This makes a lot of sense. I have a pond with pothos plants which grew almost a size of an umbrella and since then I never have to do water changes in my pond.
This all makes way more sense to me now. I thought that it used nitrate, but it uses ammonia first and thus lowering the nitrates. Thanks as always for explaining the ins and outs of the aquarium. I love learning why and how things work.
Thanks Dr Novak for this clarification. It explains a lot of things that I have observed in the past few months. I had read that the plants prefer ammonia over nitrates but most aquarists seemed to say it will use nitrates in the absence of ammonia. This however doesn't seem to be the case. My nitrates had come down from the 60-80ppm range down to the 20-40ppm range and zero ammonia and zero nitrites over the past 4 months after implementing the anoxic filter however it was not going down further even with the pothos and the pothos was stagnant even though it did not die it was not sending out new buds. It sent out some roots but not as much as expected with the high levels of nitrates. For 5 months it remained stagnant with the existing leaves. 3 weeks ago, I experimented with adding some sugar as a carbon source to the sump filter to increase the heterotrophic bacteria in the hopes of reducing nitrates further. However, every time I added the sugar, there was a slight & temporary increase in ammonia probably due to the assimilatory denitrification taking place and producing ammonia. My nitrates did come down in the water flowing out of the filter to below 20ppm & guess what happened to the pothos? Over the past one week it has started sending out new buds all over which further confirms your explanation that this is probably due to the increased ammonia as food source for the pothos. There has been no changes in the ambient lighting, feeding or number of fish over this period. The only thing that changed was the ammonia after dosing with sugar.
You're not the only one that has witnessed this. Most people find a pothos really doesn't do anything or bring their nitrates down in their aquariums. You would think, however, after 50-years of use, it would be more than substantiate that pathos would bring down nitrates without question. I mean, after all, people have been using it for over 50 years and still nobody can say absolutely that it works to bring down nitrates. Another Emperor's new clothes .
Four of my well planted aquariums (no plenums) are generally at zero nitrates. In fact I have to add nitrates via Flourish Nitrogen- otherwise the plants show classical signs of nitrogen deficiency (browning leaves while still getting new growth). These four aquariums are similarly populated with fish and plants to your plenum containing tanks. As a scientist, and since you are making zero nitrate claims, how do you know the low nitrates are truly a result of anoxic filtration and not just your planted aquariums? Any plans to demonstrate a controlled experement with your plenums, where one aquarium has plants, the other no plants? I do believe this would add credibility for the "doubting Thomases".
Thanks for the video! Question: when I buy live plants, and they come in the weight, can I just put the plant with the weight inside the tank and leave it there for a while without taking it out then putting it in the substrate? 😊👍🏼🐠🌱
It mostly depends on the type of nitrate. If its ammonium nitrate it will use it and yes, they DO use some nitrate on their own but mostly just interrupts the nitrogen cycle. That alone will lower the nitrate levels if you have fish in the tank.
hi doc, you got me looking around and i am surprised how many people do this with regular house plants. here's another i found- ''I keep peace lillies like that (we'll not on wood but tied to a stick behind the tank with the roots in the water) as well as maidenhead fern, lucky bamboo, ficus sp and anthurium." i wonder if any of them can remove nitrates better than pothos.
Dr. Novak. Just thinking. What about watercress? Grows in fast moving streams. You can find it in the herb or salad section in a bag at a good grocery store with the roots still in tac and live. Might be a nice try to clean up nitrates, etc. Plus, you would get a bonus of a nice salad edition.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums It is also in the fresh vegetables section. I just bought a bunch to try one. The rest I eat the leaves. Might be a good video experiment for you. Great informative videos you always put out.
So... in short, a plenum and a tank with plants like Pothos will basically do the same thing as far as removing toxins in the aquarium? I thought i was missing something because i have a 55g tank without a plenum but i never have ANY nitrates, nitrites, or ammonia readings when i test. I do a water change based on schedule and fear . I have a 75G tank that i plan on having up in about a week with the same setup with the exception i chose your method to build it with a plenum. now im kinda confused because based on what you have said, the plenum might starve the plants out ....
The most valued fertilizer plants need is iron, which you can put in flourish iron. I put in about 2 mL once or twice a week in a 90 gallon aquarium full of plants.
