Re: [APD] Seachem Flourish Nitrogen

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

If you measure *soon after* you dose, then you can take the
LaMotte measured value for nitrogen-from-nitrate, multiply
by 4.4 to get the value for nitrate, then double to get a
total value (thereby taking into account the equivalent
amount of non-nitrate nitrogen).

But I think it can be little bit easier. If I were you, I'd
measure the nitrate *before*  dosing, then add enough
Flourish Nitrogen to bring the total up to the desired
valued. I wouldn't measure soon after dosing to see if the
dosing was right; I'd trust the dose.

After a while, the testing will be rarely necessary --
you'll be in the groove with that tank.

Flourish Nitrogen effectively yields twice as much nitrogen
as shows up in a nitrate test, but you don't need to
measure the Flourish Nitrogen. Just find out where your
tank water measures for nitrate (presumably 2 - 3 days
after the last dosing) and add Flourish Nitrogen to raise
it based on the dosing values on the bottle.

This begs a question or two, should you double the nitrate
reading from the test you do right *before* dosing? Is the
nitrogen from nitrate used up sooner than the nitrogen that
isn't from nitrate? I'd havd wa e away those questions,
saying that it probably doesn't matter that much either way
if you're measuring right before dosing since it's only a
diff of a few ppm at that point. Plus, I think you'll find
lots of leeway in useful amount of N in the water, so I
think this routine, along with an eye on plants, will get
you home.

Good luck, good fun, -- don't take any nickel nickels ;-)
Scott H.
--- Daphne Freeman <daphne_freeman at charter.net> wrote:

> 
> Scott posted and Greg concurred...
> 
> >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.
> 
> 
> Thanks to both Scott and Dr. Morin but I have to tell
> you,  I am so sorry
> but I am completely lost. 
> 
> I want to keep my nitrate levels within 5-10ppm.   If I
> have no clue what my
> tank contains nitrate-wise but add 15mL of Seachem
> Nitrogen, measure with my
> Lamotte and it registers 2,  multiply it by 4.4 to get
> the nitrate reading,
> what is my nitrate level?  Apparently it isn't 8.8?  I am
> trying to stay
> within the acceptable range but am lost as to what I
> actually have?  I am
> sorry but I am just not following.  
> 
> Daphne.
> > _______________________________________________
> Aquatic-Plants mailing list
> Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants
> 


=====
Christel Kasselmann, 
author of the best current authoritative text on aquatic plants 
will be a featured speaker at 
The Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies 30th Annual Convention.
March 18-20, 2005 at the Marriott Hotel, Farmington, CT
_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants