I put 2 slices of zucchini every other day and they're completely eaten in 2 days. My question, does this contribute to nitrate since they're eaten before they're completely dissolved? Cherries seem to love them the most.
HUNTER
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Vegetable matter does not contain the animal protein's that fish food does so you can leave the vegetable matter in the tank for a day or longer without much harm.
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Nitrates with an (A) in planted tank's are much ado about nothing for they are major food source for plant's.
Lot's of folk's add nitrogen or nitrates to their tank 's daily as a macro nutrient often times exceeding what those running unplanted tank's would be comfortable with .
These same folk's also keep shrimp's and fishes .
As mentioned ,,the vegetable matter does not contain animal protein's which contribute to ammonia level's rising if in excess.
This would for me, be of more concern.
It is not so much the nitrate level's to fear, but the process by which they arrive ammonia,then nitrites which both have negative effect on fauna and finally nitrates.
Nitrates from inorganic mineral salt's like KNO3 are quickly assimilated by the plant's and cause no harm at perhap's higher level's than normal for they do not go through the nitrification process that fish food, poop does.
Does this make sense?
Food's with animal protein's that go uneaten must first produce ammonia that bacteria work on then nitrites,and finally nitrates.
In tanks where maint and condition's are maintained well..the ammonia can also quickly be assimilated by the plant's but it is when we don't figure for not just the bioload from fish, who produce ammonia as byproduct of respiration ,but we forget to account for excess food (many over feed) and waste produced (poop) that ammonia level's can rise long before nitrates appear at level's to be concerned about.
Does this make sense?
Lot's of folk's add nitrogen or nitrates to their tank 's daily as a macro nutrient often times exceeding what those running unplanted tank's would be comfortable with .
These same folk's also keep shrimp's and fishes .
As mentioned ,,the vegetable matter does not contain animal protein's which contribute to ammonia level's rising if in excess.
This would for me, be of more concern.
It is not so much the nitrate level's to fear, but the process by which they arrive ammonia,then nitrites which both have negative effect on fauna and finally nitrates.
Nitrates from inorganic mineral salt's like KNO3 are quickly assimilated by the plant's and cause no harm at perhap's higher level's than normal for they do not go through the nitrification process that fish food, poop does.
Does this make sense?
Food's with animal protein's that go uneaten must first produce ammonia that bacteria work on then nitrites,and finally nitrates.
In tanks where maint and condition's are maintained well..the ammonia can also quickly be assimilated by the plant's but it is when we don't figure for not just the bioload from fish, who produce ammonia as byproduct of respiration ,but we forget to account for excess food (many over feed) and waste produced (poop) that ammonia level's can rise long before nitrates appear at level's to be concerned about.
Does this make sense?
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5,572 Posts
I tend to feed bottom fishes and shrimp's at night a couple times a week.
Then I feed the fishes during the day a couple times a week.
50% water change on the weekend.
I do over feed a bit ,so I don't feed everyday.
Then I feed the fishes during the day a couple times a week.
50% water change on the weekend.
I do over feed a bit ,so I don't feed everyday.
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