Nitrogen plant food

I have been adding seachem nitrogen plant food to my a quarium at double the
beginner dose for a month or so. As my the plants stopped growing due the
nitrate level being only about 1ppm. When I first started using it I found
that The plants wouldn't carry on growing on the beginner dose which is
2.5ml, so I increased it to 5ml, and they are now growing, but still not as
well as they have in the past and some are still almost not growing.

But now some of my fish have started breaking out in white spot, twice in
the last couple of weeks, and I am wonder if its the plant food, as I have
only had problems once before with it in the four years I have owned my
aquarium. And especially as it says on the bottle that half of the nitrogen
in it is produced from nitrate. I'm not sure though if that means it is
nitrate, or it is made from it somehow, but I am still not getting a nitrate
reading when I test for it. I have also tested for nitrite and ammonia, and
there both OK.

Am I poisoning my fish??

On Sun, 13 May 2007 12:00:30 GMT, "a" wrote:

I have been adding seachem nitrogen plant food to my a quarium at double the
beginner dose for a month or so. As my the plants stopped growing due the
nitrate level being only about 1ppm. When I first started using it I found
that The plants wouldn't carry on growing on the beginner dose which is
2.5ml, so I increased it to 5ml, and they are now growing, but still not as
well as they have in the past and some are still almost not growing.

I wish my plants would stop growing. My fish don't like me in "their"
tank! g

But now some of my fish have started breaking out in white spot, twice in
the last couple of weeks, and I am wonder if its the plant food, as I have
only had problems once before with it in the four years I have owned my
aquarium. And especially as it says on the bottle that half of the nitrogen
in it is produced from nitrate. I'm not sure though if that means it is
nitrate, or it is made from it somehow, but I am still not getting a nitrate
reading when I test for it. I have also tested for nitrite and ammonia, and
there both OK.

Am I poisoning my fish??

I have no answer, but lots of sympathy. In my break in experiences, I
killed several fish while adjusting the pH. The lesson for me was
find fish and plants that can live with my water. I feed flake food
to the fish in my 5 tanks, 4 years as is yours. I have to thin the
plants to see some of my fish once in awhile. They like to duck into
the undergrowth. My tanks are heavily populated, the 2 larger tanks
(29 and 75) have Clown Loaches, Siamese Algae Eaters and a variety of
smaller fish.

Some people are good at managing their tanks and enjoy the flexibility
of plant and fish specis. I am happy to let nature take her course.
Oh, I do 20% water changes weekly.

On May 13, 5:00 am, "a" wrote:
I have been adding seachem nitrogen plant food to my a quarium at double the
beginner dose for a month or so. As my the plants stopped growing due the
nitrate level being only about 1ppm. When I first started using it I found
that The plants wouldn't carry on growing on the beginner dose which is
2.5ml, so I increased it to 5ml, and they are now growing, but still not as
well as they have in the past and some are still almost not growing.

But now some of my fish have started breaking out in white spot, twice in
the last couple of weeks, and I am wonder if its the plant food, as I have
only had problems once before with it in the four years I have owned my
aquarium. And especially as it says on the bottle that half of the nitrogen
in it is produced from nitrate. I'm not sure though if that means it is
nitrate, or it is made from it somehow, but I am still not getting a nitrate
reading when I test for it. I have also tested for nitrite and ammonia, and
there both OK.

Am I poisoning my fish??

I really doubt you are poisoning your fish. It is possible that the
ich was dormant and a fast change in water conditions stressed them,
allowing the ich to become active.
Although I use Seachem products such Flourish Excel (and really like
them too), I prefer to add as many nutrients naturally as possible. If
your nitrates are too low, I would try increasing your fish food
feeding, especially with higher protein foods that will eventually
increase nitrate levels and a more gradual rate.

As Dick said:
In my break in experiences, I
killed several fish while adjusting the pH.

Sometimes constant adjustments can cause problems; I too have aimed
towards a stable environment.

Carl

Yes, I think the way you can choose between them is good. I have actually
got problems with phosphate from feeding my clown loaches pellets with a
high phosphorus content (I think that right), so I'm trying to just add
what's needed.


"carlrs" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 13, 5:00 am, "a" wrote:
I have been adding seachem nitrogen plant food to my a quarium at double
the
beginner dose for a month or so. As my the plants stopped growing due the
nitrate level being only about 1ppm. When I first started using it I
found
that The plants wouldn't carry on growing on the beginner dose which is
2.5ml, so I increased it to 5ml, and they are now growing, but still not
as
well as they have in the past and some are still almost not growing.

But now some of my fish have started breaking out in white spot, twice in
the last couple of weeks, and I am wonder if its the plant food, as I
have
only had problems once before with it in the four years I have owned my
aquarium. And especially as it says on the bottle that half of the
nitrogen
in it is produced from nitrate. I'm not sure though if that means it is
nitrate, or it is made from it somehow, but I am still not getting a
nitrate
reading when I test for it. I have also tested for nitrite and ammonia,
and
there both OK.

Am I poisoning my fish??

I really doubt you are poisoning your fish. It is possible that the
ich was dormant and a fast change in water conditions stressed them,
allowing the ich to become active.
Although I use Seachem products such Flourish Excel (and really like
them too), I prefer to add as many nutrients naturally as possible. If
your nitrates are too low, I would try increasing your fish food
feeding, especially with higher protein foods that will eventually
increase nitrate levels and a more gradual rate.

As Dick said:
In my break in experiences, I
killed several fish while adjusting the pH.

Sometimes constant adjustments can cause problems; I too have aimed
towards a stable environment.

Carl