[Nazasaki]

I test my water using the api master test kit. (And yes I shook the crap out of it!) I'm currently dosing flourish comprhendive in my 20 gallon long low tech. Stocking is at about 70%. I'm feeding a pinch of flakes in the morning for my black neons and 2-3 sinking wafers for my cories. At night I drop one algae tab in for my otos and nerite snails. I heard that nitrates should be between 10~20 ppm. I have been continuously testing 0 for the past month. Even my previous 10 gallon tank (running for 6 months) always tested at 0. What am I doing wrong? Only one or two yellowish leaves on my anubias. Otherwise the tank is doing great.

Bump:

 

[latchdan]

Not enough fish waste. Add potassium nitrate. Flourish is mainly micros. My low tech shrimp tank also has no nitrates but only has moss and grows fine.

Many people sell macro dry ferts do a search on this site. Cant remember name starts with a n

Bump: Nilocg sells ferts

 

[Nazasaki]

I was hoping to not have to dose additional ferts as I like to keep this as low tech as possible. Will adding additional fish improve my nitrate levels? I always thought that keeping a lighter stock was the best for overall aquarium health. Then again you can get away with a bit more in regards to planted aquariums.

 

[latchdan]

You can over feed i suppose

 

[Nazasaki]

Overfeeding tends to get a bit messy. The bits tend to scatter (rambunctious Corydoras) and stick to my marimos making them look filthy.

 

[MCSLABS]

There is a balance which must be achieved in a low tech tank. The amount of fish, plants, food, air, filtration, etc

 

[Nazasaki]

There is a balance which must be achieved in a low tech tank. The amount of fish, plants, food, air, filtration, etc

My lighting is adequate, Ferts are adequate, all I can think of is to increase bio load by a fish or two. The tank is thriving despite maybe two leaves that are yellowing. I since added two more small anubias on the center piece of driftwood. I think maybe my plant to fish ratio is off?

Also worth mentioning, I'm running two HOBs. 2 Aqueon quiet flows.

 

[cininohio]

Looks beautiful to me!

 

[Maryland Guppy]

Tank looks awesome!!!

I try to keep 10ppm NO3 & 1ppm PO4 in all tanks high or low tech.
Since I dose PPS I know enough K is also present.
Hi-tech just uses it quicker.

I am not sure who thought that Flourish Comprehensive was the ultimate fert though.

 

[Nazasaki]

I was told by a few members just to use Flourish since it is a low tech setup, and so that's all I have ever used. I do add some root tabs once in a great while. I dose my flourish 3x a week per instructions.

 

[Jeff5614]

If the plants are healthy then why do you want to add nitrate? There is no need for NO3 to be between 10-20. Plants in a low tech, nonCO2 injected tank, are not going to use anywhere near enough nitrate to worry about. It looks like your tank is doing very well as things are. The plants are healthy and it looks to be pretty algae free. Why muck with it?

 

[MCSLABS]

Looks like a proper balance has been struck already. Looks wonderful