms, originally the blooms started on the filter outlets of my Emperor 400, I was impressed that an area with such high water flow would be the only area in my tank that had algae, then I was even more worried that because of this water flow it would tear its way through my tank.

I had one rock that was totally covered, small spots on the glass and substrate, and small spots on my plants and tank equipment.