zero nitrates question

[HDH]

Hi All,
Recently I posted a question and got some replies about cloudy water in my
moderately planted tank. Here was the pic:
http://www.straightlinetech.com/tank30-mar-03.jpg

I'd like to ask now specifically about my nitrates being zero, whether it
has anything do to with the cloudy water, and whether I should take any
action. I read a couple of pages that mentioned adding potassium nitrate,
but since my tank is doing very well aside from the cloudiness, I am
reluctant to add more "stuff" unless I'm really sure it will work.

Tank/Aquarist specs:
My Aquarium Experience: 6 months
55 gallon, established 3 months, fishless-cycled
Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates: all zero
Ph: 7.6
Temp: 77
Water changes: 25% every 10 days
Filtrations: Emperor 400, no carbon, just floss in the media containers.
Stock:
6 Rosy Barbs
4 Gouramis (2 blue/2 gold, ~3")
3 clown loaches (~2")
3 bosemanie rainbows
2 bristlenose catfish
4 Otos
4 SAEs

Any input much appreciated.

Howard

[Sherry Michael Weller]

I don't usually run carbon, but have you thought about trying it for a
few days? I've used that technique to remove fish medications from the
water when it's left it dicolored.

> Filtrations: Emperor 400, no carbon, just floss in the media containers.

[Rex Grigg]

On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 02:45:43 GMT, "HDH" > wrote:


How much light do you have on the tank? If you have 2 watts per
gallon or more then you really need to look into feeding the plants so
they can grow faster than the algae does. You will more than likely
need to add phosphates, nitrates, potassium, iron, traces and some
source of CO2. Saying the tank is doing well aside from the
cloudiness is like saying grandma is doing fine except for the fact
she quit breathing a month ago.


>Hi All,
>Recently I posted a question and got some replies about cloudy water in my
>moderately planted tank. Here was the pic:
>http://www.straightlinetech.com/tank30-mar-03.jpg
>
>I'd like to ask now specifically about my nitrates being zero, whether it
>has anything do to with the cloudy water, and whether I should take any
>action. I read a couple of pages that mentioned adding potassium nitrate,
>but since my tank is doing very well aside from the cloudiness, I am
>reluctant to add more "stuff" unless I'm really sure it will work.
>
>Tank/Aquarist specs:
>My Aquarium Experience: 6 months
>55 gallon, established 3 months, fishless-cycled
>Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates: all zero
>Ph: 7.6
>Temp: 77
>Water changes: 25% every 10 days
>Filtrations: Emperor 400, no carbon, just floss in the media containers.
>Stock:
> 6 Rosy Barbs
> 4 Gouramis (2 blue/2 gold, ~3")
> 3 clown loaches (~2")
> 3 bosemanie rainbows
> 2 bristlenose catfish
> 4 Otos
> 4 SAEs
>
>Any input much appreciated.
>
>Howard
>


Semper Fi!

Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1

Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
(Just a happy customer of the above!)

[dmel]

I have a twin-tube fixture, 80w total. I also have a 2x55w compact
flourescent but the algae on the glass was too much to handle, and I want to
avoid CO2 for now. I have the 80w on 12 hrs/day.

From your reply its clear you think the cloudiness is due to algae. I
posted my story on rec.aquara.freshwater.misc as well and two replies are
sure that it is a bacteria bloom and not algae.

Interesting how opinions differ, and since I have no idea how to evaluate
who is right (yet), I guess I need to keep researching.

>Saying the tank is doing well aside from the
> cloudiness is like saying grandma is doing fine except for the fact
> she quit breathing a month ago
I don't consider it a life or death situation for the tank since the fish
and plants have been doing fine.

