[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re:Plant tabs, PO4 and Miracle Grow
* From: "Robert H" <robertph3 at attbi_com>
> > Why bother with ammonium sulfate. Why not use liquid ammonia (from grocery
> > store). I believe it becomes NH4+ at pH in our tanks. Chemists, please
> > comment.
> I was searching for straight ammonia this week,wentto three different
> grocery stores and only found sudsy ammonia, which has some sort of mild
> sudsing detergent, and lemon scented ammonia, neither of which anyone would
> want to put in their aquarium. Just be sure it is nothing but ammonia.
I got a lifetime supply of urea at a local garden supply store in Jackson,
MS, but I don't like it as a N source. It is basically a source of
ammonium, although I think I read that plants can take it up directly
rather than waiting for bacteria to strip off the NH2 groups. The same
store sells ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and calcium nitrate. The
same warnings go for using ammonium nitrate as for urea or any other source
of ammonium. You can kill things if you use very much of it. Only with
nitrigen in the nitrate form can you add an excess supply to the water that
you can expect to last for a while before you have to worry about adding
more.
A good source is dried pieces of liver. Buy some frozen liver, keep it in
the freezer, and shave off thin slices which melt and dry on a glass
surface or a non-stick surface. When dry, remove and store. If you have a
decent fish load, you probably do not have to use these. If you don't have
a decent fish load, add small pieces to the aquarium. Use sparingly, as a
little goes a long way, and more isn't better and can, in fact, cause all
the problems of overdosing ammonium, especially encouraging the growth of
various green crud-like masses of cyanobacteria.
Paul Krombholz, just thinking that it is only two months until March, when
the English version of Aquarienpflanzen is due to be released.