# How to raise nitrates?



## sharkerbaby (Jun 6, 2004)

Hi, I've got a heavily planted tank, have been injecting CO2 for 2 weeks and am still working on getting the right level. I'm upping it daily until I find the right rate. I turn off CO2 at night as I'm deathly afraid of suffocating my fishy pals. 

Plants are growing well but I'm getting hair algae. When I test my water each night, nitrates are always at 0. I have not had time in the AM to do a test but will tomorrow. 

I'm sure I'm getting hair algae because my plants aren't out competing it which is probably a factor of not enough CO2 and nitrates. So my question is, do you think I should add nitrates now or wait till I get my CO2 level right before I start messing w/ another parameter? 

If I should add nitrates, just where does one find nitrates. I haven't come across it at the LFS. I also remember someone saying they bought some off ebay but when I did a search, all I could find was nitrate to use in model rockets - it can't possibly be the same thing right? 

TIA, 
Sharker 



=== My Quick Help Info =================== 

Tank Stats 
------------------- 
Size of Tank (Gallons / Litres): 75 G 
Running for how long: 2.5 mo as planted community, 15yrs as oscar home 

Water Params 
------------------- 
Temp: 78 
pH: 7.6 
Ammonia (ppm): 0 
NitrIte (ppm): 0 
NitrAte (ppm): 0 
KH (degrees): 6 
GH (degrees): 9 
Ferts you are using (what and how often): none yet 
CO2 (Type & Level): 4.5 ppm - still working on this, raising bpm by 5 everyday until I get to right level 

Lighting (Wattage & type of bulbs): 
------------------- 
174W PC 

Fish In Tank: 
------------------- 
4 autrialian rainbow 
6 dwarf neon rainbow 
6 featherfin rainbow 
6 oto 
3 SAE 
6 spotted cory cats 
1 wood shrimp 
4 amano shrimp 
1 apple snail 


Plants In Tank: 
------------------- 
lots, variety crypts, variety swords, variety anubias, few variety stems


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

I would say you can start adding your ferts right away. The tank's certainly been up & running long enough.

Macro (& micro) nutrients can be purchased at www.gregwatson.com. 

And you should also check your phosphate levels. Keep in mind that the ratio of nitrates to phosphates should be approx. 10:1, with your phosphate levels kept at around .5-1ppm.

Good luck!


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

IMO, I would wait another week or two before adding any ferts because the plants will use stored nutrients for the first 3-4 weeks. Then I would raise my nitrates to around 10ppm, I use Green light stump remover (potassium nitrate). Here is a link for dosing Greenlight... http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nitrate.htm
Also keep your phosphates at 1ppm. 

Give your tank some time to seattle in since it is newly set up.


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

Trenac, from the way I interpreted the post, the tank has been up for 15 years, _planted_ for 2.5 months, and CO2 has been running for 2 weeks.

2.5 months is plenty of time to wait before adding ferts. Or did I misread? At the very least, with nitrates at 0, it's time to add macros at least.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

In my experience when one sets up a fast tank, high light and CO2 with a good substrate and then stocks it with fast growing stem plants you need to start fertilizing within a week or so. When you are dealing with plants that can grow a foot or more a week they are going to need the nutrients or they are going to stall out and then the algae will start.


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## sharkerbaby (Jun 6, 2004)

thanks for the replies... to clarify...

amanda is correct the tank itself has been set up for 15 yrs housing Orca, my very personable and loved oscar. He died in March. :icon_frow 

I decided to try a new challenge and go planted. I doubled my substrate by adding flourite, added a fluval 404 which I ran concurent with the existing emporer for one month to seed the canister. Upgraded my lighting to 172W PC. Began adding fish at time of canister install. Got my massive order of assorted plants about one month ago. Then installed the pressurized CO2 system about 2.5 weeks ago.

So there you go a brief history of the evolution of my tank. :wink: 

Tests tonight show CO2 at 11.35 and ph at 7.2 nitrates still 0. I haven't gotten the gumption to go out an buy a phosphate test but will tomorrow. 

I guess I should start ferts. As I understand it the general rule of thumb is start at 1/2 dose and watch, is that correct.

thanks so much for your guidance,
sharker


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## Laith (Jul 7, 2004)

Yes, start adding ferts and Nitrate (I use KNO3).

Keep increasing the CO2. I like to keep my CO2 levels at between 20 and 30.

And yes, always a good idea to increase things (ie ferts) little by little. Keep in mind that reaction to increases/decreases will not happen overnight but slowly...

Laith


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

:icon_redf I over looked the tank stats. 

However I still feel that since it has just been set up for two weeks as a planted tank I would still wait a week or two to add ferts; this is just my opinion. Like I said before the plants use stored nutrients for the first 3-4 weeks after planting and adding ferts now will just feed the algae.


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## nickdu (Jul 31, 2011)

Sorry to ressurect this thread.
So, does adding macro / micro nutrient mix raise nitrate levels?
For the beginning of my tank my nitrates were around 20+ for some time now the are at 0 no matter how much macro micro mix I add. Afraid to overdose.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

nickdu said:


> Sorry to ressurect this thread.
> So, does adding macro / micro nutrient mix raise nitrate levels?
> For the beginning of my tank my nitrates were around 20+ for some time now the are at 0 no matter how much macro micro mix I add. Afraid to overdose.


Adding the macronutrient mix, provided it includes a source of nitrates, will raise your overall nitrate levels.

I would check your test kit (calibrate it) to ensure that you are actually getting accurate results to start off with.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Follow EI dosing for simplicity IMO
You are just going to run into more problems / get more frustrated if you do not start dosing ferts IMO. I don't knwo much about 'stored nutrients' but to me it would make sense if you give your plants everything they need right off the bat. Start slow but definitely start to dose. If your nitrates are truly 0 then your plants are either using it all or your test is wrong IMO

Also it may sound stupid but make sure you are following your test kit instructions. The API nitrate test makes you shake the hell out of the 2nd bottle / mixture or else it will NOT work.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=647697&highlight=


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## nickdu (Jul 31, 2011)

klibs said:


> Follow EI dosing for simplicity IMO
> You are just going to run into more problems / get more frustrated if you do not start dosing ferts IMO. I don't knwo much about 'stored nutrients' but to me it would make sense if you give your plants everything they need right off the bat. Start slow but definitely start to dose. If your nitrates are truly 0 then your plants are either using it all or your test is wrong IMO
> 
> Also it may sound stupid but make sure you are following your test kit instructions. The API nitrate test makes you shake the hell out of the 2nd bottle / mixture or else it will NOT work.
> ...


I do shake the hell out of both bottles. All bottles actually before applying drops to test. I had this tank running for about 2 years now. when I just started the tap water had nitrates above 40ppm. With time and my weekly dosing it dwindled down to 0 now. Was around 10-20 for a while. I know how much I dose and when I test after it doesnt raise much at all. I want to try dosing on a stronger level. My question is... does mac/mic mix contain nitrates in it? I think I bought it from green leaf aquarium .com or some site similar.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

nickdu said:


> I do shake the hell out of both bottles. All bottles actually before applying drops to test. I had this tank running for about 2 years now. when I just started the tap water had nitrates above 40ppm. With time and my weekly dosing it dwindled down to 0 now. Was around 10-20 for a while. I know how much I dose and when I test after it doesnt raise much at all. I want to try dosing on a stronger level.


You can always make a calibration series of known nitrate concentration and test your test kit against them to ensure accuracy.



nickdu said:


> My question is... does mac/mic mix contain nitrates in it? I think I bought it from green leaf aquarium .com or some site similar.


The macronutrient mix should contain nitrates, yes.


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