New planted tank and nitrates in local water supply and effects?

• To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
• Subject: New planted tank and nitrates in local water supply and effects?
• From: BreedOFish at aol_com
• Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 03:44:00 -0500

     I recently tested my local water supply for nitrates (after having
nitrate problems) and found that it contained at least 10ppm nitrates.
 Trying to lower nitrates below 10ppm is therefore illogical, right?  Having
just broken down my 55 gallon, to put in a substrate and plant more heavily,
I am wondering about having algae problems.  I have planted rather heavily (I
think so, always a personal thing) so that only about 25% of the tank doesn't
 have something green within 1/2-inch of it (I assume this is heavy?)  Used
Green Hygro,  Anachris, Rotala, Anachris, Sag(?), Corkscrew Val, and a Amazon
Sword (in order of abundence).  I'm am using 3 Black Mollies for algae
control, but have access to Flying Fox barbs (sorry, no SAEs) if necessary.
 Should I use a nitrate absorbing resin (Nitra-Zorb, which also absorbs
supposedly only toxic ammonia and not ammonium?) or assume that the plants
will use the nitrate as nutrients.  I am doing daily tests on Ammonia,
Nitrites, Nitrates, pH, KH and GH, to track results, but I was hoping some
one could help me out with a preview of what to expect.

     - Keith

P.S.  100watts of FL, lighting about total of 40 gallons of water (figured it
out after subtraction for gravel and substrate) with yeast CO2 injections
(still working out formula to stablize pH at 6.8-7.0 with KH of 3.5)

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