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I don't think I get what you're asking?!? Should you dose kn04 (nitrate)? If so, unless you left it out of the macro solution, you already are. Unless you are noticing difficiancies, these nitrate levels seem fairly ideal.
Nitrates: To dose or not to dose
This is not a problem solving exercise. I'm trying to dial in my ferts. I also just spent a couple of hours giving all 3 tanks the works. Water change, clean glass, filter cleaning, vac, ect... so these values are not entirely accurate.
All tanks get a 50% water change ( see notes for 5.5 gallon) and surface vacuum weekly. Once a month all filters are cleaned.
29 gallon is stocked as far as fish go. It isn't overstocked, but I wouldn't add more. For plants I'd call it moderately planted.
10 gallon is moderately stocked for fish and plants.
5.5 gallon has one fish and is lightly planted. This tank gets 3 water changes per week. It is new and I'm trying to dodge the whole diatom issue as much as possible. After 8 weeks, I'll cut this down to twice a week simply because it's a small tank and I like clean water.
All tanks have water sprite and frog bit.
From left to right: Seachem color charts are a PITA. Being spot on accurate is not a big deal.
5.5 gallon: 7-10 ppm
29 gallon: 15 ppm
10 gallon 7-10 ppm
Lower left: Tap water- 5-ish?
Dosing and schedule:
5.5 gallon: Half of the recommended dose of PPS, 3 times a week.
10 gallon: Full recommended amount of PPS 3 times a week
29 gallon: Full recommended amount of PPS 3 times a week.
Thoughts?
All tanks get a 50% water change ( see notes for 5.5 gallon) and surface vacuum weekly. Once a month all filters are cleaned.
29 gallon is stocked as far as fish go. It isn't overstocked, but I wouldn't add more. For plants I'd call it moderately planted.
10 gallon is moderately stocked for fish and plants.
5.5 gallon has one fish and is lightly planted. This tank gets 3 water changes per week. It is new and I'm trying to dodge the whole diatom issue as much as possible. After 8 weeks, I'll cut this down to twice a week simply because it's a small tank and I like clean water.
All tanks have water sprite and frog bit.
From left to right: Seachem color charts are a PITA. Being spot on accurate is not a big deal.
5.5 gallon: 7-10 ppm
29 gallon: 15 ppm
10 gallon 7-10 ppm
Lower left: Tap water- 5-ish?
Dosing and schedule:
5.5 gallon: Half of the recommended dose of PPS, 3 times a week.
10 gallon: Full recommended amount of PPS 3 times a week
29 gallon: Full recommended amount of PPS 3 times a week.
Thoughts?
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First, it was my understanding that with PPS you can skip the 50% weekly water changes.
As said above the PPS-Pro macro solution already has -NO3. But the levels you posted are fine and will soon need changing. PPS is all about fussing around with specific nutrients in an ever changing attempt to match the plant uptake. As I remember, PPS recommends above 10ppm NO3.
Now the actual trouble is ... testing NO3 is notoriously inaccurate. If possible make one or several reference solutions where you have added a precise quantity of NO3 to RODI water.
As said above the PPS-Pro macro solution already has -NO3. But the levels you posted are fine and will soon need changing. PPS is all about fussing around with specific nutrients in an ever changing attempt to match the plant uptake. As I remember, PPS recommends above 10ppm NO3.
Now the actual trouble is ... testing NO3 is notoriously inaccurate. If possible make one or several reference solutions where you have added a precise quantity of NO3 to RODI water.
I did add the KN04 to the PPS solution and my plants are fine, but I was wondering if I should be as my tap water already has nitrates in it.
Plants are not showing any type of deficiency, If anything, I'm going to have more java ferns than I know what to do with as most of them have plantlets on them in all three tanks.
I suppose this should have been the answer to my question as I'm gathering that if they were not happy, they wouldn't be doing that.
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975 Posts
Oh ok. I was wondering the same thing for my ei dosing because I too have a fairly decent amount of nitrate in my water. I've decided to dose normal and include nitrate in my dosing. It sounds like you should as well if the readings you have include dosing into the tap water. My Javas in my low tech are doing the same; lots of plantlets
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