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#1
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nitrate limited pond?
My 2 yr old pond still presents a conundrum. 500 gallons, full sun, z5,
readings always within range, ammonia and nitrate always read zero, never any suspended algae, but SA, clear water, under my fish load, don't feed them, lots of plants of all types, 75% coverage, K, iron and magnesium (low in my area) added regularly, the K weekly along w/BZT. But... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. Is there any other N source I could try out on the pond (carefully)? I thought the growing goldfish population would change that this year, but it didn't. Any suggestions? |
#2
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nitrate limited pond?
Interesting question. I have the same problem except we have little sun so
attributed the problem to that. So all you experienced PORGs - what is the optimum Nitrate / Nitrite levels? My pond is 1800 gal Nitrate and Nitrite are 0 to just tinted on the color scale pH is 7.5 - 8 Ammonia 0 Fishload - 25 GF of which the biggest is 4 to 5" Partial water change every three weeks Water temp 65 to 70 Thanks, Heather SW Ontario (Zone 5) "Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... My 2 yr old pond still presents a conundrum. 500 gallons, full sun, z5, readings always within range, ammonia and nitrate always read zero, never any suspended algae, but SA, clear water, under my fish load, don't feed them, lots of plants of all types, 75% coverage, K, iron and magnesium (low in my area) added regularly, the K weekly along w/BZT. But... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. Is there any other N source I could try out on the pond (carefully)? I thought the growing goldfish population would change that this year, but it didn't. Any suggestions? |
#3
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nitrate limited pond?
Heather wrote:
Interesting question. I have the same problem except we have little sun so attributed the problem to that ... My pond is 1800 gal Nitrate and Nitrite are 0 to just tinted on the color scale pH is 7.5 - 8 Ammonia 0 Fishload - 25 GF of which the biggest is 4 to 5" Partial water change every three weeks Water temp 65 to 70 "Mike Miller" wrote ... My 2 yr old pond ... 500 gallons, full sun, z5, readings always within range, ammonia and nitrate always read zero, never any suspended algae, but SA, clear water, under my fish load, don't feed them, lots of plants of all types, 75% coverage, K, iron and magnesium (low in my area) added regularly, the K weekly along w/BZT ... Mike, what are your test results? Heather, have you measured KH and/or GH? After I checked my KH and found a really low amount, I've been adding baking soda over a two week period. After just a few cups of baking soda, all of the pond plants started growing and greening up. Mike, is the "K" potash? I was planning to add potash to our pond, but am holding off now until I can get the KH up to a better level. -- Zk (sig. compliments of BV) |
#4
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nitrate limited pond?
Total specs, in hopes that someone thinks it's a nitrate problem and has an
answer. BTW, the nitrate-limited thread I was referring to is at: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=la...aol.com&rnum=1 Anyway, 500 gallon pond, full sun, lots of plants mediocre circulation (for now, will be improved). nitrate = 0 ammonia = 0 pH = about 8.5 (tap water = 8.0) KH = 180 (tap = 180) GH = 250 (tap = 120) ....lots of rocks in pond, btw. K in message referred to Potassium, in my case K sulfate. Sigh. Any ideas? Mike, what are your test results? Heather, have you measured KH and/or GH? After I checked my KH and found a really low amount, I've been adding baking soda over a two week period. After just a few cups of baking soda, all of the pond plants started growing and greening up. Mike, is the "K" potash? I was planning to add potash to our pond, but am holding off now until I can get the KH up to a better level. -- Zk (sig. compliments of BV) |
#5
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nitrate limited pond?
Total specs, in hopes that someone thinks it's a nitrate problem and has an
answer. BTW, the nitrate-limited thread I was referring to is at: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=la...aol.com&rnum=1 Anyway, 500 gallon pond, full sun, lots of plants mediocre circulation (for now, will be improved). nitrate = 0 ammonia = 0 pH = about 8.5 (tap water = 8.0) KH = 180 (tap = 180) GH = 250 (tap = 120) ....lots of rocks in pond, btw. K in message referred to Potassium, in my case K sulfate. Sigh. Any ideas? Mike, what are your test results? Heather, have you measured KH and/or GH? After I checked my KH and found a really low amount, I've been adding baking soda over a two week period. After just a few cups of baking soda, all of the pond plants started growing and greening up. Mike, is the "K" potash? I was planning to add potash to our pond, but am holding off now until I can get the KH up to a better level. -- Zk (sig. compliments of BV) |
#6
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nitrate limited pond?
Mike where do you live? Stump removers use potassium nitrate. It's found at
places like home depot and lowes. "Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... My 2 yr old pond still presents a conundrum. 500 gallons, full sun, z5, readings always within range, ammonia and nitrate always read zero, never any suspended algae, but SA, clear water, under my fish load, don't feed them, lots of plants of all types, 75% coverage, K, iron and magnesium (low in my area) added regularly, the K weekly along w/BZT. But... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. Is there any other N source I could try out on the pond (carefully)? I thought the growing goldfish population would change that this year, but it didn't. Any suggestions? |
#7
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nitrate limited pond?
