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  1. #1
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    working level of nitrates

    at what ppm of nitrates do you consider the best level for crop development while maintaining the health of the aquatic animals?

    what level of nitrates do you maintain to produce the crops without adding additional nutrients or minerals?

    at what point do you consider your system balanced? (i would consider that at a level where the level of nitrates has stabilized the plants are balanced with the output of nitrates created by the aquatic animals)

  2. #2
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: working level of nitrates

    Well, the nitrate levels won't indicate whether you need more or less of the other nutrients or minerals. As far as the nitrate levels themselves, you can get away with pretty low levels if you have enough water flow. I have seen studies showing production levels at 40 ppm equal to the standard hydroponic levels (which were considerably higher). Mine is currently sitting between 40-80 and I have a 5 foot corn plant working on some nice ears of corn.

  3. #3
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    Re: working level of nitrates

    is there a point urbanfarmer when your system balances where nitrates used equals nitrates produced?

  4. #4
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: working level of nitrates

    The plants have a variable uptake depending on plant size, phase of life, fruting/veggings, etc, and the creation of nitrates is also variable depending on temp, feed, fish mass, bacteria population size, pH, etc. I can't really say anyone would have an exact number that is constant, ever!

  5. #5
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    Re: working level of nitrates

    I am about to test my systems water for the first time. System one has been running over a year, system 2 for a couple months. pH is doing fine, i guess everything else is too since I dont have any floating fish or dieing plants.

    Whats a normal level for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate ext. . . ?

    I have just been going with the flow and it works for me. Just going to check the situation out to add to my journal. Maybe if it is laying around in the future and the grandkids pick it up and say "what the hell was grandpa up to?"

  6. #6
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: working level of nitrates

    LOL, that's great! Ammonia and nitrite should be pretty low, near 0. Nitrate can be almost any number. You would really have to monitor your system over a long time to determine if the nitrate is "too high" in your system. This is all RELATIVE. For instance, you might read it one month and it's over 200 ppm and the following month it might be near 0. The plants will react to the nitrogen and grow bigger and hungrier, but as the nitrates run out they might scale back and even start fruiting and flowering more heavily. In a backyard system (non-commercial) where there is no specific goal besides having a healthy system, the numbers barely matter. What you have done so far is PERFECT. Good work, and don't stress about it.

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