I did not realize it was this high. I was busy doing some substrate maintanance on one of my tanks. This tank is a medium light (2.5 wpg) CO2 injected tank substituted with Seachem's Flourish weekly with a 50% waterchange. Tank size is 29 gallons. The tank has 2 vallisneria plants, an amazon sword, lots of anacharis (20-30 stalks) and a bannana plant. A while ago I posted a photo of the tank. The plants were removed for 12 hours and the ammonia test went from 0.0 to slightly over 1.0 in that timeframe. That sort of ammonia consumption is incredible (About 2.2 ppm per 24 hours). It just shows you how lacking biofiltration is in a planted tank. The plants have been re-added and I did a big waterchange to bring ammonia back to safe levels. I am sure ammonia will test 0 by tonight. Just sharing this interesting tidbit of information.
Ammonia Consumption of Plants
- Thread starter rrkss
- Start date
Wow! It is interesting.
There is a school of thought that if you plan to have plants and fish that you don't need to cycle your tank first. Check out this article:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_newtank.htm
There is a school of thought that if you plan to have plants and fish that you don't need to cycle your tank first. Check out this article:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_newtank.htm
that planted cycle method sounds like it takes just as long as a fishless or even fishy cycle. why does it matter what method you use?
Well the water has cleared up. I detected a possible ammonia spike since the water started to turn milky. Ammonia is now below the amount in my tapwater (0.5 ppm) and falling with the plants back in. I always thought a strong biofilter would take care of most of the ammonia and the plants would extract their nitrogen requirements from the nitrates in the water. It seems like things are the other way. The plants consume as much as they can and the biofilter gets the scraps.
RTR based on this experience wouldn't a malachite green + formalin treatment for ich be a better choice in a heavily planted tank than removing the plants and doing the salt method? I've always reccomended the salt method but now with this ammonia test results, I am re-thinking this should I ever need to salt a planted tank again.
I think this is a very helpful thread, and I also found the recommended article excellent!!!! So far I've had success with plants, love having them in my tank, and hope to continue. I don't think one can ever learn enough. Especially when we are making ourselves responsible for living creatures!!!! :clap: :thm:
????? Removing the plants and doing the salt treatment? Why? Short-term salt & heat treatment for Ich does not damage plants. Who told you to remove the plants? Why? There is a huge difference in short-term use of salt for treatment and chronic use of salt in FW tanks.
My QT are also plant growout tanks. If new fish show Ich, I add salt and boost the heat. I've never had a problem from this with the plants.
My QT are also plant growout tanks. If new fish show Ich, I add salt and boost the heat. I've never had a problem from this with the plants.
IMHO & IME, there is no "standard dosage" and there certainly isn't any standard timing. I rarely go beyond 1 or 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per gallon, and and do not start "timing' until the last visible spots have disappeared. I do allow 10 days past the last visble symptoms to be sure the gills are cleared.