Given ammonia is even more detrimental to your tank's inhabitants, do you agree that using Pothos and other terrestrial plants to remove NH3 is still a good, even great strategy for aiding in tank health?
It is if you want to do it. However, my new video that is coming out on the third will probably discourage you from using Pothos as one of those plants to take up nitrates out of the aquarium water.
When I made the comment last week I actually did not know about this fundamental difference in terrestrial/aquatic plants so thanks for this explanation - I thought all plants barely use any nitrates/nitrites. I think your filters are doing such a good job with aerobic bacteria that they're not giving the pothos enough of a chance to eat up your ammonia - if you reduce oxygen levels you might notice a reduction in nitrates by slowing down your aerobic bacteria and giving the pothos a competing chance.
What happens if you add pothos to a seasoned and moderate to heavily stocked tank with a large canister filter that has built up a ton of beneficial bacteria, keeping your ammonia and nitrite at zero? I was under the impression that they would first consume ammonia, but can also consume nitrates. Seems that if they thrive in well established tanks that have zero ammonia that this would be the case wouldn't it? Or would they outcompete the beneficial bacteria? I have seen some scientific articles that seem to indicate that epipremnum aureum has a preference for ammonia over nitrate, but that it will consume NO3. Even the Wikipedia article on epipremnum aureum indicates that it does consume nitrate. Much appreciated if you can link some scientific papers that indicate otherwise, and maybe even make the correction to the Wikipedia page. Thank you for the education your channel provides.
Hi Dr.Novak. I kinda get confused a little bit. Ammonia is a gas NH3 Ammonium is ammonia dissolved in water NH3 +H2O NH4 + OH [ NH4 +ve ion and OH-ve ion] So Ammonium[in water] is dependent on the ph of water is correct. Ammonium Nitrate is a salt NH4NO3 So maybe you can clarify a bit? Edit: video@ 6.00 "it does not use nitrates it uses ammonium nitrates" It should be ammonium. I used to get mixed up with these two terms Ammonia{NH3 gas} and Ammonium [NH4+ve ion]
Basically what the video is showing you is that the pothos uses ammonia/ammonium, not nitrates as a food source. In other words, if you don't have an ammonia problem, the Pothos really is not doing much to aid in water quality. What it does is give the hobbyist a false sense of security only. If you think it's working then if it helps you in your aquarium keeping, that's why people use it. Mangrove is another plant that's been used in the hobby, and has never been proven to aid in water quality.
No, it doesn't. In fact, it may even enhance your bacteria growth because the roots will aid in a site for the cells to live on to do the nitrogen cycle.
Diana Walstad explains this better in her book. Chapter F. Here is an excerpt: Nitrates predominate in many drier terrestrial soils. This is because there is plentiful oxygen, which nitrifying bacteria use to rapidly convert ammonium to nitrates. Nitrates accumulate, because oxygen discourages nitrate removal by denitrification (see page 63). Thus, many terrestrial plants, especially crop plants, have adapted well to their nitrate-rich environments, and in general, prefer nitrates or an ammonium/nitrate mixture over pure ammonium. In the aquatic environment, however, ammonium predominates. This is because almost all sediments supporting aquatic plant growth are anaerobic. Ammonium, not nitrates, tends to accumulate, because anaerobic conditions discourage nitrification and encourage denitrification. Because ammonium predominates in the aquatic environment, most aquatic plant species have developed an ammonium-based nutrition. The rare exceptions, such as Littorella uniflora, Lobelia dortmanna, Luronium natans, and Echinodorus ranunculoides, come from environments that are severely nutrient-depleted (‘ultraoligotrophic’) [52]. These environments favor nitrification and nitrate accumulation. Moreover, the plants themselves encourage nitrification by releasing particularly large amounts of oxygen into the root area [33]. These four species apparently prefer root uptake of nitrates over the more common leaf uptake of ammonium [22].
For most terrestrial plants they get their nitrates and ammonia through the soil but there are exceptions to that rule. Some plants have the ability to convert molecular nitrogen from the air(N2) to ammonia (NH3) thereby breaking the tough triple bond a molecular nitrogen.
