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Nitrogen cycle in planted tanks?

3K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  davemonkey 
#1 ·
How does the nitrogen cycle work in our planted tanks? Is it any different from how an non planted tank works? I know plants remove some of the fish's waste, but is the tank still dependent on bacteria and such? Would the bacteria be in the filter or the substrate?

As far as I am aware nitrate builds up in out tanks, hence the water changes. Yet, now I've been told it can evaporate from the water. Any truth to this?:D
 
#2 ·
The nitrogen cycle is the same, but the plants in a planted tank do the job that bacteria do in a non-planted tank. There are still bacteria in planted tanks (on the walls, in your filter, on any object... ) , but not as crucial to the system because of the plants.

We do water changes to get out excess nutrients because we generally overdose nutrients (to some degree) to make sure we aren't short on anything. Water changes "reset the system".

You'll notice in the El Natural forum that people talk about monthly water changes or even less often than that. That's because they aren't adding any extra nutrients other than what fish food, waste and soil substrate are providing. So the plants use what's there.

Not sure on the evaporation subject.

-Dave
 
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