Hello All,
Just wanted to pass this along. About a month ago I experimented with using normal potted plant tabs pushed deep into my substrate. I used them very sparingly, but I have a gravel substrate and the ferts(NH4+,Phosphate and potassium) leached into the water column. The next day I decided to test my total ammonia and it was 2mg/l. Needless to say, I freaked and I did a 70% water change. This, after searching the internet, I came to the conclusion was the wrong thing to do, because my PH is always at 6.5-6.6 and therefore the Free Ammonia-Nitrogen Concentration was 0.004517mg/l according to this calculator: http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~piwc/w3-research/free-ammonia/nh3.html, and IMO doing such a large water change made the PH rise, until the CO2 was able to bring the PH back down to 6.5-6.6.(I may be wrong) After all this, I had no ill effects on my tank, and no visable algae and all is well. I have a heavily planted community tank with various species of fish, apple snails, cherry shrimp and ghost shrimp and no death of anything that I could see. 24 hrs. later my total ammonia was back to 0 and plants are pearling and happy as are all the critters. So, I guess between the plants and the bacteria in my filter it was consumed. I won't use these things again, but just wanted to pass along my experience. Just my 2 cents worth.
Cheers,
Singtoh
Just wanted to pass this along. About a month ago I experimented with using normal potted plant tabs pushed deep into my substrate. I used them very sparingly, but I have a gravel substrate and the ferts(NH4+,Phosphate and potassium) leached into the water column. The next day I decided to test my total ammonia and it was 2mg/l. Needless to say, I freaked and I did a 70% water change. This, after searching the internet, I came to the conclusion was the wrong thing to do, because my PH is always at 6.5-6.6 and therefore the Free Ammonia-Nitrogen Concentration was 0.004517mg/l according to this calculator: http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~piwc/w3-research/free-ammonia/nh3.html, and IMO doing such a large water change made the PH rise, until the CO2 was able to bring the PH back down to 6.5-6.6.(I may be wrong) After all this, I had no ill effects on my tank, and no visable algae and all is well. I have a heavily planted community tank with various species of fish, apple snails, cherry shrimp and ghost shrimp and no death of anything that I could see. 24 hrs. later my total ammonia was back to 0 and plants are pearling and happy as are all the critters. So, I guess between the plants and the bacteria in my filter it was consumed. I won't use these things again, but just wanted to pass along my experience. Just my 2 cents worth.
Cheers,
Singtoh
.
