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Thread: High PO4 = Need high NO3?

  1. #1
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    High PO4 = Need high NO3?

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    as above. if i dose KHPO4 , do i need to dose KNO3 also? i realise after dose the po4, GSA doesn't come back, but instead the green thread algae / the dust of filamentous type took its place? btw. what fert scheme do i need for a heavily planted 2 ft tank which has co2, HC, glosso, moss, pelia, and madagoascar laveleaf and quite fast growing some stem plants need?

    PLEASE HELP....

  2. #2
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    you always need NO3 regardless of whether you're dosing po4.. however, these are macros and should be dosed anyway..so i don't understand what you mean if you dose po4, do you need to dose no3?? i mean.. aren't you already??

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    no. i dun dose NO3 cos i assume the ammonia naturally occuring in the tank like by waste.. = converted to NO3 = enough... so i dun dose KHNO3. but becos i have GSA , i dose PO4.... and i read somewhere that High PO4 = Need high NO3.. so i get this problem above?!

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    since your tank is heavily planted, has CO2 and assuming you have >3W/G light, then yes you need NO3. I don't hink your fish can provide enough N03 unless you go for low tech

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    oh... so if i dun dose NO3 i'll get algae? btw. the planted tank only has shrimps.....!!!

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    better start dosing NO3. You're lucky BGA hasn't arrived yet.

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    Quote Originally Posted by shermans View Post
    oh... so if i dun dose NO3 i'll get algae? btw. the planted tank only has shrimps.....!!!
    If you don't dose NO3, your plants might suffer from malnutrition and correspondingly algae grows in the plants' place.

    Low NO3 levels have also been found to trigger BGA growth.

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    Remember to dose along the entire spectrum, not just N or P, but also K and micros. Plants need all of them in non-limiting amounts to have good growth.

    BTW, I feel you should refrain from too much SMS lingo.
    Studying the water chemistry and nutrients is a science.
    Knowing what plants to get and how to use them is an art.
    Aquascaping is a marriage of art and science, the logical and emotional.

    -Calvin

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    Shermans..
    Go to the beginners forum and start reading those stickies...
    There is a lot to read..so take your time.. then ask away again if you're confused.

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    If I remember correctly the recommended ratio for N and P is 10:1. up to 16:1 for the Redfield ratio.
    You can if you dare to fail - Stan Chung

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    i see... no wonder..... always thought that nitrate was bad..... (i know.. if too much....) thanks to all bros for advice :-)

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    Quote Originally Posted by StanChung View Post
    If I remember correctly the recommended ratio for N and P is 10:1. up to 16:1 for the Redfield ratio.
    But the mistake most make with the RR: it's an atomic atoms ratio, not a mass ratio.

    Do you see the difference?

    P(30.97g/mol) weighs more than N(14.01 g/mol) right?

    Switching the right measure that we use, mass, now the RR is 10:1............

    So instead of 16:1 N:P
    We have a conversion of 16/2.21 = 7.2:1 N:P
    Switch to NO3:PO4, now we have about 10:1.

    7:1 is what I suggested several years ago based on plant dry weight anaylsis.
    FW algae have a N:P ratio of atoms of about 14:1, P less limiting in FW and even less limiting in sediments where plants have access to P there.

    Folks got some rather simple things so very wrong.
    Sadly, some Dutch seem to continue to do so.

    I pointed this out for sometime now..........but they do not change their info............

    Regards,
    Tom Barr

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    Uh huh, that's why you're the plantbrain and I'm the guy who pumps once per 20 liters.
    You can if you dare to fail - Stan Chung

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