I understand what you're saying. Basically, terrestrial plants consume ammonia (not nitrates). And since ammonia is the first part of the nitrogen cycle, and since ammonia is being consumed by the plants, there is nothing left to be converted into nitrates. Therefore, it appears that the terrestrial plants have consumed nitrates, but in fact they have prevented nitrates from ever forming in the first place. However, you failed to explain how it's possible to still have nitrates even when you are growing a lot of terrestrial plants in the aquarium. That's the more urgent question. According to you, my terrestrial plants are fueling their growth by consuming ammonia. Ok, fine. But then why do I still have nitrates? Furthermore, you said, "if you have high ammonia, [terrestrial plants] will take the ammonia out." .... Um, if you have high ammonia, you will kill your fish before the terrestrial plants have time to take the ammonia out.
Unfortunately, plants look for ammonia/ammonium, and not nitrates only when ammonia/ammonium is almost depleted ( 30% or less ) will a plant look for nitrates as a food source because it is chemical work. there are a few exceptions to this rule.
YUP ammonia! Here's the recipe In a separate tote add ammonia to the water (or fish water) and keep steady light on. Use airstones for oxygenation/movement. Some leaves will die but more will grow underwater. Submerged leaves will grow smaller but roots will take off along with the vines. It can be done! Pothos has to be conditioned this way first for full immersion. I've grown pothos underwater in fish tanks. There is always some dieback when adjusting but then it will grow. Just clip bad parts and leave submerged.
Does algae growth reduce nitrate?, also can you use fine stainless steel or aluminium mesh to prevent smaller sandy or 1mm substrate from falling through them plenum, google seemed to say they are toxic but I saw your button fern update and you had stainless, thanks for your content
Believe it or not, algae has been proven to reduce ammonia like in ponds, and can save your fish from a disaster.. Stainless steel as long as it is a good grade like the kind I'm using in the basket is 316 SS then it is safe for freshwater use. But I don't think I would use it for saltwater aquariums. Like the canister filter that I'm using from FZone is only 304 stainless steel and it's not recommended for saltwater aquariums.
Listen to your videos I believe your nitrate videos based off my own studies with cannister filter and flow rate but nitrates with pothos I am on sideline I have pothos and my level have come down with testing . I first started pothos in my aquarium because I follow a guy called half man half cichlid on you tube he has been in this game for many decades he has 300 gallon tanks and he has hydroponics pothos tied to his systems and it’s hard not to believe someone with so much data in front of your eyes. Please look at his videos and maybe there is some truth in plants. Thanks for the videos
Plants will definitely lower nitrates indirectly by preventing it from ever forming by taking up the low levels of ammonia from fish waste, whether they'll actually consume nitrates directly less clear
NO! In fact, there is no scientific proof, showing it along with mangroves that were considered to be water cleaners, were proven that they do not work also. And this is coming right from public aquariums.
Oh, I feel derogatory. But we can continue on that track.☺️ The hobbyist Dr Novak miss the more IMPORTANT question THAN what happens when you ADD those plants. A far more important information is what happens when we REMOVE them suddenly. There is the real danger for our live stock.. Hobbyist Dr Novak should understand but I see how could he, I understand that. (You see probably the very lessen tone towards your subscribers, that I copied from your videos.) When the hobbyist have heavy bioload in the aquarium. And photos and other plants take up all or the most of the ammonium that the live stock produce in the aquarium. As you say then there is no ammonium that will or can be used in the nitrogen cycle and interrupt that process.. So the hobbyist Dr Novak needs to make the full circle of logical conclusion. The consequence is that the different bacteria that do the ammonium to NO2 and the bacteria from NO2 to NO3 is starving to death and there is not enough of them, if all the ammonium consumed. So removing the photos and those plants will result in a ammonium spike when the bacteria quantity is not enough for handling that bio load that produces the ammonium. And the hobbyist need to know about that danger when they may think that the aquarium is "cycled" and up and running for years.. That is far more important to know than what happening when adding terrestrial plants. When in that going direction is not dangerous ☠️ for the livestock. 👍
You are contradicting yourself. You said, "those people who are using [terrestrial plants], like me, and still have nitrates... Why? Well, we know why. Because [terrestrial plants] can't use nitrates." But according to you, the terrestrial plants eliminate the nitrogen cycle at the beginning by consuming ammonia. So then where are the nitrates coming from? On the one hand, you're saying the terrestrial plants halt the nitrogen cycle and therefore no nitrates are produced. On the other hand, you're saying we still have nitrates in our tanks because terrestrial plants can't consume nitrates. But where did the nitrates come from, if the terrestrial plants prevented the nitrogen cycle?!
