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Those who are really interested in measuring the quality of their tank water should invest in a nitrate test...

Excessive nitrates, call them "waste" buildup if you wish, will definitely, especially in small tanks with large bioloads, create an environment that only a tadpole could tolerate.

The testing for nitrates, even though you've been doing scheduled partial water changes to dilute the nitrates, will tell you if your water changes have been effective or larger changes are required.

Remember I mentioned phosphorous?? A test for this nutrient may reveal a high content, something algae is very fond of.

A test of your tap water for the nutrients I mentioned may reveal amounts you never thought possible.

A water source like a river or lake with an overabundance of blue-green algae may be the cause.

High levels of fertilizer used on nearby farms, lawns or golf courses may be leaching nutrients you just don't need in your tap water.

We all require oxygen to live. Vegetation is no exception.

We're back to the "word".

"Eutrophication promotes more plant growth and decay, which in turn increases biochemical oxygen demand."

You can't keep trops in waste water. You can't allow their waste to build up to a level that slowly causes suffering and death.

You shouldn't slowly suffocate your trops because you forgot the meaning of "eutrophication".

Use it three times in a sentence and it's yours.

END.

--garyroland.

--Vero Beach, Florida.

Last edited by garyroland at 15-Oct-2004 12:03

don't frogs/tadpoles require incredibly clean conditions to breed/survive? I thought they were the first to leave when the water went wonky...

Maybe its just our wussy Aussie frogs.

Interesting artice.

certainly makes you think twice about those 'never clean your tank again' products.

Tho, i didnt even think once about them.

Not worth my think.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

When I was a kid I went down to the local swamp, with awful smelling black water, to catch tadpoles...

It was loaded with them and small shellfish.

At night the swamp came alive with all sorts of croaking from frogs that hid in the black muck during the day.

--garyroland.

I had been waiting for part 3... again, very interesting. I remember going off to camp and collecting tadpoles from nasty water... left our hands and feet brown and yucky looking... then we decided to gently change out about 1/2 the water in the bucket each day... after about 4 days the water looked clear... day 5 they were all dead. Just thought I'd share. Anyhow, enjoyed the articles. And I hope FL is recovering from all those storms. Thanks.

-Beth

Great article Gary. Just before my next round of water changes I'm going to test Nitrates just to see. I haven't really had any problems with algea though, probably because I'm a water change nut. 50% once a week is the minimum.

Thanks for the article, Mike

Nice piece of work Gary.

-- Gomer

Thanks guys...

We're hashing out cyanobacterium in the "Planted Aquaria" Forum if you'd care to take look under the heading "I've had it".

--garyroland.