Nitrate too high

[rcalzadilla]

125gal/100gal
Nitrate NO3: 50ppm for the past four weeks. Have been testing and recording this without analyzing.

EI dosing KNO3: 7.02g 3Xweek.

Untreated tap water: 2.5ppm with the same test kit (Red Sea Nitrate kit).


Should I skip EI KNO3 dose and reduce feeding to bring this down to 30ppm mx?

Do this high levels of Nirate adversely affect some plants?

 

[Tom Barr]

Nope, but is the test kit really accurate to begin with?
Eg, have you tested it against a known standard during the time you did this measurement?

I've yet to see any adverse issues with NO3 under controlled conditions even up to 80ppm for several months.

NO3 and K+ are used as counter ions internally inside plants(sort of like Na and Cl in our blood).
So they can have a lot inside and likely outside the medium, they obviously are exposed to very high levels in the roots naturally, so the leaves are not that much different and can store and assimilate NO3 readily anyway.

Natural levels might hit 45 ppm NO3 in some systems, but we also see dramatic growth and a wide variety of weeds growing in them as well.

Assuming the NO3 test is correct:
Just do a large water change, say 60%, now you have 20ppm or so.
Reduce the dosing down by about 40%, so 4 grams or so.

Make sure the PO4 is high, the Trace mix, the CO2 etc.
That will drive NO3 and NH4 uptake.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[rcalzadilla]

Nope, but is the test kit really accurate to begin with?
Eg, have you tested it against a known standard during the time you did this measurement?

I've yet to see any adverse issues with NO3 under controlled conditions even up to 80ppm for several months.

NO3 and K+ are used as counter ions internally inside plants(sort of like Na and Cl in our blood).
So they can have a lot inside and likely outside the medium, they obviously are exposed to very high levels in the roots naturally, so the leaves are not that much different and can store and assimilate NO3 readily anyway.

Natural levels might hit 45 ppm NO3 in some systems, but we also see dramatic growth and a wide variety of weeds growing in them as well.

Assuming the NO3 test is correct:
Just do a large water change, say 60%, now you have 20ppm or so.
Reduce the dosing down by about 40%, so 4 grams or so.

Make sure the PO4 is high, the Trace mix, the CO2 etc.
That will drive NO3 and NH4 uptake.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Don't have a reference against which to verify my Red Sea Nitrate kit.
Should I buy a new one?

PO4 0.1ppm EI dosing KH2PO4... 3.08g 3x wk
NO3 50ppm EI dosing KNO3... 7.02 3xwk
EI dosing Plantex CSM... 1.25 3xwk

CO2 under pressure has been at 6.6PH trying to bring it down to 6.5.
(Learning to use SMS122 PH Controller)
KH is 53.7ppm

But didn't tell you before:
Blue Green Algae slowly but definitely increasing.
Black Bear Algae slowly but definitely increasing.

thanks

 

[VaughnH]

You can't determine how much CO2 is dissolved in the water by measuring the tank water pH. That method nearly always gives a too high number for the ppm of CO2. Instead, get a drop checker, fill it with 4 dKH distilled or deionized water, and use it to determine how much CO2 you have - it should be green. BBA increasing can indicate too low a ppm of CO2 in the water, but it can also mean you don't have good water circulation throughout the tank. The BGA can indicate a too low nitrate concentration in the water, or bad water circulation, too much light, lack of good tank maintenance, etc.

 

[Tom Barr]

What would happen to NO3 levels(assuming constant dosing rates) if the CO2 dropped?

They would increase.

However, I think poor CO2 so fix that as suggested, and some good water changes, clean the filter good, prune and clean things up etc are in order.

GH, do you add any?
Mg at least should be added, and some GH booster will not hurt.

Plantex, you might try using Tropica.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[rcalzadilla]

What amounts of GH Booster and Mg should I dose? Will try Tropica.
MY GH now: 5dKH

For the last 7-10 days my CO2 level (per Drop Checker) and other signs has been too low. Even though my SMS122 is set at PH 6.5 and is cycling on and off. Have calibrated the probe and PH setting very carefully.
It seems that my reactor ( a la Rex Grigg) is not putting out enough CO2 or I have a leak which I cannot detect. This reactor has worked well for me before.
I have inverted the reactor and there are not bubbles being accumulated at the top end.

I am going to clean my Eheim 2217+Reactor as the output at the spray bar is very low.

You and VaughnH are , of course, correct about CO2.

thanks you both very much
raul

 

[rcalzadilla]

What would happen to NO3 levels(assuming constant dosing rates) if the CO2 dropped?

They would increase.

However, I think poor CO2 so fix that as suggested, and some good water changes, clean the filter good, prune and clean things up etc are in order.

GH, do you add any?
Mg at least should be added, and some GH booster will not hurt.

Plantex, you might try using Tropica.


Regards,
Tom Barr

Hi Tom:
Received my Grumpy's GH Booster and Mg2SO4*7420 from Rex Grigg.
How much GH Booster?
Should I skip the use of Mg2SO4*7H20 since GH Booster already has 12ppm?

Also have Tropica Plant Nutrition liquid which I'm dosing per label, once per week.

Have done all suggested and the tank if looking pretty good. Both BBA and BGA appear under control.

Thanks so much

raul

 

[Tom Barr]

Add 1 teaspoon 1-2x a week.
Thats should be enough, or 1/2 tsp of MgSO4.

Do not follow the label on TMG, use 15-20 mls 3x a week.

Regards,
Tom Barr