Exactly!!!! I follow these "So-called Educated Experts" with a grain of salt. This guy has contradicted himself to a point where...He himself is confused...LMAO!!!! It's a "Scientific Fact" you can't have Nitrate without the Nitrogen Cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle starts with Ammonia-->Nitrites-->Nitrates.... So we can safely say that Nitrites and Nitrates are the results of Ammonia breakdown and Both can be "referred" as... Ammonia Nitrite and Ammonia Nitrate... and both of these compounds are consumed by most PLANTS!!!! It is a FACT that plants will NOT consume ALL the Nitrates... you will still have 5ppm-10ppm in a well established fish tank. The goal of having terrestrial plants is to keep that Nitrate level to a MINIMUM...
Most terrestrial plants can get their nitrates from the air which is 78% nitrogen. So why then would the root systems need to even take in more nitrogen. They will take in nitrogen in the form of ammonium nitrate.
Well, I beg to differ Sir. I have a 3 year old 75g tank with 3 Central American Cichlids around 7 inches each. I have 2 HOB filters - I have my Pothos in both of these filters planted in Bio-Max and Filter floss on top to help keep my water clear. I feed my fish once a day every day. I have 0ppm Ammonia and Nitrite.... My Nitrate level stays between 5ppm-10ppm constantly. I only do water changes 2x a month. Before this setup, I had 2 canister filters and NO PLANTS... My Nitrates would range between 20ppm-120ppm and I was doing WEEKLY water changes, sometimes 2x a week. Plants will CONSUME NITRATES... they will NOT eliminate Nitrates but they will keep it at a MINIMUM!!!!
Hi Dr Novak , Thank you for the information. I have previously been told incorrect things regarding plants and nitrates. With a pothos plant do you start growing it in a pot with a hole in it so that the roots can grow into the water. Or the other way around. Put the whole plant in the aquarium and wait for the leaves to reach the top ? I have never even heard of this type of plant before , it really is very nice indeed. 🪴🌱🪴🌱
I just finished a brand new video on Pothos that will be coming out on the third. In that video, I explain that there are some terrestrial plants that have the ability to take nitrogen (N2) from the air and then convert it back into ammonia (NH3). This, then, would explain why you can take a stem of pothos and put it in a jar with normal tap water and give it no fertilizers and it will live for years with nothing but water being added to the jar.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Isn't nature just amazing Dr Novak and with our knowledge of science forever expanding we are learning new pieces of information all of the time. I shall look forward to your new video. 😊
This makes a lot of sense. I have a pond with pothos plants which grew almost a size of an umbrella and since then I never have to do water changes in my pond.
This all makes way more sense to me now. I thought that it used nitrate, but it uses ammonia first and thus lowering the nitrates. Thanks as always for explaining the ins and outs of the aquarium. I love learning why and how things work.
Terrestrial plants get most of their nitrates from nitrogen that is in the air since our air is full of nitrogen, which is about 78%.
Finally a great video with solid info . 👌
Glad you liked it
Thanks Dr Novak for this clarification. It explains a lot of things that I have observed in the past few months. I had read that the plants prefer ammonia over nitrates but most aquarists seemed to say it will use nitrates in the absence of ammonia. This however doesn't seem to be the case. My nitrates had come down from the 60-80ppm range down to the 20-40ppm range and zero ammonia and zero nitrites over the past 4 months after implementing the anoxic filter however it was not going down further even with the pothos and the pothos was stagnant even though it did not die it was not sending out new buds. It sent out some roots but not as much as expected with the high levels of nitrates. For 5 months it remained stagnant with the existing leaves. 3 weeks ago, I experimented with adding some sugar as a carbon source to the sump filter to increase the heterotrophic bacteria in the hopes of reducing nitrates further. However, every time I added the sugar, there was a slight & temporary increase in ammonia probably due to the assimilatory denitrification taking place and producing ammonia. My nitrates did come down in the water flowing out of the filter to below 20ppm & guess what happened to the pothos? Over the past one week it has started sending out new buds all over which further confirms your explanation that this is probably due to the increased ammonia as food source for the pothos. There has been no changes in the ambient lighting, feeding or number of fish over this period. The only thing that changed was the ammonia after dosing with sugar.
