Do plants remove much nitrates from the water?

[BD8]

Hi, just wandering, also which plants are best at removing nitrates?

 

[malkore]

Yes...plants will use nitrates as a nutrient source. Fast growing stem plants like hygrophilia will soak up more nitrate than slow growing java ferns, crypts, & anubias.

however, if you don't have a lot of light, and CO2 injection, and a LOT of these fast growers, they won't grow quickly, and thus won't use up nitrate as quickly.

the best way to eliminate excess nitrates is through water changes.

 

[TankGirl]

Ditto. Nitrate is the perfect plant fertilizer, and that is why spent tank water is like Miracle Gro for your houseplants, but I had to get about 4wpg with CO2 before my plants kept the nitrate down.

 

[BD8]

How do you inject CO2?

 

[Mr Burns]

How do you inject CO2?

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/ scroll down a bit. there are several ways.

 

[Mr Burns]

would a mod clear the abbreviation code, please? thanks

 

[fishfreek]

We can not 'clear' the code. But if the URL is placed in the URL bbcode brackets the abreviation feature does not break the URL.

 

[BD8]

How do you inject CO2?

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/ scroll down a bit. there are several ways.

Thanks, wow, what a wealth of info!

 

[TankGirl]

Ooh yeah, we gotcha now....