Flourish Nitrogen Plant Food?

[The Evil Hand]

Hi, I recently started using flourish nitrogen plant food as the plants in
my aquarium stopped growing due to the nitrate level dropping to 0ppm. On
the label it says that it contains two sources of nitrogen, one being from
nitrate and that you can use a nitrate test kit to tell how much nitrogen is
in the tank by doubling the reading. But I am still unable to get a reading
using my Hagen test kit, even when I add the plant food directly into the
test tube?

Does anyone know why that is?

cheers
Evil Hand

[The Evil Hand]

Actually I just added about half a ml to the test kit, and I'm now getting a
5ppm reading??


"The Evil Hand" > wrote in message
...
> Hi, I recently started using flourish nitrogen plant food as the plants in
> my aquarium stopped growing due to the nitrate level dropping to 0ppm. On
> the label it says that it contains two sources of nitrogen, one being from
> nitrate and that you can use a nitrate test kit to tell how much nitrogen
> is in the tank by doubling the reading. But I am still unable to get a
> reading using my Hagen test kit, even when I add the plant food directly
> into the test tube?
>
> Does anyone know why that is?
>
> cheers
> Evil Hand
>

[Dave S]

"The Evil Hand" > wrote in message
...
> Hi, I recently started using flourish nitrogen plant food as the plants in
> my aquarium stopped growing due to the nitrate level dropping to 0ppm. On
> the label it says that it contains two sources of nitrogen, one being from
> nitrate and that you can use a nitrate test kit to tell how much nitrogen
> is in the tank by doubling the reading. But I am still unable to get a
> reading using my Hagen test kit, even when I add the plant food directly
> into the test tube?
>
> Does anyone know why that is?
>
> cheers
> Evil Hand
What's the capacity of your aquarium?

[The Evil Hand]

Thanks for replying Dave, Its a 180ltr tank. On in the instructions for the
plant food it say's
that half of it is made up of nitrogen derived from nitrate, so I should be
able to test for nitrate and then double the PPM to find out how much
nitrogen is in my aquarium. Its also a little worrying for that reason. Does
anyone know if test kits can pass a use by date, as the one I'm using is
three years old?

"Dave S" > wrote in message
...
>
> "The Evil Hand" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi, I recently started using flourish nitrogen plant food as the plants
>> in my aquarium stopped growing due to the nitrate level dropping to 0ppm.
>> On the label it says that it contains two sources of nitrogen, one being
>> from nitrate and that you can use a nitrate test kit to tell how much
>> nitrogen is in the tank by doubling the reading. But I am still unable to
>> get a reading using my Hagen test kit, even when I add the plant food
>> directly into the test tube?
>>
>> Does anyone know why that is?
>>
>> cheers
>> Evil Hand
> What's the capacity of your aquarium?
>

[Dave S]

"The Evil Hand" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for replying Dave, Its a 180ltr tank. On in the instructions for
> the plant food it say's
> that half of it is made up of nitrogen derived from nitrate, so I should
> be
> able to test for nitrate and then double the PPM to find out how much
> nitrogen is in my aquarium. Its also a little worrying for that reason.
> Does
> anyone know if test kits can pass a use by date, as the one I'm using is
> three years old?
>
> "Dave S" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "The Evil Hand" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Hi, I recently started using flourish nitrogen plant food as the plants
>>> in my aquarium stopped growing due to the nitrate level dropping to
>>> 0ppm. On the label it says that it contains two sources of nitrogen, one
>>> being from nitrate and that you can use a nitrate test kit to tell how
>>> much nitrogen is in the tank by doubling the reading. But I am still
>>> unable to get a reading using my Hagen test kit, even when I add the
>>> plant food directly into the test tube?
>>>
>>> Does anyone know why that is?
>>>
>>> cheers
>>> Evil Hand
>> What's the capacity of your aquarium?
>>
>
I think your under-dosing. according to my calculations (and according to
the instructions for a beginner), you should be dosing 1.1mL - 2.3mL x twice
weekly. Therefore if your dosing at 0.5mL there's a discrepancy. I have the
same problem as you: Little or no NO3 reading and I'm using Seachem Nitrogen
and testing with Hagen.

Instead of dosing twice/week (as recommended), last week and this week I'm
dosing EVERY DAY at treble dose, and although I've noticed a significant
improvement in my plants, NO3 remains at <5ppm. I don't have too much
confidence in my Hagen test kit even though it's in date.

I'm not sure if this helps you, but just to let you know that others have
the same problem.

Regards - Dave

[Dave S]

"Dave S" > wrote in message
...
>
> "The Evil Hand" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Thanks for replying Dave, Its a 180ltr tank. On in the instructions for
>> the plant food it say's
>> that half of it is made up of nitrogen derived from nitrate, so I should
>> be
>> able to test for nitrate and then double the PPM to find out how much
>> nitrogen is in my aquarium. Its also a little worrying for that reason.
>> Does
>> anyone know if test kits can pass a use by date, as the one I'm using is
>> three years old?
>>
>> "Dave S" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "The Evil Hand" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> Hi, I recently started using flourish nitrogen plant food as the plants
>>>> in my aquarium stopped growing due to the nitrate level dropping to
>>>> 0ppm. On the label it says that it contains two sources of nitrogen,
>>>> one being from nitrate and that you can use a nitrate test kit to tell
>>>> how much nitrogen is in the tank by doubling the reading. But I am
>>>> still unable to get a reading using my Hagen test kit, even when I add
>>>> the plant food directly into the test tube?
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone know why that is?
>>>>
>>>> cheers
>>>> Evil Hand
>>> What's the capacity of your aquarium?
>>>
>>
> I think your under-dosing. according to my calculations (and according to
> the instructions for a beginner), you should be dosing 1.1mL - 2.3mL x
> twice weekly. Therefore if your dosing at 0.5mL there's a discrepancy. I
> have the same problem as you: Little or no NO3 reading and I'm using
> Seachem Nitrogen and testing with Hagen.
>
> Instead of dosing twice/week (as recommended), last week and this week I'm
> dosing EVERY DAY at treble dose, and although I've noticed a significant
> improvement in my plants, NO3 remains at <5ppm. I don't have too much
> confidence in my Hagen test kit even though it's in date.
>
> I'm not sure if this helps you, but just to let you know that others have
> the same problem.
>
> Regards - Dave
>
>
FWIW - The NO3 test kit I am using is date expired 30 June 2007 - remember
my readings were <5ppm. I've just been out and purchased a new test kit
(date expired 31 July 2008 and my reading now is 20-50ppm - way to high. I
think I'll do a water change and reduce my Nitrogen!

Regards - Dave

[dc]

"The Evil Hand" > wrote in
:

> But I am still unable to get a reading using my Hagen test kit, even
> when I add the plant food directly into the test tube?
>
> Does anyone know why that is?


You can read Flourish Nitrogen on a good Nitrate test kit. Chances are
your dosing is not raising the levels high enough for you to register it on
the test kit you are using. Consider using something more accurate than a
Hagen test kit to get a better reading. Seachem test kits would be a
better choice.