Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Baliban
I have been doing some extensive experimenting with this. Granted I am not a scientist and my testing supplies are hardly super accurate. With all this stated my findings are sound for me and enough for me to express what i have seen.
Currently I am running 2 tanks with less then 5ppm of N in the water(probly closer to 2ppm...judging by my calculated dosing). My P is less then .5pmm also.
I started this experimenting with the same question as unirda. Another question i always had about amano's stated levels was his co2. Using KH/PH his co2 was always so so low. So i set out to see what i could accomplish with these levels.
Tank specs:
75 gallon with 220watt PC lighting for 10 hours.
KH 3
GH 10ppm
the tank uses flourite so i was able to use a controller without KH interference.
I ran my co2 at about 8-10ppms
dosing left me at a consistent >5ppm of N and >.5ppm of P at the end of each week. I ran this setup for 6 weeks. All plants grew full and healthy.
I also found that i had crystal clear water.....and ZERO GSA. VERY SLOW GROWTH, but very healthy.
50 gallon with lower light 110 PC lighting for 10 hours
kh 3
gh 10ppm
aquasoil for substrate. I estimate my co2 to be around 10-12ppm
dosing is even less in this tank. I dose about .5ppm of P a week and 5ppm of N a week.
This tank is growing even better. N in the water column is almost unreadable.
So it is absolutely possible to grow beautiful plants in very limited conditions. IME, i prefer the slow growth. I am a scaper, not a farmer. The slower the better IMO.
Over the next 6 months i will continue to tweak the system to see the effects. Recently, I planted the 75 with root tabs in three sections. Interestingly, a huge amount of NPK leeched into the water column. The fish seemed fine, but the 30-50+ppm of N in the water stunted almost every single plant and killed about 25% (some rare stuff unfortunately....sorry max) in my finely growing tank. I know I know.....more co2. Honestly, i am not playing that game.
Inspired by kekon, amano, cp1007, and edwards co2 myth thread, I am attempting to grow plants slowly and healthy while providing a low co2 environment for my critters.
The only draw backs have been some very slight algae issue......until i added amano shrimp. That ended that very quickly. And also very slow growth.
Sorry that my post was less the scientific.......but this is what i am finding and i am more then confident in my eyes 
Let me know if you have any comments.
jB |
jB,
Look at the APD's older post, many of us, myself included maintained very low levels of NO3 for many years, throttling between 2-10ppm. It can be done and you may have some very nice results.
Measurements of accurate CO2 are another matter.
you need to measure the CO2 over the course of a day when the plants use the CO2.
One point in time is really not going to tell you much.
ADA's values are not possible via any known CO2 determination method that I or anyone else is aware of.
They are not likely to be averages either over a week, over a day or over a month etc.
One point in time does not show nor correlate with plant growth/health etc either. I can do a 50% water change and change that level in 10 minutes.
Plants will adapt to various routines given enough time.
Same with CO2, but the main thing is stability of the routine.
Many found trying the low NO3 cause them issues when the bottomed it out.
Adding another source to the sediment, somewhere you folks have not really considered measuring allows lower water column levels if that is your bag.
But I think many assume that these low levels in the water column are holding the algae back and that is just not true.
I think less light is one of the easiest methods and the key to maintaining and slowing growth. You may still have high light for a little while 2-4 hours etc, but not all day and slow growth dramatically.
Aquascaping, algae control and plant growth are different foci, many confuse these.
Likewise, non CO2 approaches have been looked down upon for many years.
Yet based on your and many folk's arguments, that is what you should be using.
Less light, no CO2 and hardly any work, but still nice growth.
Regards,
Tom Barr