-hh

"Rex Grigg" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 02:45:43 GMT, "HDH" > wrote:
>
>
> How much light do you have on the tank? If you have 2 watts per
> gallon or more then you really need to look into feeding the plants so
> they can grow faster than the algae does. You will more than likely
> need to add phosphates, nitrates, potassium, iron, traces and some
> source of CO2. Saying the tank is doing well aside from the
> cloudiness is like saying grandma is doing fine except for the fact
> she quit breathing a month ago.
>
>
> >Hi All,
> >Recently I posted a question and got some replies about cloudy water in
my
> >moderately planted tank. Here was the pic:
> >http://www.straightlinetech.com/tank30-mar-03.jpg
> >
> >I'd like to ask now specifically about my nitrates being zero, whether it
> >has anything do to with the cloudy water, and whether I should take any
> >action. I read a couple of pages that mentioned adding potassium
nitrate,
> >but since my tank is doing very well aside from the cloudiness, I am
> >reluctant to add more "stuff" unless I'm really sure it will work.
> >
> >Tank/Aquarist specs:
> >My Aquarium Experience: 6 months
> >55 gallon, established 3 months, fishless-cycled
> >Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates: all zero
> >Ph: 7.6
> >Temp: 77
> >Water changes: 25% every 10 days
> >Filtrations: Emperor 400, no carbon, just floss in the media containers.
> >Stock:
> > 6 Rosy Barbs
> > 4 Gouramis (2 blue/2 gold, ~3")
> > 3 clown loaches (~2")
> > 3 bosemanie rainbows
> > 2 bristlenose catfish
> > 4 Otos
> > 4 SAEs
> >
> >Any input much appreciated.
> >
> >Howard
> >
>
>
> Semper Fi!
>
> Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
> http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1
>
> Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
> (Just a happy customer of the above!)

[dmel]

I said,
>>I also have a 2x55w compact flourescent
Sorry, I was not clear on this point. I *own* a 2x55w CF fixture but I am
not currently using it because of the reasons outlined in my post.
-hh

"dmel" > wrote in message
t...
> I have a twin-tube fixture, 80w total. I also have a 2x55w compact
> flourescent but the algae on the glass was too much to handle, and I want
to
> avoid CO2 for now. I have the 80w on 12 hrs/day.
>
> From your reply its clear you think the cloudiness is due to algae. I
> posted my story on rec.aquara.freshwater.misc as well and two replies are
> sure that it is a bacteria bloom and not algae.
>
> Interesting how opinions differ, and since I have no idea how to evaluate
> who is right (yet), I guess I need to keep researching.
>
> >Saying the tank is doing well aside from the
> > cloudiness is like saying grandma is doing fine except for the fact
> > she quit breathing a month ago
> I don't consider it a life or death situation for the tank since the fish
> and plants have been doing fine.
>
> -hh
>
> "Rex Grigg" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 02:45:43 GMT, "HDH" > wrote:
> >
> >
> > How much light do you have on the tank? If you have 2 watts per
> > gallon or more then you really need to look into feeding the plants so
> > they can grow faster than the algae does. You will more than likely
> > need to add phosphates, nitrates, potassium, iron, traces and some
> > source of CO2. Saying the tank is doing well aside from the
> > cloudiness is like saying grandma is doing fine except for the fact
> > she quit breathing a month ago.
> >
> >
> > >Hi All,
> > >Recently I posted a question and got some replies about cloudy water in
> my
> > >moderately planted tank. Here was the pic:
> > >http://www.straightlinetech.com/tank30-mar-03.jpg
> > >
> > >I'd like to ask now specifically about my nitrates being zero, whether
it
> > >has anything do to with the cloudy water, and whether I should take any
> > >action. I read a couple of pages that mentioned adding potassium
> nitrate,
> > >but since my tank is doing very well aside from the cloudiness, I am
> > >reluctant to add more "stuff" unless I'm really sure it will work.
> > >
> > >Tank/Aquarist specs:
> > >My Aquarium Experience: 6 months
> > >55 gallon, established 3 months, fishless-cycled
> > >Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates: all zero
> > >Ph: 7.6
> > >Temp: 77
> > >Water changes: 25% every 10 days
> > >Filtrations: Emperor 400, no carbon, just floss in the media
containers.
> > >Stock:
> > > 6 Rosy Barbs
> > > 4 Gouramis (2 blue/2 gold, ~3")
> > > 3 clown loaches (~2")
> > > 3 bosemanie rainbows
> > > 2 bristlenose catfish
> > > 4 Otos
> > > 4 SAEs
> > >
> > >Any input much appreciated.
> > >
> > >Howard
> > >
> >
> >
> > Semper Fi!
> >
> > Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
> > http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1
> >
> > Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
> > (Just a happy customer of the above!)
>
>