Should I dose nitrates?

[Cityfish]

So far I have been dosing my tank with phosphate, potassium & flourish, and seeing good results. I have a solution of KNO3 ready but have not used it yet. My nitrate levels remain between 5&10ppm. I have been monitoring the levels every couple days: after 50% water change N= 5ppm, 3- days after water change N=10ppm and remains between 5&10ppm until water is changed. Is this due to an overstocked tank? Should I add more plants?

Thanx

Tony
:dive2: My first tank specs (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/member.php?u=52233)

[Mgamer20o0]

that seens fine. adding more plants should drop that level of K. i try to keep my tank at about 20ppm.

[Cityfish]

Did you mean N (n=nitrates?). :dive: Chucks calculator recommends 5ppm, and I’ve read a lot of recommendations for 10ppm. I am a little timid and worry if I dose to 20ppm and inadvertently miss a water change could my nitrates spike to a level that would be harmful to the fish.

[Mgamer20o0]

i am sorry its a little late. i was talking about nitrates. N. this is what i use.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/fertilator.php

i know people keep it higher then that. i havent had any problems. if you dont feel safe doing it then dont.

[justintoxicated]

I dosed some for a while when I was getting extreamly low reading, I think 10 ppm is plenty, it it drops to 5ppm flate out or less than 5 ppm you can dose a little KNo3. Kno3 is good stuff cause it provided Potassium as well.

I'm wondering if I should pickup some flourish Potassium since I have stopped dosing with KNo3.. I don't even remember what I ratio I mixed my last batch at...

[fresh_newby]

Cityfish: dose NO3 right after a water change then.No3 of 20 ppm will NOT hurt your fish. Many people dose EI and their NO3 shoots well over 20ppm, and it is not a problem. The key is to keep the ratio of NO3:PO4 in check. 10:1 or 10:2 roughly. You don't want your NO3 in the triple digit range, but as long as it is below 50 and in a decent ratio to PO4, I would not worry. I would rather have too much than too little in a planted tank.


Justintox as for K you need more K than NO3. Dosing KNO3 only, does not give the plants the Potassium they need. You need to supplement that with more straight K2SO4