Mike where do you live? Stump removers use potassium nitrate. It's found at
places like home depot and lowes. "Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... My 2 yr old pond still presents a conundrum. 500 gallons, full sun, z5, readings always within range, ammonia and nitrate always read zero, never any suspended algae, but SA, clear water, under my fish load, don't feed them, lots of plants of all types, 75% coverage, K, iron and magnesium (low in my area) added regularly, the K weekly along w/BZT. But... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. Is there any other N source I could try out on the pond (carefully)? I thought the growing goldfish population would change that this year, but it didn't. Any suggestions? |
#8
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nitrate limited pond?
Sam Hopkins wrote:
.. adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. Potasium nitrate is available in gardend stores and can be found at home depot as water softener salt I have a feeling who ever you asked that told you it was illegal was confusing it with amonium nitrate ( which is a fertilizer used to make explosives ) -- John Rutz Z5 New Mexico Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
#9
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nitrate limited pond?
I live in Chicago, and remember looking last year for potassium nitrate
stump remover and could not find it - a pharmacy I asked said they could not sell this because of its potential misuse. So I assumed it was not available anywhere. I'll look again! "Sam Hopkins" wrote in message .. . Mike where do you live? Stump removers use potassium nitrate. It's found at places like home depot and lowes. "Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... My 2 yr old pond still presents a conundrum. 500 gallons, full sun, z5, readings always within range, ammonia and nitrate always read zero, never any suspended algae, but SA, clear water, under my fish load, don't feed them, lots of plants of all types, 75% coverage, K, iron and magnesium (low in my area) added regularly, the K weekly along w/BZT. But... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. Is there any other N source I could try out on the pond (carefully)? I thought the growing goldfish population would change that this year, but it didn't. Any suggestions? |
#10
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nitrate limited pond?
I live in Chicago, and remember looking last year for potassium nitrate
stump remover and could not find it - a pharmacy I asked said they could not sell this because of its potential misuse. So I assumed it was not available anywhere. I'll look again! "Sam Hopkins" wrote in message .. . Mike where do you live? Stump removers use potassium nitrate. It's found at places like home depot and lowes. "Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... My 2 yr old pond still presents a conundrum. 500 gallons, full sun, z5, readings always within range, ammonia and nitrate always read zero, never any suspended algae, but SA, clear water, under my fish load, don't feed them, lots of plants of all types, 75% coverage, K, iron and magnesium (low in my area) added regularly, the K weekly along w/BZT. But... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. Is there any other N source I could try out on the pond (carefully)? I thought the growing goldfish population would change that this year, but it didn't. Any suggestions? |
#11
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nitrate limited pond?
"Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. If the marginals are planted in clay, then they need the fertilizer tabs, since they cannot get the nutrients from the water readily. Take them out of the clay, and just plant them in pebbles, so that the pond water is readily available to them and they might do much better. I am having problems this year with my iris, and a couple of years ago, I couldn't grow pickerel, and for the last two years, parrots feather is weaker than it was. I attribute this to the plants consuming some micronutrient from the pond, until they won't grow anymore. This year the pickerel is doing fine. I think it might be like the farmer having to rotate crops. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html |
#12
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nitrate limited pond?
A pond full of rotting plants and things go gangbusters. The frog bog has almost filled itself in and this year's plants are growing like crazy. Even a lily in six inches of water, more or less, has glossy green pads and lots of flowers. All plants have filled in everywhere growing even out into the lawn. I have no idea how weeding the thing will go this fall... or we may have a wet meadow next year. k30a and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
#13
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nitrate limited pond?
"Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. If the marginals are planted in clay, then they need the fertilizer tabs, since they cannot get the nutrients from the water readily. Take them out of the clay, and just plant them in pebbles, so that the pond water is readily available to them and they might do much better. I am having problems this year with my iris, and a couple of years ago, I couldn't grow pickerel, and for the last two years, parrots feather is weaker than it was. I attribute this to the plants consuming some micronutrient from the pond, until they won't grow anymore. This year the pickerel is doing fine. I think it might be like the farmer having to rotate crops. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html |
#14
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nitrate limited pond?
A pond full of rotting plants and things go gangbusters. The frog bog has almost filled itself in and this year's plants are growing like crazy. Even a lily in six inches of water, more or less, has glossy green pads and lots of flowers. All plants have filled in everywhere growing even out into the lawn. I have no idea how weeding the thing will go this fall... or we may have a wet meadow next year. k30a and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
#15
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nitrate limited pond?
"Mike Miller" wrote in message news:M4s_a.136000$Ho3.16961@sccrnsc03... The marginals never grow well. The lilies I fertilize, and the WH seem fine, but the irises, arrowroot, blue pickerel, equisetum (dwarf horsetail), all in pots of clay + pebbles, never grow well. Leaves are puny, older leaves yellow. I remember a thread a year or so ago about nitrate-limited ponds and adding potassium nitrate, which can't be legally purchased in my area. If these plants were in the soil, I'd say they're missing nitrogen. If the marginals are planted in clay, then they need the fertilizer tabs, since they cannot get the nutrients from the water readily. Take them out of the clay, and just plant them in pebbles, so that the pond water is readily available to them and they might do much better. I am having problems this year with my iris, and a couple of years ago, I couldn't grow pickerel, and for the last two years, parrots feather is weaker than it was. I attribute this to the plants consuming some micronutrient from the pond, until they won't grow anymore. This year the pickerel is doing fine. I think it might be like the farmer having to rotate crops. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html |
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