Do I still need the nitrate sponge ?

[cqman]

Hello everyone this is my first post.
Juwel tank 110L
Caribsea Eco-Complete Live Planted Substrate
Lot of fast grow plants (now about 50% mass)
20 fishes (15 two inches long,5 three inches long)
Easycarbo 3ml and Profito1.5ml
Two 18w with reflectors
Light on for 8 hours
Hydor Koralia NANO 900 Circulation Pump

I started the plant tank two months ago,evething went well but now the growth started to slow down a lot. Could it be the new nitrate sponge I put in a few weeks back? If so should I replace it with the Cirax filter medium (small plastic balls)or Coarse Filter Sponge will be better for the plants ? Could it be the plants need more nitrogen and phosphorus? if so should i switch easy life Profito to Tropica Plant Nutrition Liquid 1ml and Tropica Plant Nutrition + Liquid 0.5ml? Any ideas?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
You don't need the nitrate sponge, any media will do as lonmg as it doesn't slow th espeed of the water flow through the filter too much. Your plant growth is slowing because the plants are deficient in one of the essential nutrients for plant growth, probably nitrogen (N) or potassium (K). The other macronutrient, phosphorus (P), is needed by plants in much smaller quantities than either N or K. There is no point in adding the "Easy Carbo", if you are deficient in the macro-nutrients plants need, they can only use that carbon if the other nutrients are present.

I would invest in an "All in one" mix from one of our sponsors, this will provide with a complete fertiliser much more cheaply than using "Profito", which I think is largely a trace (micro-nutrient) mix any way.

cheers Darrel

 

[cqman]

Hi all,
You don't need the nitrate sponge, any media will do as lonmg as it doesn't slow th espeed of the water flow through the filter too much. Your plant growth is slowing because the plants are deficient in one of the essential nutrients for plant growth, probably nitrogen (N) or potassium (K). The other macronutrient, phosphorus (P), is needed by plants in much smaller quantities than either N or K. There is no point in adding the "Easy Carbo", if you are deficient in the macro-nutrients plants need, they can only use that carbon if the other nutrients are present.

I would invest in an "All in one" mix from one of our sponsors, this will provide with a complete fertiliser much more cheaply than using "Profito", which I think is largely a trace (micro-nutrient) mix any way.

cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrel , I was right , got the Tropica Plant Nutrition + Liquid and Tropica Plant Nutrition Liquid today (got all the P,N,K macro-nutrient in it ) but was not cheaper than Profito so if anyone know a good "All in one" let me know.Will keep you posted.

thanks ken

 

[sanj]

I always take out the nitrate, phosphate, carbon etc. I just keep the plain sponges and the rest being ceramic media.