Take that Nitrate ;-) (6 week test)

[nfored]

Okay so I am sick of nitrates, and don't really want to use an algae scrubber for personal reasons.

So I started out with 2 small plants Shown in the 2nd picture, this did nothing, so today I dug up 2 more large plants and tossed them in there shown in the 3rd picture. Not there are 3 of the large plants 1 of them has been there for 2 weeks; with no results.

I will do test once a week just before a water change, I will do this for 6 weeks and update each week. Current Nitrate is 40ppm Target is a consent 20ppm, my tap is 20ppm so this is the best I can hope for.

So vote now will it work? or will I just have a forest as a top for my tank.

Over view.



Smaller plants.



Larger plants.


Current root system.



Also if anyone can name these plants please tell me, I know the pothos but thats it.

 

[JK47]

I grow plants (pothos, mangroves etc...) in my tanks too but not for nitrate control, I just like the look of the root system in my tank. That looks cool, props man! subscribed and GL...

 

[aquaculture]

You wont see results until the plants replace their roots for ground use with those for use in water, So basically results will come when new root growth begins which requires some patience. After that they should lower the nitrates.

 

[swede]

I would add more plants myself, but I really like the idea of using plants to regulate nitrate levels. I always try to keep live plants in all my setups since they really help with the levels

 

[SteveR]

Okay so I am sick of nitrates, and don't really want to use an algae scrubber for personal reasons.

So I started out with 2 small plants Shown in the 2nd picture, this did nothing, so today I dug up 2 more large plants and tossed them in there shown in the 3rd picture. Not there are 3 of the large plants 1 of them has been there for 2 weeks; with no results.

I will do test once a week just before a water change, I will do this for 6 weeks and update each week. Current Nitrate is 40ppm Target is a consent 20ppm, my tap is 20ppm so this is the best I can hope for.

So vote now will it work? or will I just have a forest as a top for my tank.

Over view.
View attachment 497774


Smaller plants.
View attachment 497775


Larger plants.
View attachment 497776

Current root system.
View attachment 497777


Also if anyone can name these plants please tell me, I know the pothos but thats it.

My water here is 15-20 also. I very much doubt you will get your tank water to stay at the level of your tap water in terms of nitrate even if you construct a jungle in there. There has to be some waste in your tank, actually I'd be more worried if there wasn't. Also 40ppm is nothing, it's an old wifes tale to keep it at 20 or less, trust me on this. Many people keep fish at 40-60. It's a total old wifes tale...

Also you don't really look at heavily stocked; what's in there in terms of fish?

 

[nfored]

I have no worry about 40ppm I understand that this is acceptable, I have been running at 40 ppm for 2 years with no ill effect. However its still better to try then to not try, and if I fail at least I can say I tried.

Yesterday I checked Trates again 24 hours after the water change, and they are still sitting at 40. Last time I tried to drop trates I had to perform multiple 50% WC.

 

[Lissaspence]

It'll help, there are many people on here who swear by it. I'm just now trying it too but I'm not testing regularly as my fish were doing find before I threw the plants in there. I just love plants and figured it couldn't hurt. I don't think you'll get down to your goal though. If you have 20 out of the tap, there will always be a little waste in there and even if the plants get that out your just going to put some more back in with your water changes. I think a more realistic goal would probably be 30. How big are your fish? I know Ocars make a lot of waste which is something you'll need to take into consiteration as well.

 

[Lissaspence]

Oh I almost forgot about the plants. It looks like the smaller dark green one is a peace lilly and the larger ones look like yuccas (I hope thats spelled right). I don't have a clue what their scientic names are but they are very common so I'm sure you could find out easily if you look into it.

 

[epond83]

From what i understand about yuccas they don't like a lot of water. You can't really just throw any plant in a tank and have it grow. Also what kind of lighting do you have? If there isn't a lot of light the plants won't grow very fast and therefore not use up a lot of nitrates

 

[knifegill]

Try pothos vine and lucky bamboo. I understand these are good consumers of nitrate and don't require intense light to do so.