Optimal Nitrate levels for plants and fish to be happy?

[North Dakota fish keeper]

What is the best nitrate level that will keep my fish healthy but keep my plants well fed?  What is a good "goal" when dosing liquid fertilizer?

[Guppysnail]

I find over 40 grows algae in a heartbeat.  My tap is average 25🤢 from farm fertilizer runoff though. When I can get and keep t no higher than 20-25 in tank my plants are happiest. Up to 40 I’ve not seen fish issues. Hope that helps a bit. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 4/7/2022 at 6:06 PM, North Dakota fish keeper said:

What is the best nitrate level that will keep my fish healthy but keep my plants well fed?  What is a good "goal" when dosing liquid fertilizer?

Video from Cory talking about easy green says 20-40

Edited April 8, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[JoeQ]

10 ~ 20 ppm

[Kurt Brutting]

I don’t know why, but I dose and dose and dose easy green all week and my nitrates are always 10-15ppm. I’m hoping my plants are just sucking it up.

Everything seems happy at 10-15ppm.  

[JoeQ]

On 4/8/2022 at 9:40 AM, Kurt Brutting said:

I don’t know why, but I dose and dose and dose easy green all week and my nitrates are always 10-15ppm. I’m hoping my plants are just sucking it up.

Everything seems happy at 10-15ppm.  

I have the same problem, my solution has been to cull fast growing nitrate hogs (water sprite and wisteria) and to add a no3 day instead of iron day. 

Also, get a 3rd party to test your water. It could be an inaccurate test kit

[lefty o]

On 4/8/2022 at 8:40 AM, Kurt Brutting said:

I don’t know why, but I dose and dose and dose easy green all week and my nitrates are always 10-15ppm. I’m hoping my plants are just sucking it up.

Everything seems happy at 10-15ppm.  

if the plants look happy, and healthy, dont sweat the numbers.

[Patrick_G]

I’ve read a range of opinions from 5ppm-50ppm, and seem examples of beautiful tanks being maintained at different points along that range. 
It too bad that the farms don’t release care guides that include optimum fertilizer levels for each plant. They have the info because it affects their bottom line, but I don’t see it being made available to customers. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 4/8/2022 at 8:15 AM, Patrick_G said:

It too bad that the farms don’t release care guides that include optimum fertilizer levels for each plant. They have the info because it affects their bottom line, but I don’t see it being made available to customers. 

The other side of that coin is that all plants require different fert amounts and different needs. some stems might have similar requirements, some anubias might have similar requirements, the family/species crossover is a guide for how to handle the plants in the tank, but, depending on how the farm is setup their fert usage and schedule is very likely not even water based or is a flow through system similar to hydroponics (and what cory is doing in his fishroom with the tubs)

 Maybe there is a fertilizer method and requirement stat that should be added to the co-op's plants side of the website to help guide people. low, medium, and high, compared to just saying you should use easy green, easy iron, and/or root tabs.

 

[Patrick_G]

On 4/8/2022 at 9:49 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

The other side of that coin is that all plants require different fert amounts and different needs. some stems might have similar requirements, some anubias might have similar requirements, the family/species crossover is a guide for how to handle the plants in the tank, but, depending on how the farm is setup their fert usage and schedule is very likely not even water based or is a flow through system similar to hydroponics (and what cory is doing in his fishroom with the tubs)

You’re right, it could be that the plants look so good at the store because they’re being farmed emersed and not because they’re using some special sauce for individual species. 

For many common garden plants we’re lucky to have access to university extensions and all the great info they provide. 
In the minuscule aquatic ornamentals market there’s no incentive for a university to research and publish care guides.