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Re: [APD] Seachem Flourish Nitrogen



LaMotte gives you the value for just the
nitrogen-that-is-from-nitrate (N from NO3). To convert that
to the value for nitrate (NO3), you multiply by 4.4.

I think Dr. Morin is saying that a nitrate test only shows
nitrate (or nitrogen from nitrate and then you convert to
get the nitrate value) and not other forms of nitrogen that
are not from nitrate such as Flourish Nitrogen has. Half
the nitrogen in Flourish Nitrogen is in the non-nitrate
form. So if you tank has no nitrate and you add Flourish
Nitrogen and measure 5 ppm nitrate, then the amount of
nitrogen you added is equivalent to having added 10 ppm of
nitrate.

If your tank has 8 ppm nitrate and you add Flourish
Nitrogen and measure 13 ppm nitrate, then the the total
nitrogen you added is equivalent to 10 ppm so you could
treat a measurement of 13 ppm in that case as 18 ppm.

Hope that helps more than it confuses,
Scott H.
--- Daphne Freeman <daphne_freeman at charter.net> wrote:

> Greg Morin said with regards to testing for nitrogen...
> 
> So for example, you actually added 5 ppm worth of actual
> nitrate and 
> an equivalent quantity of nitrogen in the complexed
> ammoniacal form. 
> If one were to express this equivalent quantity of
> nitrogen in terms 
> of nitrate equivalence it would be 5 ppm. But it's not in
> the 
> "nitrate" form per se so it of course does not show up a
> nitrate test 
> kit... but in your case you fall under the ideal scenario
> of simply 
> doubling the reading to get a reasonable estimate of how
> much 
> nitrogen is in the system in terms of nitrate
> equivalence.
> 
> Am I taking something out of context here?  Does this
> apply to all test kits
> or is it just the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals one?  I test
> nitrate with a
> Lamotte kit.  Should I double what I get for the actual
> nitrogen reading in
> my tank?  I have to multiply it times 4.4 now but I can't
> remember exactly
> why, I think that converts it to nitrogen from nitrate. 
> Should I have been
> doubling that number?  I am currently dosing 15 mL twice
> a week in a 92
> gallon.  The target range is 5-10ppm and I try to stay
> around the upper end
> of that range so it doesn't bottom out if I forget the
> mid-week dose.  
> 
> Daphne
> > _______________________________________________
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> Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
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> 

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