You're not the only one that has witnessed this. Most people find a pothos really doesn't do anything or bring their nitrates down in their aquariums. You would think, however, after 50-years of use, it would be more than substantiate that pathos would bring down nitrates without question. I mean, after all, people have been using it for over 50 years and still nobody can say absolutely that it works to bring down nitrates. Another Emperor's new clothes .
Bonjour merci beaucoup pour cette Dr. A chaque video que vous faites j'apprends une nouvelle chose. Encore merci et à bientôt pour la prochaine vidéo.
Wow!! Every once in awhile you learn something that changes everything.
Indeed!
Four of my well planted aquariums (no plenums) are generally at zero nitrates. In fact I have to add nitrates via Flourish Nitrogen- otherwise the plants show classical signs of nitrogen deficiency (browning leaves while still getting new growth). These four aquariums are similarly populated with fish and plants to your plenum containing tanks. As a scientist, and since you are making zero nitrate claims, how do you know the low nitrates are truly a result of anoxic filtration and not just your planted aquariums? Any plans to demonstrate a controlled experement with your plenums, where one aquarium has plants, the other no plants? I do believe this would add credibility for the "doubting Thomases".
Agreed, all my planted tanks have no nitrates and I have to add. And I definitely do not, and will not use cat litter plenum in my tanks.
Thanks makes so much sense I’m grateful for the knowledge 12:38
Thanks for the sound information as always. Happy New Year Dr. Novak!
Happy new year!
Enjoying a nice 2023 new year's evening catch up on videos with a nice cup of tea. Happy New Year Dr. Novak to you and your family!!!
Happy new year to you too
So great, Thank You. You are absolutely right no other channel with such great information available
My pleasure!
Thank you so much Dr. Novak
Thanks for the video! Question: when I buy live plants, and they come in the weight, can I just put the plant with the weight inside the tank and leave it there for a while without taking it out then putting it in the substrate?
😊👍🏼🐠🌱
Yes, absolutely
What plants are those on the top? Also do we fertilize our tank after setting up UGF?
It mostly depends on the type of nitrate. If its ammonium nitrate it will use it and yes, they DO use some nitrate on their own but mostly just interrupts the nitrogen cycle. That alone will lower the nitrate levels if you have fish in the tank.
Thank you for the information.
Thank you for sharing such information.
My pleasure
hi doc, you got me looking around and i am surprised how many people do this with regular house plants. here's another i found-
''I keep peace lillies like that (we'll not on wood but tied to a stick behind the tank with the roots in the water) as well as maidenhead fern, lucky bamboo, ficus sp and anthurium."
i wonder if any of them can remove nitrates better than pothos.
so.... it does work?
Yes, it works but it doesn't really take up nitrates like I thought it would.
Dr. Novak. Just thinking. What about watercress? Grows in fast moving streams. You can find it in the herb or salad section in a bag at a good grocery store with the roots still in tac and live. Might be a nice try to clean up nitrates, etc. Plus, you would get a bonus of a nice salad edition.
Great idea
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums It is also in the fresh vegetables section. I just bought a bunch to try one. The rest I eat the leaves. Might be a good video experiment for you.
Great informative videos you always put out.
So... in short, a plenum and a tank with plants like Pothos will basically do the same thing as far as removing toxins in the aquarium? I thought i was missing something because i have a 55g tank without a plenum but i never have ANY nitrates, nitrites, or ammonia readings when i test. I do a water change based on schedule and fear . I have a 75G tank that i plan on having up in about a week with the same setup with the exception i chose your method to build it with a plenum. now im kinda confused because based on what you have said, the plenum might starve the plants out ....
Well explained - thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
you said it like 10x :) but thanks.
Hi Mr Novak can you tell me the best type of fertiliser you recommend for aquarium with discus and do I put it in small pots thank you lv your channel
The most valued fertilizer plants need is iron, which you can put in flourish iron. I put in about 2 mL once or twice a week in a 90 gallon aquarium full of plants.
Given ammonia is even more detrimental to your tank's inhabitants, do you agree that using Pothos and other terrestrial plants to remove NH3 is still a good, even great strategy for aiding in tank health?
