# FINALY 0ppm NITRATES!!!What now?



## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

After a 2 year battle with nitrates I introducing frogbit into my tank about 2 months ago in another attempt to lower my high nitrates at about 40ppm. Today I took a measurement of my params for the first time since and I was extremely surprised to see a 0ppm nitrate reading on my water sample. The frogbit has been spreading well and has destroyed the nitrates, I do still get some green spot algae on my glass, but it might be due to the natural light that reaches the tank during the day. Nonetheless I'm extremely happy with finally having defeated nitrates in a natural way. Now that my nitrates are low I would like to introduce bigger,taller plants to help suppress the algae and at the same time make my tank look better. I know a lot of the easier plants such as vals are heavy root feeders, so I was wondering if it would be better to use osmocote tabs alone or should I also start dosing dry ferts for my java ferns which I have plenty of.

Thanks


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

Congrats on getting your nitrates under control!

Unless you have a substrate with a high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) like Flourite or Eco-Complete you are likley going to want to use some sort of root fertilizer.

I have tried growing plants like Vals, Dwarf Sag, E Tenellus, Crypts, etc in plain inert gravel and have only ever had mediocre results at best, even with dosing ferts to the water column.

Most stem plants and java fern will greatly appreciate some fertilizers in the water; unless your gravel is very deep some of the nutrients in the root tabs will diffuse into the water column which might be sufficient for your non-root feeders - it will depend on growth rates, number of plants, how many root tabs, etc. I'd recommend starting with just the tabs and then evaluate your plants after a few weeks or a months to see whether dry ferts are needed. Unless you are putting in CO2 (DIY or pressurized) I think the root tabs will be sufficient.


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## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Thanks Prof! Yes indeed I have regular inert gravel and no CO2. Would you suggest I insert the tabs first and then plant the plants afterwards or would it be better for me to introduce them simultaneously.


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

I would put the tabs in after the plants. First find a setup that looks good; it's much easier to move plants than it is to find the root tabs buried in the gravel. Once you are sure of the arrangement you can place the tabs in the optimal places.

Plants can store excess nutrients and most new plants that you acquire should have at least a month's supply so they shouldnt need the tabs immediately.


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## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Ok, I have my last exam this friday so I will have next week to work on the tank. Hopefully I can get some plants in the meantime. What background plants other than vals would you suggest for a beginner like me? Also, do you know which stores sells empty gel caps or should I just make osmocote ice cubes and bury them in the substrate

Thanks


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

I don't know of any stores that sell gel capsules, sorry.

I only have experience with a handful of species and few of them being "background" types. So far I've found that just throwing plants into their traditional spots will result in an ugly mess, but it will give you an idea of how each plant grows.
My recommendation would be to look online at different aquascapes to find something to emulate.
If you have medium lighting you shouldn't have any issues with the majority of plants.


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## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Damn it! After I thought nitrates have gone away I measured them again today and now they are back to 40ppm. Ammonia is also at .25ppm and nitrites are 0. I haven't done a wc in the past 10 days since I've been busy studying for exams.


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

From 0 to 40 ppm in just over a week doesn't seem likely. What test kit are you using? Has it expired? liquid/dropper tests are more accurate than strips.

You may want to get some purigen to put in your filter. I've had great success with it so far. It absorbs organic molecules before they get converted into nitrite and nitrate and doesn't affect the other minerals and nutrients plants need. Best part is that you can recharge it with bleach many times.

I got it to help control the massive amount of tannins that are being released by my driftwood; water clarity is significantly better, but there is still a tint that it hasn't completely removed. My nitrates have been 5 ppm or less for a few months. I am going to hold off doing a water change for a few weeks and monitor the nitrates and tannins.


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## cb1021 (Sep 21, 2009)

You need more plants. They do wonders. get proper lighting, flourish excel, and nice substrate.


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## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Thank you for your replies.I use the API test kit.I don't have purigen but I have seachem matrix in my canisters.It looks like I do actually need more plants as I still get green spot algae on the glass. I guess hygro and wisteria would help as well as vals. I would also have to get fert tabs since my gravel is inert.By the way have you bought plants from Petsmart or PJ pets, because BA seems to have their plants overpriced.

Thanks


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

Give pennywort a try. It might be tricky to use it in a manner that looks good, but it grows like a weed for me.


