# Watersprite and nitrates



## fishlady (Jan 12, 2004)

Good Mornin: My nitrates in my 90 gallon are always at about 10 ppm. I have the HUGE watersprite in there that is growing faster every day. Why does the watersprite not use up the nitrate as it grows?? I understand that it takes nutrients from the water and not substrate, am I correct there?? Thanks alot!


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## meee (Jun 19, 2004)

im very new at this, so i might be wrong. the way u wrote the question, it sounds like that's the only plant in there. if so, i dont think that just one plant, despite its size, will use all the nitrates in a 90g. also, u have to put other factors into account, such as fish load, how much they get fed, filtration, water changes, etc. 
more fish=more nitrates
fewer water changes=more nitrates
more food=more nitrates
poor filtration=more nitrates

hope this helps

-Dan


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## fishlady (Jan 12, 2004)

This is a heavily planted 90 gallon Dan. In mentioning the watersprite I was referring to an earlier post of mine. Thanks for answering anyway!


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## meee (Jun 19, 2004)

oh then i dont know. sorry

-Dan


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## FiberCon (May 22, 2004)

In all likelyhood there are other factors that are limiting it. It (along with the other plants) are using up as much of the nitrogen from from the nitrate (and other sources) as they can but something else is lacking. It is likely that there is not enough CO2 (carbon source) or potassium, or phosphate in the water column. 

Either that, or you have a fish load / feeding schedule that outpaces the plants. Or, your test kit is either unable to display 0 nitrates or is old.


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

How are the other plants growing? 

Water Sprite is a very easy plant to grow and grows like crazy in _almost_ any water conditions.

It is using the nitrates as it grows but less than what is being put into the tank. The water sprite alone would not take all the nitrates out of a 90G tank. Besides 10ppm of nitrates is a good steady amount to keep in your tank at all times.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Or your test kit is bonkered.


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## tankfreak (Apr 17, 2004)

I had absolutely terrible luck with red sea test kits and seachem test kits. Finally I broke down and bought a Lamotte. The first time I tooka Lamotte reading it was like 40ppm. I realized that the other test kits were reading WAY high and I had been adding WAY too much nitrate. It took me three water changes and I finally have my nitrates down to 10ppm in my PT. I will never ever buy anything but Lamotte ever ever again.


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## EricSilver (Feb 23, 2004)

fishlady said:


> Good Mornin: My nitrates in my 90 gallon are always at about 10 ppm. I have the HUGE watersprite in there that is growing faster every day. Why does the watersprite not use up the nitrate as it grows?? I understand that it takes nutrients from the water and not substrate, am I correct there?? Thanks alot!


Maybe you are at a constant 10 ppm *because  * of the Water Sprite. If it was not there, you might be at 25 ppm.


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## g8wayg8r (Dec 24, 2003)

The nitrates in my 29-gallon tank didn't drop well below 10 mg/l until my plants took root and occupied most of the open volume in my tank. A large water sprite was part of the mix of plants that helped establilsh my tank. Recently, I've cut the plant back significantly and removed several others (including one big honk'in sword) due to complaints about not being able to see the fish. I can't understand that. Just becasue you could only see one or two of the fifteen doesn't mean you have to go nuts. Nevertheless, I cut them back to keep my family happy. My nitrates are back in the 10 range now and the plants are still growing well and the fishies are healthy. Algae isn't a problem my two otos can't manage so I guess the nitrates are low enough. I clip my alternanthera, hydrocotlye and water sprite back every week now. Without these, the nitrates would be (and were) in 20 to 40 range. In the end, I guess the most important thing is what you do to grow plants. I'm sure a water sprite will help you given time to take root. Don't expect miracles, just a tool to help get the nitrates down.


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## malkore (Nov 3, 2003)

hmm, SeaChem test kits, IMO, are only 1 step down from LaMotte.
Anyhow, I want to say:
1. 10ppm is a great nitrate level...what's the problem?
2. you must not have a lot of light, or CO2, otherwise a heavily planted tank would normally have less nitrate, unless
3. you're feeding too much and thus helping boost nitrate levels.


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## g8wayg8r (Dec 24, 2003)

My tank is getting bushy again and the nitrates are in the 5 mg/l range now . I haven't noticed a change in the algae level (the reason to be concerned about the nitrate level, right?) because I don't have much to mess with even at 10 mg/l. My conclusion regarding nitrate levels is don't worry about it if you don't have any problems with algae. Unless you have some fish or plant that can't tolerate nitrates at all, it sounds to me like you are on your way to a good water.


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