I dont get it

[superjalami30]

K, I've been adding KN03, K2s04, seachems iron, seachems comp and various other ferts to my planted tank.
The liquid ferts I'm fine with.
Its the KN03 I'm having troubles with.
I've been adding the above two for about two weeks now.
My nitrate levels havent risen above 5ppm.

I add the mixture dry, should I be adding it premixed, is it better premixed?

I used chucks calculator and have been dosing the recommended amount, slowly at first than once every two days for the last week based on the dry calculator.
Should they be higher than 5ppm after this long?
I know no one can give me an exact answer to most of the above, but would adding it premixed be better?
Maybe My plants are using it all up faster than I'm adding it?

My tank is very heavily planted.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=96222

 

[zig]

From what i know doseing the mixture dry for KNO3 and K2SO4 is what most people do, and if you need to dose KH2PO4 you premix it into a stock solution.

 

[iggy01]

Nice tank!

I find the easiest way to add KNO3 is to scoop out a bit of tank water in a cup. Add the KNO3 to the cup. Give it a good mix and then tip it back in the tank. Some people like to be more precise and make up a pre-mixed stock solution and will add however many mls they require.

As you say, it could be your plants are using up all the nitrate you are adding. A high light-fully planted tank, with the correct nutrients and CO2 can use between 1-4 mg/l of nitrate a day.

The failure to see a change in nitrate levels, could also be because of a faulty test kit.

 

[zig]

Ok after researching and reading further Iggys method achieves a better more useful solution as you are maximiseing the solubility of the KNO3 and maybe this is where your problem lies doseing it dry, i know you can dose it dry but mixing it first appears to be a better method.

Anyway im glad you asked the question because i would have dosed it dry also, if you wouldnt mind updateing and let us know if it makes any difference to your levels id be interested.

Cheers.....Zig

 

[superjalami30]

K, I will try adding it premixed and test to see if it makes a difference.
Yesterday I completly re arranged that tank and have quite a bit less in the way of plants, I was getting tired of that big one in the middle, didnt like the look of it anymore.
evolution of a tank.
as for my test kit, its an aquarium pharm, and as far as I know its a good tester.
Its brand new too, so I hope its not faulty.
I should get the lfs store to test as well.

 

[George Farmer]

Personally I add KNO3 premixed.

100g KNO3 in 500ml RO water. Every 1ml solution raises NO3 by 1ppm in a 30G (from Chuck's calculator).

I add 15ppm NO3 every water change then 5ppm every day after. At the end of the week my NO3 reads 15ppm so I assume my plants are uptaking 5ppm per day.

 

[superjalami30]

Ok, I've been adding KNO3 "premixed" now since june 27th (4 days)
and my levels have still not risen above 2.5-5 ppm.
My test kit is correct, I brought a sample to two different FS and their tests were the same.
The aquarium pharmaceutical test kit is a reliable one isnt it?
(thelfs use this one as well)

 

[iggy01]

Ok, I've been adding KNO3 "premixed" now since june 27th (4 days)
and my levels have still not risen above 2.5-5 ppm.

Hi superjalami30,

Exactly how much KNO3 are you adding and what size is your tank?

 

[superjalami30]

I've been using chucks planted aquarium calculator and dosing my 40 gallon 1/4 teaspoon of KN03 and approx 1/4 teaspoon of potassium sulfate (K2s04).

The first week I dosed 1/4 teaspoon every second day, (dry mix) levels wouldnt rise above 5 ppm.

second week I dosed the same. (dry mix)

Now I've been adding 1/4 teaspoon of each (the KN03 and K2s04) to one (1) cup of water and adding to tank, levels still havent risen above 5 ppm after 3 dosings over 5 days.
I probably should test the ppm of the one cup of water before I add to the tank and then test the aquarium water a few hours later, either way though my levels should'nt be any higher than they were when I was adding the mix dry though should it?

I'm pretty sure the levels should of gone up at least slightly over the course of nearly 3 weeks, even if I've been adding less than I should.


I dont want to start adding "too" much and have a catastrophe on my hands.

 

[iggy01]

Looking at what you've dosed and how often, I would have thought you should see a change in nitrate levels, even if only a slight one. A high light tank will typically use between 1- 4 mg/l nitrate a day. You appear to be dosing around 5- 6 mg/l each time you dose.

Having said that, I think gf225 said his tank is eating around 5 mg/l a day. How many WPG do you have?

 

[superjalami30]

I have 2.5 wpg.
Not high, but enough.
I dont think it's lighting related.

I dosed yesterday (fri) and tested levels just before were at 5 ppm and tests 1 hour apart from 6 pm to 12 am lastnight were all at 5ppm.
This morning I tested and they were slightly less, hard to tell on the color chart, but I'd say approx 3-4 ppm.
Just a shade lighter than the night before.
So, I know my levels drop, I just cant seem to get them to rise 5 ppm.

Maybe I got a batch of really crappy ferts!!

I'll try dosing slightly more over the next few days and see what happens.

Also, Im leaving town for 7 days.
I have someone "feeding" my fish, but not "feeding" my plants.
Should I be worried about not fert'n my plants for that long.
I will change my C02 before I leave, so I'm not worried 'bout that, just the ferts.

 

[iggy01]

Hopefully your plants will be ok when you return. We all have to leave our tanks unattended from time to time. Not much we can do about it really.

Just hope for the best!

 

[superjalami30]

heh.
**crossing fingers**