having problems keeping nitrate up

[debaric]

Yesterday I added twice the amount of nitrate that is recommended by Flourish since I had previously had only had 5 PPM when addning the recommended dose. So I tested last night and had 10 PPM which was ok.

I decided to test again today to see if anything dropped off and to my dismay when i tested for nitrate it was completely yellow again, 1 day later. I didnt do a water change, is this normal? Can plants use up all the nitrate you add to the water?

My other two questions are do I need to triple the dose when I add nitrogen (M, W, F) and also, is it ok to add it on off days when this drops off?

*i will be using dry ferts as soon as they arrive, hopefully things will go better with those than with these flourish products

[jpappy789]

Plants will take in whatever they can get, even nitrogen from trace ammonia or nitrite. In a heavily planted tank, 0 nitrates is a possibility.

[phanmc]

Seachem's recommendations are for low light setups, if you have a higher maintenance tank you will need to up the dosage.

What you don't want to happen is for nitrates to reach zero in between dosages, so raise the levels or dose more frequently. For example, in my high light tank I dose everything daily.

[debaric]

Seachem's recommendations are for low light setups, if you have a higher maintenance tank you will need to up the dosage.

What you don't want to happen is for nitrates to reach zero in between dosages, so raise the levels or dose more frequently. For example, in my high light tank I dose everything daily.

Interesting, didnt know this. I guess I will just experiment and test, test, test.

Thanks

[coach_z]

*i will be using dry ferts as soon as they arrive, hopefully things will go better with those than with these flourish products

i am glad i re-read your post. iwas going to suggest and am going to go to dry ferts as well.....good luck

[debaric]

dry ferts are on the way from Rex Grigg

[debaric]

coach where are you getting your dry from?

[coach_z]

coach where are you getting your dry from?

will be ordering from http://aquariumfertilizer.com/

[7itanium]

its never a bad thing to see a 0 nitrate level once a tank is cycled.... the only time its bad is if the ammonia, and nitrite are high indicating a mini-cycle

just dose ferts accordingly

[debaric]

its never a bad thing to see a 0 nitrate level once a tank is cycled.... the only time its bad is if the ammonia, and nitrite are high indicating a mini-cycle

just dose ferts accordingly

blue green algae is my main concern