Plant Tank Crash
- Thread starter midiamin
- Start date
Dried ocean water without the sodium and no phosphates or nitrates. Just nitro generated from fish waste.
Isn't plant science wonderful!!!!!!!
Isn't plant science wonderful!!!!!!!
Yes, nitrate is the end result of fish waste. But if your tank is down to 0 then perhaps some of the plants aren't getting enough. That being said, nitrates, whether from fish waste or from Potassium Nitrate, is still a primary fertilizer, and a lack of it can cause several problems.
Plus the tank was overfed. But yes, nitrates are a most important part of the plant growth cycle.
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Plants will only actively transport two forms of nitrogen into their cells. One form is the ammonium ion NH4+ and the other form is Nitrate (NO3-). Both are needed for the production of chlorophyll and proteins. Without sufficient supplies of these your plants are going to suffer in some way. Since ammonium will induce algae and can also be toxic to fish in the NH3 form, you don't want that in your tank so Nitrate is your only other choice. Potassium Nitrate is the best form to add this nutrient to you tank in because it also happens to provide another macro-nutrient Potassium.
You mentioned that you overfeed this tank. When was the last time you fiddled with the filter? Also when was you last W/C, and how much did you change? Also Temp spikes can cause a crash like that. Have you checked your heater(s) to make sure there are working properly?
Filter changed on regular basis. Never allowed to get unfriendly. 50% water change monthly. Remember, this tank has been running for 2+ years without problems.
A co2 injected tank with 2.4 watts per gallon cannot go for a month without a water change. All your nutrients have been depleted by then, and fish food and waste will not replace all of them. I notice that you have not listed what your ph or ammonia levels were? or if you were adding any other forms of fertilizer?
I concur, unless regular water changes have been done, (read: once a week or more frequent) a planted tank cannot last too long.