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## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Professor Monkey said:


> It might be tricky to use it in a manner that looks good


When you say that, do you mean that it's hard to keep it looking green and healthy or that it requires regular trimming because it spreads fast. Also keep in mind that I have low-lighting and from what I read, this plant requires medium-high light.


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

It grows in a vine like manner; every inch or so it produces a node which then grows a couple of leaves and some short bushy roots. If the node is in high light, or the main shoot is cut, these nodes can grow additional shoots. 
If you just root the plant in the substrate it will grow one long stem to the surface, with leaves and roots along the way. Due to the spacing of the nodes and single stem/shoot the plant looks very linear (not bushy) and you'd need many stems packed together to use it as a background plant. I personally don't like the look of it in the background and think that it's best used as a vine that wraps around something. 
The difficulty arises from the fact that the roots don't grasp objects like how java fern and anubias do - you need to wrap and weave the stem around things. Additionally you need to place it in an appropriate location; it is a vibrant green and draws the eye so it needs to be in a place that you want to look at. In my tank I have it wrapped around part of my log - it has filled in really well, but because it blocks the amazon sword behind it and has a dark area underneath it looks out of place and awkward. I'll likely replace it with some java moss and java fern in the future. I will add pictures of it when I get home.

It does indeed like light; hence why it grows to the surface. I have a few stems that are in shade and although they look healthy, their growth is slow. As long as there is nothing between the plant and your lights it should grow just fine. That being said, if you want high growth rates for nitrate control you'll either need good lighting or fast growing plants that are near the surface where the light is most concentrated. Floaters are the optimal choice, but fast growing stem plants that reach the surface like most hygrophila species will also work. Downside of fast stem plants is lots of pruning and maintenance.

Without good lighting and a good substrate meant for plants it is going to be challenging to control your nitrates with just plants; you'll likely have to try a bunch of species and find what works for you. Keep in mind that the plant biomass (how much of your tank is occupied by plants) will greatly influence how much nitrate and other nutrients are being absorbed; a tank packed with slow growing plants can absorb more than a sparse tank with only a few fast growing plants. In other words, you either need to buy lots of full size plants from a forum member, or be patient until your plants/store bought plants grow and fill the tank.

Research and advice from others can give you a direction and some ideas to try, but experience and experimentation will be how you find answers.

Hopefully now that your exams are over you will have more time for research and experimentation.


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## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Professor Monkey said:


> That being said, if you want high growth rates for nitrate control you'll either need good lighting or fast growing plants that are near the surface where the light is most concentrated. Floaters are the optimal choice, but fast growing stem plants that reach the surface like most hygrophila species will also work. Downside of fast stem plants is lots of pruning and maintenance.
> 
> Without good lighting and a good substrate meant for plants it is going to be challenging to control your nitrates with just plants; you'll likely have to try a bunch of species and find what works for you. Keep in mind that the plant biomass (how much of your tank is occupied by plants) will greatly influence how much nitrate and other nutrients are being absorbed; a tank packed with slow growing plants can absorb more than a sparse tank with only a few fast growing plants. In other words, you either need to buy lots of full size plants from a forum member, or be patient until your plants/store bought plants grow and fill the tank.


I don't mind waiting for plants to spread and doing weekly wc while they do,but I currently don't have any fast growing plants other than the frogbit. Although they spread fast eventually they will start blocking the light coming in which currently is ok because I only have java fern,java moss and anubias, but for other fast growing plants in the future, it may be problematic. If I choose to buy a lot of plants from a member, the tricky thing would be that nitrates would likely not be the only requirement of these plants and so I will likely need to add ferts. I know vals are heavy root feeders but I'm not sure about hygro and wisteria. I do indeed need a plant that spreads on its own without much requirements like frogbit does.


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

Here are the 2 ways that I have pennywort growing. Excuse the terrible layout of the 2nd picture; that tank will be completely rescaped when I move the fish out of it and can tear it down to add a dirt sublayer.


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

Typically stem plants get nutrients from the water column and are easy to fertilize (once you figure out how much fert is needed to match their growth/consumption rate)
Things like vals, crypts, and swords (non-stem) will require an appropriate substrate or root tabs.


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## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Ok, so should I order the ferts before I get the plants?


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## Professor Monkey (Jan 8, 2015)

Most healthy plants can grow for awhile without ferts. Potassium is likely to be the first thing that they run out of.


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