Nitrate killers
- Thread starter Trippy
- Start date
Java Ferns, and as for nitra really depends on a whole score of things. What fish , how many, tank size, water change schedule, feeding schedule, etc...etc...
Might want to check into refrigiums if a biological filtration system is your goal.
Might want to check into refrigiums if a biological filtration system is your goal.
Trippy;3112827; said:someone told me frogbit plant ...but will it survive in low light ?
It will with low light but it will grow real slow and not suck up much of anything . It will only block light from reaching tank bottom.
In good light it grows non stop and sucks up phosphate-nitrates,etc and clears water like a filter but in shaded partial light it wont do that as again grows super slow.
The American frogbit is ionly type that grows in low light the Amazon type wont. It also requires about 3 inches for leaf to be out of water. I have given lots away to folks in MFK and in well lit tanks its awesome but not in low light.
Typically plants will only uptake as much Nitrate as they have energy (light) and additional photosynthetic intermediates for. Otherwise the plant will just grow more slowly, and in turn use fewer nitrates. If the plant dies it will immediately start breaking down into Nitrates, Hydrocarbons, and other fish unfriendly chemicals, as well as invite fungus, bacteria, and parasites.
If your aim is only to reduce nitrates, do water changes.
If your aim is only to reduce nitrates, do water changes.
I think water changes are kind of wastefull and most people will say only water changes will take away nitrates(which is kind of dumb cuase changing the water will take everything away) but plants and a full nitrogen cycle is the easiest way to maintain nitrate levels.
Low light= less growth which= less absorbtion like Velanarris said, so if you aim to take down nitrates it is in your best interest to get something like likes light. A very popular plant that grows very quickly would be anacharis(E. Densa) which is very cheap, I usually order about 200(from Ebay, cheapest source, I think, maybe goes $20 but you can get 400 strands for 40) and it usually soaks all the nitrates out of my turtles' 72 gallon, and they usually will eat some of it.
Low light= less growth which= less absorbtion like Velanarris said, so if you aim to take down nitrates it is in your best interest to get something like likes light. A very popular plant that grows very quickly would be anacharis(E. Densa) which is very cheap, I usually order about 200(from Ebay, cheapest source, I think, maybe goes $20 but you can get 400 strands for 40) and it usually soaks all the nitrates out of my turtles' 72 gallon, and they usually will eat some of it.
To say that water changes are wasteful is incorrect as water changes is the only way to get rid of certain pollutants that accumulate in the water as no biological source on such a small level take care of it. Water changes also replenish elements that have been lost by being used up by the life in the tank.
Plants are definitely a help as I have a well planted tank and nitrates are usually ~10ppm or less, but plants while useful in aiding water chemistry are not a fixall.
Plants are definitely a help as I have a well planted tank and nitrates are usually ~10ppm or less, but plants while useful in aiding water chemistry are not a fixall.
Well if you have to change 72 gallons of water a week just becuase of nitrates, isn't that kind of a waste?