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#1
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"Building" water
I have a 55 gallon plant tank. I am just curious about what others use for
water. By that I mean..... The water in my community is very high in Phosphate. NOT a good thing. But, I have an RO DI system (I also have a reef, which is why I have it). While it makes wonderfully pure water, it takes out the good stuff plants need. So....... Anyone else using RO DI water and if so, what additives are you using to rebuild it back up to a reasonable chemistry? Just curious. Doug |
#2
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In article ,
says... I have a 55 gallon plant tank. I am just curious about what others use for water. By that I mean..... The water in my community is very high in Phosphate. NOT a good thing. But, I have an RO DI system (I also have a reef, which is why I have it). While it makes wonderfully pure water, it takes out the good stuff plants need. So....... There is a formula, corrected from an earlier post, using baking soda, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, and epsom salt ... at the krib. See the article penned by Roger Miller he http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/dosing.html In that same thread there are several other good articles that discuss how to measure these household chemicals, what concentrations to expect when using these amounts, etc. Additional components are needed for growing plants. I think that PMDD would supply them all. |
#3
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High PO4 is good for planted tanks.
SeaChem, Kent virtually every brand now sells PO4 additives for planted tanks. Tap is fine. See www.BarrReport.com and articles- Estimative index Using RO will only make more work for yourself. Why take something out and then add it back? Marine reef tanks have no plant biomass to speak of, so you attempt to limit micro algae. But if you use a large macro algae, seagrass biomass refugium, you have excellent results. Making the water change easy as possible will help. Regards, Tom Barr |
#4
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Excellent reference. Thanks.
Doug "George Pontis" wrote in message t... In article , says... I have a 55 gallon plant tank. I am just curious about what others use for water. By that I mean..... The water in my community is very high in Phosphate. NOT a good thing. But, I have an RO DI system (I also have a reef, which is why I have it). While it makes wonderfully pure water, it takes out the good stuff plants need. So....... There is a formula, corrected from an earlier post, using baking soda, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, and epsom salt ... at the krib. See the article penned by Roger Miller he http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/dosing.html In that same thread there are several other good articles that discuss how to measure these household chemicals, what concentrations to expect when using these amounts, etc. Additional components are needed for growing plants. I think that PMDD would supply them all. |
#5
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I was under the impression that, while plants need phospahte, high phosphate
levels favor algae growth. Is that not true? Doug wrote in message oups.com... High PO4 is good for planted tanks. SeaChem, Kent virtually every brand now sells PO4 additives for planted tanks. Tap is fine. See www.BarrReport.com and articles- Estimative index Using RO will only make more work for yourself. Why take something out and then add it back? Marine reef tanks have no plant biomass to speak of, so you attempt to limit micro algae. But if you use a large macro algae, seagrass biomass refugium, you have excellent results. Making the water change easy as possible will help. Regards, Tom Barr |
#6
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wrote in message
oups.com... High PO4 is good for planted tanks. SeaChem, Kent virtually every brand now sells PO4 additives for planted tanks. Tap is fine. See www.BarrReport.com and articles- Estimative index Using RO will only make more work for yourself. Why take something out and then add it back? Marine reef tanks have no plant biomass to speak of, so you attempt to limit micro algae. But if you use a large macro algae, seagrass biomass refugium, you have excellent results. Making the water change easy as possible will help. Regards, Tom Barr Doug and Lois wrote: I was under the impression that, while plants need phospahte, high phosphate levels favor algae growth. Is that not true? Doug I've been told it's not the *level* of phosphate that leads to algae, but the balance of nutrients. If all nutrients are balanced, the higher plants can outcompete the algae. If one of the nutrients is off, higher plant growth is stunted, and the algae can take off with the remaining portion of the others. (Algae having much lower limiting nutrient levels.) One place that talks about the N/P balance: http://www.xs4all.nl/~buddendo/aquar...dfield_eng.htm |
#7
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"Rocco Moretti" wrote in message ... wrote in message oups.com... High PO4 is good for planted tanks. SeaChem, Kent virtually every brand now sells PO4 additives for planted tanks. Tap is fine. See www.BarrReport.com and articles- Estimative index Using RO will only make more work for yourself. Why take something out and then add it back? Marine reef tanks have no plant biomass to speak of, so you attempt to limit micro algae. But if you use a large macro algae, seagrass biomass refugium, you have excellent results. Making the water change easy as possible will help. Regards, Tom Barr Doug and Lois wrote: I was under the impression that, while plants need phospahte, high phosphate levels favor algae growth. Is that not true? Doug I've been told it's not the *level* of phosphate that leads to algae, but the balance of nutrients. If all nutrients are balanced, the higher plants can outcompete the algae. If one of the nutrients is off, higher plant growth is stunted, and the algae can take off with the remaining portion of the others. (Algae having much lower limiting nutrient levels.) One place that talks about the N/P balance: http://www.xs4all.nl/~buddendo/aquar...dfield_eng.htm I recently put in a phosphate sponge to bring the level down to below the current ~0.25ppm, believing that any detectable trace of phosphates was too high. With a nitrate reading of 15ppm I should be adding phoshphate. I am very reluctant to add phosphate but I would dearly like this to work. Has anyone here got rid of algae by adding phosphate according to the Redfield ratio? Thanks - Jon |
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