plant fertilizer and dwarfs

[rsa1]

Hi, Beginner question. Like many people, I'm keeping apistos in planted tanks. Question - Any worries about plant fertilizer creating water quality problems? I'm trying to knock out a BGA problem in a tank. The recommended cure is a good dose of KNO3 with a 3 day blackout. Any problems with this? Thanks

[Randall]

Dear rsa1,

Pardon my ignorance, but please define BGA and KNO3.

Both sound to be plant fertilizers which, as such, would dramtically raise the conductivity of your water. Such is not condusive to most dwarf cichlid husbandry.

Thank you.

Randall Kohn

[farm41]

Randall,

BGA is Cyanobacteria aka Blue-Green algea, not really an algea, but a bacteria.

KNO3 is Potassium Nitrate

rsa1,

What are your current nitrate levels?

Cyanobacteria can be eliminated with 3 doses of erythromycin, 1/2 normal dose daily for 3 days, changing water 50% each day before a new dose is added. Another effective method is the 3-4 day blackout, blackout is defined as total blackout with tank covered, not just lights off. If the conditions aren't changed the cyanobacteria will come back. Usually increasing cirulation can prevent this condition from reocurring.

[Bissot_J]

use of erythromycin is at my sense , just smock in eyes.
the BGA will back with more power later.

you have to find the problem (yes , they come because of a problem) before any treatment.

it is my 2cents.

[rsa1]

Currently my nitrate level is undetectable (using a good test kit). I think this is the source of the BGA problem, the plants are starved and can not out compete the BGA. So, same question, do plant fertilizers adversely affect water quality?
More info pH approx 6.2 to 6.4, KH and GH approx 2.5 - 3 Thanks

[farm41]

I fertilize the heck out of my tanks and my apisto's are breeding in all of them. I dose potassium sulfate, chelated trace mix, iron, and monopotassium phosphate. I also run pressurized co2. Doesn't seem to bother them at all. It will raise the EC though.

IME the circulation needs to be increased if bga appears.

[Neil]

That is good to know, Matt. I usually am a little leary of putting fert into the tank with fish I want to spawn because I think it will disturb them in one way or another. I would rather have the algae than keep my fish from breeding.
Neil

[rsa1]

OK, thanks for the info. FYI - I dosed with KNO3 and blacked out the tank for 3 days. The BGA is gone (for now), the plants have perked up and the fish show no signs if distress. I'm gradually increasing the amount of fert I use in this tank. So far, so good ......

[Xanathos]

IMO, you should not use KNo3, specially if u have BGA in this tank.. Why? Because that No3 = nitates, and nitrates is a food for those BGAs, 1, and 2, nitrates is the reason u make water change. it is good to add nitrate in a tank where there is no fish, since plants needs a bit of it, but when you have fishes, I nvr add it.

Like it was said, I keep all my apistos in planted aquaria with co2 injection and all is going quite fine. Just ensure that ur fertilizer dont contain any nitrate nor phospates, since you want those things out of your tank, not in :)

Phil

[aspen]

dosing with nitrates of any kind, should only be done when the tank is nitrate deficient. this condition can easily be achieved when there is a light fish load, and the plants are growing great guns. imo, cyano bacteria is generally associated with higher nutrient levels, but phosphates are more likely to be the cause of any algae or bga outbreak.

if you hit a wall in plant growth in a tank with otherwise vigorous growth, there may be a need for adding nitrates. a high light, co2 injected tank with lots of available trace elements is a 'pressure cooker', in the nicest meaning of the term. but that is the type of tank for a 'planted tank nerd' to be maintaining, imo. but... you just cannot really appreciate how thrilling it is to see that plant growth can be measured daily, as when this situation has been achieved.

rick

[Xanathos]

Lol, I love your reply. I love my plants maybe a bit more than my fishes, I must confess :) So I guess i'm in that kind of planted tank nerd :)

I totally agree with you about adding nitrates, this is what I wanted to say, in fact :)

Phil

[aspen]

>>'So I guess i'm in that kind of planted tank nerd '

you too? you aren't alone.

he he, rick

[farm41]

I agree with the nitrate dosing too, that's about the only thing I don't dose.

[aspen]

matt, do you dose phosphates? i've heard of people who do, although i must admit, i've not had the courage to do that yet.

rick

[farm41]

yep, monopotassium phosphate twice a week, I try to keep the P levels at .5-1ppm. That equates to a couple grains per 20 gallon tank. My ludwiga repens really never developed it's deep red color until I started adding the phosphate, the red flame swords and the ozelot swords have gotten a lot redder too. A couple of bucks buys a lifetime supply, I get it from Lite Manufacturing (www.litemanu.com) they also sell the Potassium Sulfate and Potassium Nitrate. All of these are dry chemicals and very very cheap. The only thing I buy over the counter anymore is Flourish Iron, and I am thinking about dosing it dry too, but it is $19 a pound.

[Xanathos]

I use the hagen plant gro product to add Nitrate and phosphate to my planted tank. It's basicly nitate potassium + another form of phosphate.

I dont buy fertilizer anymore, I use a recipe a fellow aquarist much more interested in the technical aspect of aquariums than in fishes themselves gave me. It's cheap and very easy to make...

If you guys want the recipe , I can translate it and put in on this forum...

Phil

[farm41]

By all means, please do post it. We always need ways to spend less money on our tanks. So we can buy more tanks. 8)

[Xanathos]

I've posted it in the planted tank section...

Hope this helps :)

Philippe