Never Realised That Plants Used Ammonia

[mark.w.jones]

Was searching through some old posts and came across the idea that plants prefer to absorb ammonia than nitrate. Did a bit of research on the net and found this old forum post which also seems to back this point up.

http/fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plants/mont...2/msg00834.html

This means that plants do even more good than I first thought in an aquarium. It also means that you shouldnt add plants to a tank you are fishless cycling as they will absorb some of you ammonia. Whether plants outcompete bacteria for ammonia is not certain though. Just thought it was an interesting point. Maybe I should get out more

 

[jayjay]

you could filter a tank with just plants as they would absord the ammonia constantly but to do that you would need a big tank, very undertocked and well established with loads of fast growers.

it's not something to worry that much about i wouldn't think.

 

[andywg]

Plants need very precise conditions for good growth, that is: a level of grwoth that would cause serious detriment to the filter bacteria developing.

I don't think you would have to worry about plants outcompeting the filter unless you had planned a huge amount of planting, and even then, if the plants are using up the ammonia before the filter can, it just means the tank is more efficiently filtered and a better environment for fish.

Get the setup right for plants and you can instantly cycle a tank with heavy planting.

 

[Majjie]

I think the fact that you get quite a lot of nitrifying bacteria brought in with the plants would outweigh the fact that the plants themselves use up a bit of ammonia - when fishless cycling - after all you can always just add a bit more ammonia.

I too was surprised to find that plants prefer ammonia to nitrate as a nitrogen source

 

[Qays]

Was searching through some old posts and came across the idea that plants prefer to absorb ammonia than nitrate. Did a bit of research on the net and found this old forum post which also seems to back this point up.

http/fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plants/mont...2/msg00834.html

This means that plants do even more good than I first thought in an aquarium. It also means that you shouldnt add plants to a tank you are fishless cycling as they will absorb some of you ammonia. Whether plants outcompete bacteria for ammonia is not certain though. Just thought it was an interesting point. Maybe I should get out more

Saying, "you shouldnt add plants while fishless cycling" is silly.

If the plants are absorbing the ammonia. Thats great!! It s very doubtable unless you have alot of plants, with CO2 etc. Craynerd added 12 or so cardinals just after planting his tank, and he has never seen ammonia, nitrites or nitrates (until he added them optionally). So is'nt that good?

Therefore, adding plants to an aquarium shouldnt affect the cycling, unless you have a high tech planted tank, and even then, the plants would be helpful.

 

[avirex]

i wanna get 2 java ferns but whenever i goto both lfs's there plants r rotting...

 

[Bignose]

you could filter a tank with just plants as they would absord the ammonia constantly but to do that you would need a big tank, very undertocked and well established with loads of fast growers.

This is not right. If you provide a good growing environment for the plants, you can have even overstocked tanks. You need to read Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. She explains how to grow plants well (like using soil as the subtrate, what kind of lights to use, she lets each of her tanks get some sunlight every day, etc.). And, the tanks which are examples of her work are not overstocked in any way whatsoever. In one 55 gal, over 20 rainbow fish, and in another 55 gal over 40 guppies.

To the original poster, that same book has a great deal of information about what plants need, micronutrient, and how ammonia is preferred over nitrate. The book can be too detailed for some people, but I found it peerless in terms of explaining exactly what the plants need, and how to sucessfully have a planted aquarium.

 

[The Fish Importer]

What do you think filters the rivers and lakes that the fish come from in the wild?
Absorbeed by the vegitation in the water.

 

[andywg]

What do you think filters the rivers and lakes that the fish come from in the wild?
Absorbeed by the vegitation in the water.

That and the fact that the wild has a far lower stocking density than we would be happy with.

 

[The Fish Importer]

What do you think filters the rivers and lakes that the fish come from in the wild?
Absorbeed by the vegitation in the water.

That and the fact that the wild has a far lower stocking density than we would be happy with.

Not in all places (mainly large parts of south america) due to the locals daming large segments of the rivers.
But yes that would help also

 

[Rediahs]

i wanna get 2 java ferns but whenever i goto both lfs's there plants r rotting...

Mine are the same. I think it's because they bury the roots just like most of the plants - but you can't do that with a java fern, it will die...

All the other plants look healthy and then there are rotting java ferns It makes me mad.

 

[SamUK]

What do you think filters the rivers and lakes that the fish come from in the wild?
Absorbeed by the vegitation in the water.

That and the fact that the wild has a far lower stocking density than we would be happy with.

Not in all places (mainly large parts of south america) due to the locals daming large segments of the rivers.
But yes that would help also

i still dont think the rivers are quite as highly stocked as our fish tanks for fish per gallon.

 

[George Farmer]

The plants' use of nitrogen compounds - ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate (NH3/4, NO2, NO3) as a nutrient is one of many benefits to a planted tank.

It is worth mentioning that although NH3/4 are the prefered nitrogen source, algae also loves NH3/4. This is why I advocate low stocking and effective biological filtration in combination with heavy plant growth. This way NH3/4 are always virtually zero thus creating an ideal environment for our fish. NH3/4 is around 20x a bigger algae trigger than NO3, and as we all probably know, NH3/4 is far more toxic than NO3 (and NO2).

Walstad's book is very insightful I recommend it. Peter Bradley has a blog on the Practical Fishkeeping website using her techniques, adapted slightly.

 

[saboy]

I knew that plants kept nitrate down a bit

, but I plan to plant my future 6x2x2 full with lots of vallisneria , hoping it will keep nitrates down as much as possible