[fishymatty]

My water always looks dirty and slightly cloudy. Dirty like there is crap floating around all the time. Heavily planted, co2 4.5 watt/gal.
And also I do water changes a few times a week so my nitrates are always low. Aren't nitrates good for a planted tank. How do I raise them with out hurting the fish?

 

[mistergreen]

yeah, you can add KNO3. keep it in the range of 10-20ppm will be fine.. No ill effects.

A filter helps with the cloudy water.

 

[Chrona]

Or you could just change the water less and get to the source of the dirty water. You'll probably still need to add macros with CO2 and 4.5 w/g though.

 

[fishymatty]

I have a filter, one made for a 75g on my 45. how do I add nitrates. Can you just buy kno3 some how. But what about the water.

 

[Color Me Blue]

You can buy KNO3 here: http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/ Are you dosing ferts?

Chrona is right though, you should find out "why" your water looks that way. Have you tested it? Is it looking that way straight from the tap?

Regular filter may not be enough. You can "polish" your water by using a diatom filter, like a Magnum 350 or the HOB or the Vortex models.

 

[Color Me Blue]

Also, if you haven't check it out, there is a great sticky here in the water parameters section. This will help with a dosing schedule and such.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html

 

[fishymatty]

I'm only dosing excel and iron.Plant tabs monthly. A lot of the plants are new and while getting established, dying and rotting leaves and a lot of fish waste I think.

 

[mrbelvedere]

You can't just "fertilize" a tank with fluorish. Plants need NPK to grow. You can't just put 200 watts over a 45, dump in some Fluorish, and expect things to do well. It's more involved than that.

 

[fishymatty]

Yes I'm beginning to see that. I thought co2, lots of light and a good substrate was all you needed. I like that dosing schedule that was interesting. But I thought phosphate was bad. I thought that creates algae. I actually have phosphate remover in my filter. All those things that were on that dosing schedule are harmless to fish?

 

[Chrona]

Yes I'm beginning to see that. I thought co2, lots of light and a good substrate was all you needed. I like that dosing schedule that was interesting. But I thought phosphate was bad. I thought that creates algae. I actually have phosphate remover in my filter. All those things that were on that dosing schedule are harmless to fish?

Phosphates don't cause algae. This is a common myth. In fact, some types of algae are due to a lack of phosphates. I would take the phosphate remover out, as your plants need it. Nitrates are obviously bad for the fish, but only in higher 30+ppm concentrations. Normally I see people running their tanks at 10ppm of nitrates or so, so that's not a worry. Clean up your tank, remove all dead/decaying stuff as it leeches more nutrients into the water and is probably what is causing your cloudiness. Also, feed the fish less for now.

 

[fishymatty]

very good. I will pick up KN03, KH2P04, K2S04 and Trace elements tomorrow. And remove that phosphate pad. Anything else?

 

[CarolF]

get test kits to check your water to see what is making it dirty. Don't add things blind.

 

[Rex Grigg]

Take a few minutes and read my Guide. It would have actually answered most of the questions you have been asking.

 

[fishymatty]

I have a full test kit plus phosphate and iron. What would the tests show that would give me any insight to what makes my water dirty?