Fishman007
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you read your post correctly you didnt say exactly that. You just said algea. And infact cyanobacteria isnt algea. So be clearer when you post, it will do us all good
I just measured the levels and would like some opinions on the levels.
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If you read your post correctly you didnt say exactly that. You just said algea. And infact cyanobacteria isnt algea. So be clearer when you post, it will do us all good
BigRedsReefs10
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I keep my nitrates as close to 0 as possible and have no algae probs at all. I also love plecos and have 5 in my 125 but I don't think they have much to do with it because they rarely leave there nice dark driftwood hiding places
If you read your post correctly you didnt say exactly that. You just said algea. And infact cyanobacteria isnt algea. So be clearer when you post, it will do us all good
Thanks, so with the extra information my statement is correct then? If not, why not?
Fishman007
Aquarium Advice Addict
Are you saying that low nitrates is bad? Would you like them high?
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
For a planted tank low nitrates is absolutely a bad thing and will cause a ton of algae growth.
BigRedsReefs10
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Really because I have a 30 planted and a 125 planted where my trates avg 5 ppm or less and I have no algae probs and haven't in years. I don't even own am algae scraper that I use on fw.
No I'm asking if you can prove or have experience that '<10ppm nitrate could encourage blue-green algae / Cyanobacteria.' is incorrect.
That's interesting, Can I ask if your tank is low or high tech planted? Mine is low tech lights so I would be encouraged if you don't have any issues and its also low tech? The reason I ask is I have the occasional beard algae - if there is a natural way to control it in the water specs (excluding lights, etc for the moment as we're just talking on nitrates) I'd be keen to know.
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
In a low light planted tank sure, low trates is fine. However in anything higher than low light algae issues arise. Nitrate is a macro nutrient for plant growth and without proper nutrition algae takes over.
BigRedsReefs10
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My 30 is a low light mainly amazon plants system. But the 125 I have 2 t5ho 4 bulb units 24". That system has 6 plecos and a red tail and rainbow shark in it ( these 2 do spend the entire day cleaning the plants ontheir respective sides of the tank) and I only have the lights on for 8 hrs exactly a day. But no algae probs and it's been up 2 yrs at the end of jan
BigRedsReefs10
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I also use ro/di water for all wcs and to start tank
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sounds like you have a nicely balanced system then. I have a high tech high light 10g planted tank and if I don't dose for nitrates every other day my tank turns into an algae farm.
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Do you remineralize your water? I would imagine you have a Heck of a time with ph swings with straight ro water.
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi delapool. I doubt you will get this because I don't think anyone actually knows for sure. Unless there has been scientific experiment that subjects certain fish to certain levels of nitrates on every species that concludes this or the fish start to talk in an effort to tell us the nitrates are too high then people are just guessing. How do we actually know that GBR are more sensitive to nitrates than the next fish? The only thing I can think if is that poor breeding of GBR makes the susceptible to nearly everything.
If nitrates were so bad, why would nature have intended them to be at the end of the nitrogen cycle? I also think fish are more tolerant and adaptable than we think.
That being said, I try to keep my nitrates around 20ppm max as a precautionary measure. What I would be more worried about opportunistic bacteria or parasites taking hold of fish that are stressed out by high nitrates. But what is high nitrates?
Does anybody really know or are they just reading posts that have been written and re-written throughout the years?
If you do have high nitrates though. You more than Likely overfeeding, overstocked, have incorrect fish species for size of tank or not cleaning enough.
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Nitrates aren't actually the end of the nitrogen cycle. There are tons of bacterial species out there that will consume nitrates for the oxygen releasing nitrogen gas to let the cycle repeat itself.
Regardless of poor breeding gbrs are more sensitive to nitrates than moat fish. They just aren't as hardy as some species. The same goes with discus. It all comes on from information after decades of aquarists before us.
Regardless of poor breeding gbrs are more sensitive to nitrates than moat fish. They just aren't as hardy as some species. The same goes with discus. It all comes on from information after decades of aquarists before us.
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
With respect mebbid, i can't just accept that GBR's just aren't as hardy as some species. I need scientific facts that explain to me why.
And again you say the nitrates are not the end of the cycle, I can accept this but 'there are tons of bacteria that carry on the cycle' again goes to show that there is nothing conclusive. What are these other bacteria? How do they complete the cycle?
This is the point I am trying to make. I would like a team of scientists to study what goes on in our aquariums and then a certificate being given that verifies their studies.
When I hear people saying that at this PH biological activity slows Down and at this ph biological activity stops altogether I'm like what? Seriously you know this or have you just read it? If you have read it then say 'I have read that.....
I'm not having a go at you here mebbid, there just seems to be a lot of regurgitated statements on here and I find myself asking where did they come from? Where is the proof of what you are saying is correct?
I even stopped doing it myself as I don't know of I'm talking rubbish or not. Lol
Ah the scientific process - got to love it for theory testing to destruction
Really I don't think it is that bad. The truth is out there I'm happy if someone says it works in their tanks. Getting it to work in mine is another matter..
Really I don't think it is that bad. The truth is out there
I'm happy if someone says it works in their tanks. Getting it to work in mine is another matter..
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
The consumption of nitrates by anaerobic bacteria is the entire basis of filtration in saltwater tanks. The bacteria that lives in these areas consume the nitrate which is composed of nitrogen and oxygen, use the affixed oxygen, and then release the nitrogen as gas which then exits the tank. Both live rock and deep sand beds facilitate the growth of this bacteria. It's heavily researched and used, a quick google search will bring up a huge amount of information on the subject.
German blue rams being sensitive fish is also common knowledge. How much more difficulty do aquarists have at keeping GBRs alive compared to something like a goldfish or any of the other common beginner fish? I myself gave up trying to keep rams since they kept constantly dying in my tanks for no reason despite all other fish thriving as well as getting them from different sources. As a whole they are not a hardy species.
The effects of ph on the nitrification cycle is also well documented. I've read about it in scientific papers personally. It's also something you can easily test on your own. I agree that a lot of stuff is regurgitated information but there is also a lot of supporting evidence and research concerning them.
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
If evidence, links, page references can be provided I have no problem with what information is provided on subjects here. I just think that sometimes, things are repeated so often by people who dont actually know if what they are saying is correct or why what they are saying is true it starts to annoy me and I start to question them. I am forever trying to find these references to support the information people have given me on here and I think it would be much more beneficial for newbies if supporting references were provided.
If it is common knowledge that rams are more sensitive (which im not arguing about) then are we wrong to question why this might be? This could then help us advise newbies to steer clear of rams as a beginner and provide reasons for our claims. I could have swore I read it was due to poor breeding in singapore when the popularity of the fish began to increase and demands had to be met. Should have looked in to it more.
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Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
The demand for more beautiful aquarium fish drives heavy inbreeding. Through the inbreeding the fish are less hardy. That's exactly the reason why rams are less healthy. It's also the reason why the fanciest strains of fish aren't as resilient as their more common counterparts. This is true even with guppies and bettas. If you wanted to talk to someone specifically about this then you should shoot a pm to Andy sager. He's been in the industry forever and has a lot of insight on the topic.
