170L Tank High Nirate

wrighty.uk.gorl

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Hi all i have a 4ft 170L tank.

The question i have is my ammonia and nitrite is 0 no problems there. But my nitrate i can not ever lower than 40ppm as thats what it come outta my tap as. Kinda sucks i know.

So i am planning on using live plants and going to try lower it that way as i love live plants in the tank. My main question is though <i know there are so many varibles> But just want a ruff ball park number. How many plants would i need befor it would even start to touch the nitrate to the point were the plants are using more than the tank is making. Cheers all

One more think though adding CO2 is not really a option for me so catch 22
 
I wouldn't worry at Nitrates @ 40ppm, i can't remember the exact figure, but its in the hundreds before it actually harms any fish. Different plants effect you nitrates, you fast growing ones like Aponagetons, Hygrophila and Egeria Densa will use up nitrates faster as these are fast growing plants and would be more ok for your tank. As for the 'how many plants', i would get as many as you feel comfortable with. Have you thought about dosing liquid c02?
 
I wouldn't worry at Nitrates @ 40ppm, i can't remember the exact figure, but its in the hundreds before it actually harms any fish. Different plants effect you nitrates, you fast growing ones like Aponagetons, Hygrophila and Egeria Densa will use up nitrates faster as these are fast growing plants and would be more ok for your tank. As for the 'how many plants', i would get as many as you feel comfortable with. Have you thought about dosing liquid c02?

Liquid cO2? Carry on please im listening :)
 
these are the like of Easycarbo and Flourish Excel (seachem), there are other brands on the market. It contains an organic source of carbon, in chemical form. It will hang around in you water column for 24hrs, so needs dosing daily. It also acts as a algeacide, so theres the other benifit of using it. Most members use it on there planted tanks, either high tech (alongside pressurised c02) or low tech. You'll also need to have a look at dosing some other ferts.

link for Flourish Excel

http://www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/index.php?p=product&products_id=4056&cid=1

Easycarbo

http://www.fluidsensoronline.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=205&source=googleps&zenid=4726f201282e6badd934ae04a5aa8980


they are both the same, though i have found Flourish Excel more cost effective. One bottle will last you with a moderate planted tank about 2-3 months.
 
these are the like of Easycarbo and Flourish Excel (seachem), there are other brands on the market. It contains an organic source of carbon, in chemical form. It will hang around in you water column for 24hrs, so needs dosing daily. It also acts as a algeacide, so theres the other benifit of using it. Most members use it on there planted tanks, either high tech (alongside pressurised c02) or low tech. You'll also need to have a look at dosing some other ferts.

link for Flourish Excel

http://www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/index.php?p=product&products_id=4056&cid=1

Easycarbo

http://www.fluidsensoronline.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=205&source=googleps&zenid=4726f201282e6badd934ae04a5aa8980


they are both the same, though i have found Flourish Excel more cost effective. One bottle will last you with a moderate planted tank about 2-3 months.


Thanks for the reply I will have a look into this but i now have another question as i am very confussed

I just been readin on here if you have a low light setup that adding CO2 is not needed. This confussed me big time as i would class my self as having a low light tank

as i have mentioned i have a 4ft tank with a fluval 205 filter running on a spaybar above the water so the spray hit the top off the water and also have a power head moving water around that move 650l a hour. the light is between 30 and 40 watts can not remember now tank hold 170l of water and i currently have about 25 plants on there so would you recomened looking into adding co2 one way or another or dont i need it.

Sorry for being alittle dumb here i really confussed my self
 
Thats fine, thats why we're here. To start with, with a planted tank it's always a good idea to keep the spraybar below the water, giving just a small ripple on top of the water as the splash and break of the water surface will drive of the little c02 you do have in there. Even with low light, which you have i would still be adding c02 to start with, if they are new plants, a few members go really low tech, check out 'tales of the crypts' in the journal section, this tank belongs to our mod llj. That'll be worth a read.

How are the plants doing?
 
Thats fine, thats why we're here. To start with, with a planted tank it's always a good idea to keep the spraybar below the water, giving just a small ripple on top of the water as the splash and break of the water surface will drive of the little c02 you do have in there. Even with low light, which you have i would still be adding c02 to start with, if they are new plants, a few members go really low tech, check out 'tales of the crypts' in the journal section, this tank belongs to our mod llj. That'll be worth a read.

How are the plants doing?


The plants near me 205 intake pipe are growing like there is no tomorrow the rest are looking fine apart from one were there is little brown spots on the leaves this is in the middle off the tank under the spray bar and i putting this down to lack off cO2. I can upload a photo off the tank if you want ?

Spray bar now moved It now sitting on the water line

The problem i have with co2 is if i am going to add it i can not afford a presurised system and the fact my 3 kids would be playing with it all the time the only option i have is getting something like the Hagen Nutrafin C02 fermentor the problem there is it for a 75l tank and mine is 170l so i would need 3 and that just getting silly
 
Dose the liquid carbon rather than a pressurised system like Ianho has suggested. Its just a once a day dose and the plants do really well off it. Plus, sealed cap means the kids can't play with it :)
 
Dose the liquid carbon rather than a pressurised system like Ianho has suggested. Its just a once a day dose and the plants do really well off it. Plus, sealed cap means the kids can't play with it :)

That is the way i going to go just looking into all options really and seeing what i can learn while i am on here :)
 
I'm in the same situation as you Wrighty, i have children in the room where my main tank is, so a pressurised cylinder is a no no at present (wifes orders). I'm running fermented red sea co2 system at the min, and i'm really pleased with the results from it. Its better IMO than the Nutrafin one. However, you really don't need to be running any on your tank, liquid c02 would surfice. As for the browning on you leaves, i would say your plants are missing other ferts. I would suggest to also buy some Tropica Plant Nutritian plus.
 
I'm in the same situation as you Wrighty, i have children in the room where my main tank is, so a pressurised cylinder is a no no at present (wifes orders). I'm running fermented red sea co2 system at the min, and i'm really pleased with the results from it. Its better IMO than the Nutrafin one. However, you really don't need to be running any on your tank, liquid c02 would surfice. As for the browning on you leaves, i would say your plants are missing other ferts. I would suggest to also buy some Tropica Plant Nutritian plus.


PMSL Wifes orders same thing here :)

I do give me plants ferts so will order some liquid cO2 me think would also like to say thanks for your replys :)
 

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