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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V1 #230
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To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
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Subject: Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V1 #230
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From: Nick LaRocca <nickl at css_sed.monmouth.army.mil>
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Date: Tue, 8 Aug 95 15:02:47 EDT
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In-Reply-To: <199508071939.PAA08800 at looney_actwin.com>; from "Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com" at Aug 7, 95 3:39 pm
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Mailer: Elm [revision: 66.25]
>
>
> to get rid of the green water? One thing I'm concerned about is that when
> I do a water change, the tap water treated with de-clorinator tests positive
> for ammonia. Assuming my bio-filter just converts the ammonia into nitrates,
> am I ADDING food for the green water 'algae' by doing water changes?
>
It is possible that your water is treated with chloramine rather than
chlorine. In this case, the dechlorinator will break the chlorine-ammonia
bond and you will have ammonia in the water. This will eventually be
converted to nitrates by your bio-filter. However, before that it will
stress your plants and your fish, neither of which can handle free ammonia.
You should add an ammonia reducer (e.g., Amquel) to avoid the stress.
However, you will still be adding to your nitrate load. There is no
easy solution to this, AFAIK.
* Nick LaRocca e-mail: nickl at css_sed.monmouth.army.mil *