[APD] Ammonia uptake in the dark

["Ann Viverette" <annv777 at houston_rr.com>]

Hi everyone,

I'm back, finally, after all the hurricane business. I'm still grieving over 
the destruction in New Orleans, and we have moved my parents from there to 
Houston. Nice to finally start to catch up on the conversations here.

I've got a question. Should I expect any uptake of ammonia in a planted tank 
when the lights are off?

I have added a large chunk of driftwood with anubias, blobitis, and a tiny 
bit of weeping moss to the big discus tank. the tank is 110 gallons, 25" 
tall (the plants are mostly on the upper half of the wood). I've temporarily 
added a double flourescent light but will probably put 2 x 55 watts AHS 
units into the old strip. I have CO2 parts on order.

I will be taking off the Penguin 330 with the biowheels and substituting an 
Eheim Pro2 with a Hydor inline heater. I may leave the HOT250 in place as I 
like the flow it provides.

My concern is about the large sponge filter now in use. I have depended on 
it for filtration during power outages because I have a battery powered air 
pump that comes on when the main power goes off. Now, in trying to make the 
tank look nice, I cannot keep that ugly thing in there, particularly if I 
add pressurized CO2.

So, if the power goes off, day or night, can I expect the plants to take in 
any ammonia? The tank gets a little bit of light from the windows, but not 
much really, nothing direct anyhow. Maybe I need to hide a small emergency 
sponge in there behind the wood, but if it only comes on when the power is 
off, can it really do any good?

Ann V 


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