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Re: Stunted growth and CO2/Add NO3
>Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2000 22:39:18 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Ryan Mills <millsman7 at yahoo_com>
>Subject: Red Sea Test Kits
>
>Tom, my co2 test kit did't work either. In all
>fairness, I suspect they may have been old.
>
>I did have a newer Red Sea test kit for co2 that came
>with an iron kit. No reaction from either. Well, the
>iron kit did respond when I put .25 ml of Flourish
>Iron into the test tube. I did get my money back.
>How can they not know the kits don't work at all? I
>now consider my phosphate kit results to be suspect.
>Terrible.
>
>Later, Cavan.
Did they read high? If so you just didn't have enough CO2 likely. PH and KH
are the two most important levels to concern yourself with. Then NO3 then
perhaps Fe. I'd use KNO3 for a source of NO3. A good NO3 test kit and a good
Ph kit/meter are the two best tools IMO. I use a LaMott NO3 kit and pinpoint
PH monitor. I have a Red sea test kit and it works fine also.
If these are fine(PH,KH,NO3,Fe) PO4 is way down on the list then. My tap is
loaded with PO4 BTW. No issues here. In fact according to a Hach kit I uses
quite a bit of PO4 in my tanks. After a 50+% water change with tap water
that has 1.12ppm it drops to about .5-.6ppm after 3 days or so. Plants seem
to use quite a bit in a well balanced high light tank.
CO2,I wonder why didn't anyone say this one about stunted growth? It's a
great method to slow down a jungle out of control but the plants do get that
stunted look. Some plants will get deformed leaves as a result too. Starting
a tank off well with the CO2 then shutting it off, backing off the
fertilizers, and feeding your fish for fertilizer only works very well for
the lower maintenance tanks IMO. You'll need a good substrate for this
method.
Regards,
Tom Barr