Nitrate Problem

Hey, gang

Re: my new 75g Boesemani tank:

I still have hair algae AND diatoms I'm positive the hair algae is do to a lack of NO3 -- I'll deal with the brown guck once I get the hairy stuff under control. One thing at a time

I have 5.0-7.0 nitrates out of the tap. It's gone in one day. I've been dosing with potassium nitrate from Greg Watson and it's mixed as per Chuck's calculator.

The problem is that I've been dosing about 5ppm nitrates a day and it's GONE in a few hours. Obviously my plants need it, but I'm afraid to overdose and shock or kill my fishes.

How much can I sock in there at once and/or should I spread it out over a day?

Advice on getting the nitrate level up to at least 5ppm and steady?

Roan

CO2: ~30
PO4: 1-2
WPG: 3.5, however I turned off one bank of lights so it's currently at 1.75wpg
Many high light intensive plants
Dosing Excel every day to help with algae
Flourish 2xweek
KNO3 45ml for 5.32ppm nitrates, gone in one day

Happy now?

The algae started when I first set my tank up with the 3.5wpg and no CO2. The tanks were late getting here. By the time I had them set up, the algae had set in.

The hair algae has died down a LOT, but the plants obviously need nitrates.

I want to know how much KNO3 I can dose safely in one day.

Roan

Thanks, John.

I think I'll try for 8ppm mixed with a gallon and set up a drip into my filter outflow. My tap used to be 10ppm and it didn't bother my fish when I went from 0 to 10ppm during a waterchange.

Do you or anyone else know of plants that might be nitrate hogs? Vals?

Roan