What is the reason Easy Green raises my nitrate levels?
Besides light and water, plants require an exact mix of nutrients to give them the fundamental building blocks needed to grow new leaves and roots.
Macronutrients
are nutrients that plants consume in large quantities (such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium), whereas
micronutrients
are nutrients that plants need in trace amounts (such as iron, boron, and manganese). Traditionally, it was thought that fish poop and uneaten fish food were sufficient sources of nutrients for plant growth, but in reality, they do not contain all these necessary nutrients in the right ratios or amounts. Easy Green is an all-in one fertilizer that can be used to keep your plants well-fed and healthy.
As you can see in the list of nutrients above, the goal of Easy Green is to raise nitrate (or nitrogen) and other nutrients so that plants have enough to consume. The percentages of potassium, phosphate and nitrate are actually higher than the rest, because these are macronutrients your plants require greater amounts. As a result, adding Easy Green will increase the nitrate level when measured by a water test strip or kit. The goal is to add enough Easy Green to reach 50 ppm.
Are High Nitrate Levels Dangerous?
Ammonia and Nitrite can be toxic to animals even in small amounts. However, nitrate is much less toxic. Research paper titled Nitrate toxicity to aquatic animals found that nitrate levels rose to 800 ppm in a study before they were fatal for guppy fries. As a rule of thumb, we recommend keeping aquariums at 50 ppm nitrate and below.
If you have a fish tank that is heavily stocked with animals and/or does not have a lot of aquarium plants, the nitrate level produced by fish waste can naturally climb to 50 ppm and above. Easy Green can be used to increase the nitrate level in these situations. Many hobbyists resist this temptation. However, withholding fertilizer will end up depriving the plants of other essential nutrients besides nitrate. The following guidelines will help you prevent this from happening:
1. If nitrate is 50 ppm or above, do a 50% water change (or multiple 50% water changes every four days) until nitrate reaches 25 ppm at most. 2. Dose 1 pump of Easy Green per 10 gallons of water. Allow the water to cool for at least 24 hours, then test it again. 3. You want to get to 50 ppm nitrate. Step 2 can be repeated if the nitrate remains too low. Continue to dosing fertilizer till you reach 50ppm. 4. Give the water a rest for 3-4 days, then test it again. If nitrate is already at 75-100 ppm, you will have to do another 50% water change. Consider removing some fish or adding more plants (especially fast-growing ones) to decrease the rate at which nitrate is produced.
Are low levels of Nitrate dangerous?
While fish and other aquatic animals are not affected by a lack of nitrate, plants absolutely need it to grow well. Plant leaves can turn yellow, especially at the tips, and then eventually fall off. This is because the plant has been consuming nutrients from the bottom to make new leaves.
Signs a nitrogen deficiency
In order to avoid starving your plants, we recommend dosing 1 pump of Easy Green per 10 gallons of water with the following frequency:
– Dose once a week for low light aquariums. – Dose twice a week for medium light aquariums.
If your plants are still turning translucent or developing holes due to lack of water nitrate, you may need to adjust the dosing.
1. If nitrate ranges from 0-25 ppm, then add a full dose of Easy Green (according to the instructions above). After waiting a while, test the water again. 2. If the nitrate level is below 50 ppm, you can repeat Step 1. Keep applying fertilizer until it reaches that level. 3. Give the water a rest for three to four days, then test it. If necessary, take Easy Green again to achieve the 50 ppm target.
Record down the dates you fertilized the tank and the amounts of Easy Green used, and soon you should be able to figure out your custom dosing schedule. Just be aware that as plants and fish grow larger or are removed from the aquarium, this changes the amount of nitrate that is needed, so keep an eye on the growth of the plants and test your water to adjust the schedule as needed.
Don’t worry if your readings of nitrate exceed 0 ppm. Nitrate is good for plants and even essential. Therefore, we created Easy Green as a beginner-friendly fertilizer so you don’t have to measure out a ton of supplements. Add 1 pump to 10 gallons and you are good to go.
The following articles provide more information:
Which Planted Tank Fertilizer Is Right for You? Nutrient Deficiencies: Why Your Aquarium Plants Are Dying
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