- Joined
- 22 Jul 2008
- Messages
- 80
Hi Ceo,
This is the bit, I had not grasped, with regard to nitrogen in the water cloumn (where anubias and Java fern are sited)
So the scientists categorize DIN (Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen) and DON (Dissolved Organic Nitrogen).
The DIN is easy as it is a fraction of the KNO3 (or whichever nitrate salt is dosed) but the DON is much more complicated.
With regard to the nitrogen cycle, hair-root interface, anerobic & aerobic bacterial action etc (including trials with anerobic reactors et al), I'm OK, so don't worry, I will not have bad-egg smell wafting around, substraight has now been in place approx 7 years with one major re-fit 2 years ago, when the tank leaked!
But in simplistic terms, from the plants point of view, not all nitrogen fertillisers are the same
My analogy is;
The nitrogen food (ion) the plant can use, is say a chocolate
Chocolates are present in qty, but some are not wrapped at all, others are wrapped in plastic and some in the box, in the substraight, there are mechanisims at play, which can open the box, remove the plastic and hence the plant can eat the chocolate.
Plants in water column, cannot open the box, or remove the plastic wrapper, so unless they are offered un-wrapped choc's they starve.
Unfortunatly, the organics in the tank, don't like un-wrapped choc's, so wrap any uneaten choc's (consuming oxygen in the process), hence the need to dose on a regular basis.
This is why Discus keepers cringe at EI, when informed they need to add N03, it is all percieved as bad (DON & DIN both = DOC's) and our test kits do not differentiate DON from DIN.
Actually I think the accepted norm is 6 grams per teaspoon for these powders, but no matter, there is no need for super accuracy. Doing a daily change complicates things a bit. I'm more inclined to use 16 grams per week of KNO3 + 3 grams KH2PO4 but your numbers are more or less fine. Again, there is no way to predict whether you will need more or less. These are good starting values as long as you dose after the water change. Wait 3 weeks and make adjustments after observing the plants reactions.
OK, Off now to order the components, and will mix up 4 weeks supply, dose daily 1st thing (follows night time WC) and see what happens, I will report back.
Many thanks for taking the time to explain stuff, I have been trying to grasp for more than a few weeks!!!!
Cheers, Mick B 8)
This is the bit, I had not grasped, with regard to nitrogen in the water cloumn (where anubias and Java fern are sited)
So the scientists categorize DIN (Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen) and DON (Dissolved Organic Nitrogen).
The DIN is easy as it is a fraction of the KNO3 (or whichever nitrate salt is dosed) but the DON is much more complicated.
With regard to the nitrogen cycle, hair-root interface, anerobic & aerobic bacterial action etc (including trials with anerobic reactors et al), I'm OK, so don't worry, I will not have bad-egg smell wafting around, substraight has now been in place approx 7 years with one major re-fit 2 years ago, when the tank leaked!
But in simplistic terms, from the plants point of view, not all nitrogen fertillisers are the same
My analogy is;
The nitrogen food (ion) the plant can use, is say a chocolate
Chocolates are present in qty, but some are not wrapped at all, others are wrapped in plastic and some in the box, in the substraight, there are mechanisims at play, which can open the box, remove the plastic and hence the plant can eat the chocolate.
Plants in water column, cannot open the box, or remove the plastic wrapper, so unless they are offered un-wrapped choc's they starve.
Unfortunatly, the organics in the tank, don't like un-wrapped choc's, so wrap any uneaten choc's (consuming oxygen in the process), hence the need to dose on a regular basis.
This is why Discus keepers cringe at EI, when informed they need to add N03, it is all percieved as bad (DON & DIN both = DOC's) and our test kits do not differentiate DON from DIN.
Actually I think the accepted norm is 6 grams per teaspoon for these powders, but no matter, there is no need for super accuracy. Doing a daily change complicates things a bit. I'm more inclined to use 16 grams per week of KNO3 + 3 grams KH2PO4 but your numbers are more or less fine. Again, there is no way to predict whether you will need more or less. These are good starting values as long as you dose after the water change. Wait 3 weeks and make adjustments after observing the plants reactions.
OK, Off now to order the components, and will mix up 4 weeks supply, dose daily 1st thing (follows night time WC) and see what happens, I will report back.
Many thanks for taking the time to explain stuff, I have been trying to grasp for more than a few weeks!!!!
Cheers, Mick B 8)