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Re: Nitrates



Chuck Gadd wrote:
> But if the plants are using the ammonium, then it shouldn't get turned into
> nitrates, thus the nitrate level will be lower anyway.

IFF they are using *all* the ammonium. If the plants consume ammonium at the 
same rate the bioload generates it, nitrate should not build up. IFF the plants 
can get to the ammonium before the ubiquitous nitrifying bacteria can get to it, 
nitrate should not build up.   

Has anybody ever quantified how much ammonium a fish generate per ounce of body 
weight or whatever usful meadure there is?  Has anyone ever quantified how fast 
plants can consume ammonium?  Has anyone ever compared relative uptake or 
conversion rates of ammonium between plants and nitrifying bacteria?  I think 
these are pertinent questions.
 
> George, I know you mentioned that your tanks routinely have 10-20mg/l
> of nitrate.
>
> I'm curious as to why, since your tanks have high lighting, and CO2, and
> are pretty densely planted (particularly that rainbow tank).   In my 75g,
> if I don't add KNO3, within several days, the level will be zero.

The two tanks with nitrate problems have some pretty big fish. How does the 
relative mass/bulk of your fish compare to mine?  Are we comparing two pounds of 
fish to a half pound?  

> As for feedings, I feed my rainbows like the pigs they are!  

Do you use any frozen cubes? My impresion is that a frozen cube (2 in fact) might be a lot more 
food than a pinch or two of dry flakes.  I've always felt that maybe two cubes 
is too much but Karla controls the feeding (the fish and me :-). 


George Booth in Ft. Collins, Colorado (booth at frii_com)
  http://www.frii.com/~booth/AquaticConcepts