Nutrient uptake

[B20turbo]

Hey guys, I currently set up a 10 gallon tank. I have been trying to find my nutrient uptake so I can fertalize the right amount. It seems like I have to add a lot of phosphate and nitrates to keep my levels where I want them to be. Just yesterday I added 8 ml of nitrate and 7 ml pf phosphate, and today when I tested (lamotte test kits) I had 4ppm nitrate and .02 phosphate. Is that normal? I do have quite a bit of light, 72 watts. 36ppm co2 pressurized. The only plants in there are glosso, cabomba and red ludwigia. I have green spot algae and knew I needed my phosphate higher, but it seems when I dosed that much yesterday, I have a lot more algae on the ludwigia. The glosso is getting bga on it too. I dose with all seachem products, are they weaker then Greg watson maybe? I get kind of worried dosing that much but the tests are still comming out low. Also, the ludwigia is showing up with cupped leaves with a very light pink color, not a rich red. I have a gh kit on the way, the one I have now is impossible to tell. If you guys could help me it would be greatly appreciated. By the way, great site .

 

[Greg Watson]

Re: Nutrient uptake

Hey guys, I currently set up a 10 gallon tank. I have been trying to find my nutrient uptake so I can fertalize the right amount. It seems like I have to add a lot of phosphate and nitrates to keep my levels where I want them to be. Just yesterday I added 8 ml of nitrate and 7 ml pf phosphate, and today when I tested (lamotte test kits) I had 4ppm nitrate and .02 phosphate. Is that normal? I do have quite a bit of light, 72 watts. 36ppm co2 pressurized. .

Yes ... this is normal ...

You have a turbo charged supercharger on that wee bitty 10 gallon tank with all of that light and CO2 ...

Even if you cut your lighting in half, it would still be super turbo charged ... that much light and that much carbon is light walking a tightrope a couple miles up in the air in a blowing wind ...

So keeping up with nutrients is going to always be tough ...

I like to think of feeding our plants in the context of the Four Basic Food Groups ... our plants need Light, Carbon, Macro Nutrients, and Micro Nutrients ...

Right now you have your plants jacked up on a mega dose of light, and good CO2 which is going to drive macro and micro nutrient consumption to the max ...

Tom and others might be able to tell you how you can keep up ... I know that I couldn't ...

I often recommend the Seachem Flourish line of products for smaller tanks ... so the Seachem Flourish line of macro and micro products are fantastic products for your size of tank ... however, I can't tell you how well they will work in your "light" environment though ...

Greg

 

[Laith]

Re: Nutrient uptake

...today when I tested (lamotte test kits) I had 4ppm nitrate ...

Just wanted to make sure you're aware of this but doesn't LaMotte test for Nitrogen (my LaMotte kit does)? Therefore you have to multiply the reading by 4.4 to get Nitrates...

Just in case!

 

[B20turbo]

Re: Nutrient uptake

Yes I have been multiplying the reading, It came out as one so actually im getting 4.4ppm, but it's pretty much the same. Im starting do wonder if I'm supplying enough trace now, Im giving it 3ml of flourish and 1ml k every other day. Should I up that as well? The green spot algae is comming on strong as of late, Getting kind of worried. Another question, do you guys prune the tops off, or do you pull them out cut the bottom and replant the tops? I tried cutting the top of one ludwigia and cabomba stem and those are the only ones that haven't grown yet. Thanks.

 

[Ian H]

Re: Nutrient uptake

Unfortunately with a high tech 10 gallon tank it will always be a bit of a 'rollercoaster' ride. Very difficult to get the conditions stable. In my 20 gallon it is still a challenge. In my experience the bigger the tank the more predictable the results are.

Ian

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Nutrient uptake

Try 20 - 30 watts of light on it, it's a lot more manageable.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[B20turbo]

Re: Nutrient uptake

Even with the high light the red ludwigia has turned green. Am I supplying enough trace? With the amount of N03 and P04 I put in there, 3ml flourish might be low, the glosso is a pale green. Could it be the Flourish maybe, I have had it for about a year and a half open (used to use some back in the day, was still pretty much full). Does that go bad after a while?