It is if you want to do it. However, my new video that is coming out on the third will probably discourage you from using Pothos as one of those plants to take up nitrates out of the aquarium water.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums I shall watch with the utmost curiousity!
Ok I get it. Pothos will suck up the amonia. Makes sense. But is it okay because using these plants will bypass the N cycle? Is this okay? Thanks Doc
yes it's okay
What is the name of that plant in the middle?
It's called a button fern you can buy them at Lowe's
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Thank you
When I made the comment last week I actually did not know about this fundamental difference in terrestrial/aquatic plants so thanks for this explanation - I thought all plants barely use any nitrates/nitrites. I think your filters are doing such a good job with aerobic bacteria that they're not giving the pothos enough of a chance to eat up your ammonia - if you reduce oxygen levels you might notice a reduction in nitrates by slowing down your aerobic bacteria and giving the pothos a competing chance.
The information I give is also from other hobbyist using pathos and have a greed that very little to no nitrates is even being used up by the plant.
Thanks for great info
What happens if you add pothos to a seasoned and moderate to heavily stocked tank with a large canister filter that has built up a ton of beneficial bacteria, keeping your ammonia and nitrite at zero? I was under the impression that they would first consume ammonia, but can also consume nitrates. Seems that if they thrive in well established tanks that have zero ammonia that this would be the case wouldn't it? Or would they outcompete the beneficial bacteria? I have seen some scientific articles that seem to indicate that epipremnum aureum has a preference for ammonia over nitrate, but that it will consume NO3. Even the Wikipedia article on epipremnum aureum indicates that it does consume nitrate. Much appreciated if you can link some scientific papers that indicate otherwise, and maybe even make the correction to the Wikipedia page. Thank you for the education your channel provides.
Dr. Novak can floating plants help in this regard?
How floating plants are different, a lot of them do get most of their food source is nitrogen and only about 1/4 of their food source is ammonium.
Sir, because they don't like to be rooted in substrate. Aren't plants like water hyacinth and water lettuce used in water treatment Dr.?
Hi Dr.Novak.
I kinda get confused a little bit.
Ammonia is a gas NH3
Ammonium is ammonia dissolved in water NH3 +H2O NH4 + OH [ NH4 +ve ion and OH-ve ion]
So Ammonium[in water] is dependent on the ph of water is correct.
Ammonium Nitrate is a salt NH4NO3
So maybe you can clarify a bit?
Edit: video@ 6.00 "it does not use nitrates it uses ammonium nitrates" It should be ammonium. I used to get mixed up with these two terms Ammonia{NH3 gas} and Ammonium [NH4+ve ion]
Basically what the video is showing you is that the pothos uses ammonia/ammonium, not nitrates as a food source. In other words, if you don't have an ammonia problem, the Pothos really is not doing much to aid in water quality. What it does is give the hobbyist a false sense of security only. If you think it's working then if it helps you in your aquarium keeping, that's why people use it. Mangrove is another plant that's been used in the hobby, and has never been proven to aid in water quality.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Ok thanks. It is ammonium and not ammonium nitrate as the food source.
So,
Does adding Pothos to aquarium effect your beneficial bacteria that's in your filter since it's reducing ammonia from cycle?
No, it doesn't. In fact, it may even enhance your bacteria growth because the roots will aid in a site for the cells to live on to do the nitrogen cycle.
🤔
Diana Walstad explains this better in her book. Chapter F. Here is an excerpt: Nitrates predominate in many drier terrestrial soils. This is because there is plentiful oxygen, which nitrifying bacteria use to rapidly convert ammonium to nitrates. Nitrates accumulate, because oxygen discourages nitrate removal by denitrification (see page 63). Thus, many terrestrial plants, especially crop plants, have adapted well to their nitrate-rich environments, and in general, prefer nitrates or an ammonium/nitrate mixture over pure ammonium. In the aquatic environment, however, ammonium predominates. This is because almost all sediments supporting aquatic plant growth are anaerobic. Ammonium, not nitrates, tends to accumulate, because anaerobic conditions discourage nitrification and encourage denitrification. Because ammonium predominates in the aquatic environment, most aquatic plant species have developed an ammonium-based nutrition. The rare exceptions, such as Littorella uniflora, Lobelia dortmanna, Luronium natans, and Echinodorus ranunculoides, come from environments that are severely nutrient-depleted (‘ultraoligotrophic’) [52]. These environments favor nitrification and nitrate accumulation. Moreover, the plants themselves encourage nitrification by releasing particularly large amounts of oxygen into the root area [33]. These four species apparently prefer root uptake of nitrates over the more common leaf uptake of ammonium [22].
