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Re: Nutrient Uptake Response time



Neil Frank Asked:
 
 <<  Do you test for the other ions? BTW, what was your reason for running 
the water thru charcoal instead of just doing a large water change. >>
 
 Neil, et al,
 
I did do a major water change before hand in addition to adding the charcoal. 
My reason for such extreme measures is that I had dosed this mostly plant 
tank quite heavily with copper three months prior to wipe out snails and 
staghorn. 
 
When the girls bugged me to put some fish in this tank - I settled on M. 
praecox aka "Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish" as the best choice. Since I don't own a 
copper test kit - I just added a massive amount of charcoal to hopefully 
absorb any remaining copper, which I understand can be quite persistent. I 
figure that even if Cu doesn't flat out kill a creature, that doesn't mean it 
wouldn't negatively impact its system in other ways - like causing 
reproductive or fertility problems, F. I.
 
I don't own a test kit for K, last I heard there isn't a reasonably priced, 
accurate one available. Plus dosing K in excess was said to cause few, if any 
problems so that's what I do. 
 
I do have a LaMotte low range P test kit ($70.00) and I typically limit this 
nutrient as per the literature, but with Tom Barr expounding on the benefits 
of a little P, this may change. I just need to find a small amount of the 
right source for PO4 to try this variable next. Anybody have a little they 
want to trade for some, say... Eusteralis/Pogostemon s.,Tom? 
 
I have the opportunity here to change one variable at a time having wiped the 
slate clean as it were. Well, I still injected CO2 - but nutrient wise I 
mean...
 
Nitrate: I use a cheap Tetra kit. Usually maintain it at 10ppm or so.
 
Other than pH, GH, KH and NO2 that's the extent of my test kits -- no Fe or 
Ca, Cu, DO, NH4, NH2 or CO2.
 
So, I guess I really wasn't "seeing things" and the addition(s) of a needed 
nutrient, in this case N, can cause rapid and profound changes in at least 
some aquarium plant's color and appearance. It sure was fast.
 
Still, on a hot summer day, we've all seen wilted terrestrials regain 
turbidity pretty quickly and that's through the root system - the slowest 
means of transport I should think. Adding nutrients to the actual water that 
plants are suspended and growing in - in a closed system, being well 
circulated to boot...
 
Tom had commented previously on how quickly P effected things. Since I 
didn't, and still don't have any P and I added only KNO3, everything else 
being equal, it seems to work for N too. However, this is only the crudest of 
observations and needs repeating under more controlled conditions to be taken 
more seriously. 

Bob Olesen
West Palm Beach