OK, since I am here and onto "controversial" subjects ...

ashepler said:
Bacteria, with the help of the enzyme urease, can readily degrade urea according to the following schemes:
• H2NCON2H (urea) + 2H2O => 2NH4 + HCO3
• NH4+ => NH3 (g) H+
• HCO3 + H+ => CO2 (g) + H2O
Ammonia (NH3) can further oxidize to nitrate (NO3).

The biodegradation of urea to the end products of CO2 and NH3 requires, in theory, the consumption of 0.27 mg of oxygen per mg of urea. If the NH3 further decomposes to nitrate (NO3) the theoretical oxygen demand (TBOD) increases to 1.87 mg O2/mg of urea.
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Similar to Excel, breaking down after absorption to release CO2 inside plant tissue... This side reaction may explain the little "extra" reported.
 
Urea isnt a bad idea, since plants actually prefer ammonium over nitrates in the first place. Plants actually do expend the same amount of energy produced from the nitrification process to turn NO3 back into NH4, for their own use. So I definitely think that better growth could come from the use urea.

Though dosing it could be a problem, because if you overdose, you could kill all living things from the high amounts of ammonia being produced.

JS, I think you have a good argument for Urea use, but potassium nitrate still has my vote since it can provide an aquarium with the two of largest needed macros and is still a lot safer to the animal and plant life in an aquarium.
 
DiezelEinstein said:
Haha, how did it turn out? did it color your water or make a smell?
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There was no noticeable smell or discoloration. It was a fairly small amount of urea compared to the size of the tank. I was using the tank as an algae farm for some tadpoles I was raising. I can't say for sure what, if any, the effect of the urea was, but algal growth was satisfactory.
 
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