For most terrestrial plants they get their nitrates and ammonia through the soil but there are exceptions to that rule. Some plants have the ability to convert molecular nitrogen from the air(N2) to ammonia (NH3) thereby breaking the tough triple bond a molecular nitrogen.
How do you get the pothos to grow “bushy”, instead of growing more like a vine?
I have to just keep trimming the plant and taking the runners off.
I understand what you're saying. Basically, terrestrial plants consume ammonia (not nitrates). And since ammonia is the first part of the nitrogen cycle, and since ammonia is being consumed by the plants, there is nothing left to be converted into nitrates. Therefore, it appears that the terrestrial plants have consumed nitrates, but in fact they have prevented nitrates from ever forming in the first place. However, you failed to explain how it's possible to still have nitrates even when you are growing a lot of terrestrial plants in the aquarium. That's the more urgent question. According to you, my terrestrial plants are fueling their growth by consuming ammonia. Ok, fine. But then why do I still have nitrates? Furthermore, you said, "if you have high ammonia, [terrestrial plants] will take the ammonia out." .... Um, if you have high ammonia, you will kill your fish before the terrestrial plants have time to take the ammonia out.
Why's cory saying we need 100ppm nitrates in our tanks. Is it just to sell fertilizer?
Unfortunately, plants look for ammonia/ammonium, and not nitrates only when ammonia/ammonium is almost depleted ( 30% or less ) will a plant look for nitrates as a food source because it is chemical work. there are a few exceptions to this rule.
I honestly don't care about the ammonia or nitrate debate, just need to know how to keep it alive in a fish tank. It's slowly dying already.
Should grow as long as it has enough light and not submerged.
YUP ammonia! Here's the recipe
In a separate tote add ammonia to the water (or fish water) and keep steady light on. Use airstones for oxygenation/movement. Some leaves will die but more will grow underwater. Submerged leaves will grow smaller but roots will take off along with the vines. It can be done! Pothos has to be conditioned this way first for full immersion. I've grown pothos underwater in fish tanks. There is always some dieback when adjusting but then it will grow. Just clip bad parts and leave submerged.
Does algae growth reduce nitrate?, also can you use fine stainless steel or aluminium mesh to prevent smaller sandy or 1mm substrate from falling through them plenum, google seemed to say they are toxic but I saw your button fern update and you had stainless, thanks for your content
Believe it or not, algae has been proven to reduce ammonia like in ponds, and can save your fish from a disaster.. Stainless steel as long as it is a good grade like the kind I'm using in the basket is 316 SS then it is safe for freshwater use. But I don't think I would use it for saltwater aquariums. Like the canister filter that I'm using from FZone is only 304 stainless steel and it's not recommended for saltwater aquariums.
Listen to your videos I believe your nitrate videos based off my own studies with cannister filter and flow rate but nitrates with pothos I am on sideline I have pothos and my level have come down with testing . I first started pothos in my aquarium because I follow a guy called half man half cichlid on you tube he has been in this game for many decades he has 300 gallon tanks and he has hydroponics pothos tied to his systems and it’s hard not to believe someone with so much data in front of your eyes. Please look at his videos and maybe there is some truth in plants. Thanks for the videos
Plants will definitely lower nitrates indirectly by preventing it from ever forming by taking up the low levels of ammonia from fish waste, whether they'll actually consume nitrates directly less clear
So one more time...does pothos break down nitates ?..
NO! In fact, there is no scientific proof, showing it along with mangroves that were considered to be water cleaners, were proven that they do not work also. And this is coming right from public aquariums.
plants prefer ammonia fist nitrate second, if none of those are present they take nitrate .
Oh, I feel derogatory. But we can continue on that track.☺️
The hobbyist Dr Novak miss the more IMPORTANT question THAN what happens when you ADD those plants.
