Nitrate levels for healthy plants

[cheeky_monkey]

This may be a really simple question and I'm just not thinking straight so please just hang in there lol

If my nitrate levels are staying within good measure (never higher than 20), should I be leaving longer between PWC so I'm not starving my plants? I ask because my goldfish planted tank is experiencing 0 nitrates, so I'm having to supplement with seachem nitrogen for my plants - but another of my tropical planted tanks always runs at a constant 20 nitrates and obviously drops when I do a PWC.

Likely a long winded explanation, but should I leave a longer time between PWC's on the tropical tank or continue with 30% weekly?

 

[tiger terror]

How long has your tank been up & running?

 

[jondamon]

I keep my planted tropical tank between 5-10ppm.

Unless I leave it for a couple of weeks then I see nitrates near 20ppm.

I continue doing 50% PWC each week just to restore the buffers in the water and remove as much detritus as I can without uprooting my plants.

I dose with EASYLIFE PROFITO and EASYLIFE POTASSIUM.

The time I allowed my tank to go up to 20ppm nitrates I performed 50% PWC on 2 consecutive days to lower it to my normal 5-10ppm running amount and I actually started seeing some melt on some of my plants.

It may not have been related but I can't say for sure.

PWC's are to keep nitrates under control and to re-buffer the water and replenish the lost minerals.



Jon

 

[jondamon]

If your nitrates have fallen to zero this would normally indicate a problem with the cycle in your tank. UNLESS you have some serious nitrate absorbing plants.


Weekly PWC are recommended.




Jon

 

[fort384]

Nitrates in my planted tanks run 0 unless N is dosed.

So long as you are not bottoming out, I would continue to do weekly changes.

 

[BBradbury]

Question of Nitrates

This may be a really simple question and I'm just not thinking straight so please just hang in there lol

If my nitrate levels are staying within good measure (never higher than 20), should I be leaving longer between PWC so I'm not starving my plants? I ask because my goldfish planted tank is experiencing 0 nitrates, so I'm having to supplement with seachem nitrogen for my plants - but another of my tropical planted tanks always runs at a constant 20 nitrates and obviously drops when I do a PWC.

Likely a long winded explanation, but should I leave a longer time between PWC's on the tropical tank or continue with 30% weekly?

Hello cheek...

Interesting question. Before I started using Chinese Evergreens to keep the tank water pure, I seldom tested my tank water, because I changed half of it every week, so there was no time for nitrogens to build up in the water, before the next large change.

If your fish are doing their business as usual, your water should show traces of nitrates. You could check your testing kit or testing steps to make sure everything is current and done properly.

If the fish appear healthy, and you're following a sound tank management routine, then I wouldn't change a thing.

B

 

[fort384]

Planted tanks that are not supplemented with additional NO3 can very easily read 0 nitrates.

 

[aqua_chem]

Planted tanks that are not supplemented with additional NO3 can very easily read 0 nitrates.

Especially if you have fast growers and good light.

As far as nitrate level, below about 40 is where I like to keep it. 20 ppm is a decent level if you don't have any nitrate sensitive fish, such as rams.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

Thanks everyone but I think a few of you are focussing on the wrong tank. My fault.

The tank reading ZERO nitrates is under control, its well planted, fully established/cycled and I've begun dosing nitrogen.

The tank in question runs between 5-10 nitrates and I've never seen it go above 20.

I will continue my weekly PWC as I see the benefits aside from lowering nitrates. Are these levels sufficient or does this tank also require supplement nitrogen?