Re: Fluidized bed filter and the planted tank

["Robert T Ricketts" <rtricketts at erols_com>]

Sam Hopkins wrote:

> [snip]...I just read a comment by someone which stated the
>bacteria it contains would out compete the plants for ammonia thus starving
>them. I thought that the plants in my tank would use the nitrate that the
>bacteria in my fluidized bed filter produced as food. Any thoughts?

IMHO & IME, biofilters out-competing plants is popular urban myth.  For me
the opposite occurs, with the plants out-competing the biofilter.  If your
bioload (fish, food, waste - both plant and fish) is too heavy for the
plants, the excess nitrogenous waste will be oxidized to nitrates by the
biofilter, and that would be available for the plants at a bit higher energy
costs.  But if the load is consistently that heavy you are likely to need to
do water changes to avoid excess nitrates.

Robert