View Full Version : Nitrate and phosphate through the roof
maverick2402
03-05-2006, 3:37 PM
I just did a 50 % water change this morning on my 20gal. and started dosing with Greg Watson's ferts.I tested the water just for the heck of it a few hours after dosing and the nitrates and phosphate are through the roof at about 80ppm and my phoshphate level is at 5.0 .I know I have to adjust dosing the new ferts and was wondering if I should change somemore of the water to get the nitrates down or let the plants take it out.I just started dosing the KNO3,K2SO4,and KH2PO4.
this is how much I am dosing :
1/4Tsp-KN03 3x a week
1/16+Tsp-KH2P04 3x aweek
1/16+Tsp K2S04 3x a week
5ml Trace
1-2ml Fe/Iron
1/4 tsp. N=11.29ppm in a 20 assuming there's none in there before dosing.
1/16 tsp. P=3.49ppm " " " " " "
1/16 tsp. K2SO4=2.25 ppm/K " " " " "
Plus you're getting an additional bit of K from the KNO3 you're dosing.
If your tank is pretty much devoid of nutrients before adding the above amounts and your test readings say otherwise I suggest that you look for other test kits.
Len
maverick2402
03-05-2006, 8:10 PM
Do you have any suggestions on a good kit.I am using the AP test kit for everything except for the PO4 which is by Nutrafin.Oh yea by the way ,remember the riccia you gave me awhile back...........well its still going as strong as ever.
Glad to hear it.
I like AP's and my PO4 kit is a Hagen. None of the hobby level kits are pinpoint accurate, but I use mine for reference.....did it go up, did it go down, etc.
You should not be getting super high levels of the mentioned nutrients with those dosages, unless as mentioned, it's coming from the tap or there were high quantities of it in the tank previous to dosing(which would then make dosing unnecessary).
Len
maverick2402
03-06-2006, 2:04 PM
Glad to hear it.
I like AP's and my PO4 kit is a Hagen. None of the hobby level kits are pinpoint accurate, but I use mine for reference.....did it go up, did it go down, etc.
You should not be getting super high levels of the mentioned nutrients with those dosages, unless as mentioned, it's coming from the tap or there were high quantities of it in the tank previous to dosing(which would then make dosing unnecessary).
Len
I'll have to test the tap water.You know how the water can be in our area.For all I know it could glow coming out of the tap tomorrow.