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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V4 #113




> Thanks for the input.  Your comment brings-up another question...
>  If the bacteria in my activated carbon is competing with my plants for
>  nutrients, then how about my FOUR bio-wheels?
>  I have a 75 gal tank with a moderate-to-heavy fish load.  I have long been 
a
>  fan of bio-wheels, and thought that they would be a necessity in my plant
>  tank (because I have no UG filter).
>  Is my filtration system competing with my plants? (or will the bio-wheels
>  expel all the CO2 that I am trying to inject?)

I have heard before about bacteria competing with plants for nuitrients, and 
I am a little confused. As I have always understood it, fish waste (ammonia) 
is broken down by bacteria to nitritres and then by another bacteria to 
nitrates which are then used up by the plants. Now I know that the plants can 
also use ammonia directly, but can they not use the nitrates equally well? Or 
are the bacteria competing for nutrients other than nitrogen?

Craig