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Re: All lies :)



Aquatic Plants Digest wrote:

> >  Something is using up
> > the NO3 because the test detected less than 5 mg/l.  So I added another 1/4
> > tsp KNO3 to get between 5 to 10 mg/l of N03.
> 
> This is clear evidence of plant useage. 

Well, almost.   Don't forget about denitrification.  There are cases
where denitrification can consume a pretty large amount of nitrate.  In
that case there can be declines in nitrate concentrations without much
plant use.

I have problems explaining how denitrification might work at a
signficant rate in a water column-fertilized planted tank, especially in
a new tank.  Just the same, I think some of the reported nitrogen use
rates would required truely huge plant growth rates (or nitrogen
accumulation rates) unless some of that nitrate is consumed through
bacterial denitrification.


Roger Miller