A far more important information is what happens when we REMOVE them suddenly.
There is the real danger for our live stock..
Hobbyist Dr Novak should understand but I see how could he, I understand that.
(You see probably the very lessen tone towards your subscribers, that I copied from your videos.)
When the hobbyist have heavy bioload in the aquarium. And photos and other plants take up all or the most of the ammonium that the live stock produce in the aquarium.
As you say then there is no ammonium that will or can be used in the nitrogen cycle and interrupt that process.. So the hobbyist Dr Novak needs to make the full circle of logical conclusion.
The consequence is that the different bacteria that do the ammonium to NO2 and the bacteria from NO2 to NO3 is starving to death and there is not enough of them, if all the ammonium consumed.
So removing the photos and those plants will result in a ammonium spike when the bacteria quantity is not enough for handling that bio load that produces the ammonium.
And the hobbyist need to know about that danger when they may think that the aquarium is "cycled" and up and running for years..
That is far more important to know than what happening when adding terrestrial plants. When in that going direction is not dangerous ☠️ for the livestock. 👍
Plants prefer ammonia to nitrates. And high nitrates are not a real bother.
You are contradicting yourself. You said, "those people who are using [terrestrial plants], like me, and still have nitrates... Why? Well, we know why. Because [terrestrial plants] can't use nitrates." But according to you, the terrestrial plants eliminate the nitrogen cycle at the beginning by consuming ammonia. So then where are the nitrates coming from? On the one hand, you're saying the terrestrial plants halt the nitrogen cycle and therefore no nitrates are produced. On the other hand, you're saying we still have nitrates in our tanks because terrestrial plants can't consume nitrates. But where did the nitrates come from, if the terrestrial plants prevented the nitrogen cycle?!
Exactly!!!! I follow these "So-called Educated Experts" with a grain of salt. This guy has contradicted himself to a point where...He himself is confused...LMAO!!!! It's a "Scientific Fact" you can't have Nitrate without the Nitrogen Cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle starts with Ammonia-->Nitrites-->Nitrates.... So we can safely say that Nitrites and Nitrates are the results of Ammonia breakdown and Both can be "referred" as... Ammonia Nitrite and Ammonia Nitrate... and both of these compounds are consumed by most PLANTS!!!! It is a FACT that plants will NOT consume ALL the Nitrates... you will still have 5ppm-10ppm in a well established fish tank. The goal of having terrestrial plants is to keep that Nitrate level to a MINIMUM...
Because plants prefer ammonia over nitrates ☀️
Most terrestrial plants can get their nitrates from the air which is 78% nitrogen. So why then would the root systems need to even take in more nitrogen. They will take in nitrogen in the form of ammonium nitrate.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Duly noted 📐
Well, I beg to differ Sir. I have a 3 year old 75g tank with 3 Central American Cichlids around 7 inches each. I have 2 HOB filters - I have my Pothos in both of these filters planted in Bio-Max and Filter floss on top to help keep my water clear. I feed my fish once a day every day. I have 0ppm Ammonia and Nitrite.... My Nitrate level stays between 5ppm-10ppm constantly. I only do water changes 2x a month. Before this setup, I had 2 canister filters and NO PLANTS... My Nitrates would range between 20ppm-120ppm and I was doing WEEKLY water changes, sometimes 2x a week. Plants will CONSUME NITRATES... they will NOT eliminate Nitrates but they will keep it at a MINIMUM!!!!
Hi Dr Novak , Thank you for the information. I have previously been told incorrect things regarding plants and nitrates.
With a pothos plant do you start growing it in a pot with a hole in it so that the roots can grow into the water. Or the other way around. Put the whole plant in the aquarium and wait for the leaves to reach the top ? I have never even heard of this type of plant before , it really is very nice indeed. 🪴🌱🪴🌱
I just finished a brand new video on Pothos that will be coming out on the third. In that video, I explain that there are some terrestrial plants that have the ability to take nitrogen (N2) from the air and then convert it back into ammonia (NH3). This, then, would explain why you can take a stem of pothos and put it in a jar with normal tap water and give it no fertilizers and it will live for years with nothing but water being added to the jar.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Isn't nature just amazing Dr Novak and with our knowledge of science forever expanding we are learning new pieces of information all of the time. I shall look forward to your new video. 😊