Nitrate reducing plants in a planted tank

[walk23]

I have a 75g planted tank. mainly anaubas, swords, some vallis and 2 crypts. Beside eye appeal the reason for plants was nitrate reduction. I recently upped my w/c from 25% to 33% to bring the nitrates from about 80 to now about 20 ppm. I know I need to reduce them more, and in a 29g bare bottom 33% w/c yeilds 0 nitrates per day.
Are there better choices in plants to assist my reducing nitrates? I know faster growing plants would help but which ones? I am using only a little over a watt and a half for the planted tank. Suggestions please.
I once used an undergravel filter and found no matter how much water changing I did never helped much. Never have had any measurable nitrites, hence one reason I went to a planted tank.
Thanks
Kevin

[jules]

Try some pothos(houseplant) roots in the tank.

[Wahter]

I believe Diana Walstad's book, "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" (http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/00388.htm) shows that plants prefer nitrites over nitrates and will take in nitrites before taking in nitrates.

Anubias are among the slowest growing of the usualy aquarium plants. You didn't mention if you have CO2 or how bright your lights are, but faster growing plants would include stems plants such as:

Rotala rotundifolia (http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=033)

Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=053F)

Hygrophila polysperma (http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=050) (this plant is a noxious invasive weed)

Ambulia (Limnophila sessiliflora (http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=047))

also water sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides (http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=005A)) is a fast growing plant.

Hope that helps.

[shalu]

I recently upped my w/c from 25% to 33% to bring the nitrates from about 80 to now about 20 ppm.
Kevin
Daily? Weekly? If weekly, I would not compare it to daily wc in bare bottom. You need to do the same wc(a little less in a heavily planted with bright light/high CO2) as bare bottom tank.

[walk23]

I am doing dailey water changes, about 25 gal. My source is nitrate free. Do not show nitrites. As stated earler I once had an undergravel filter system that was a nitrate factory. I run one Emperior 280 and a Tetra 500, a 10 fold turnover rate per hr. I am comparing apples to apples- daily rates.
Thanks

[Anonapersona]

If you have floating plants they will be able to obtain all the CO2 they need from the surface so if you add anything that floats you will have a good nitrate sink. Most of the stem plants are fine as floaters, plus there are the traditional floaters like duckweed and so on but these will block the light for the lower plants.

[RAWesolowski]

Kevin,

I use h. difformis and c. thalictroides. Floating the difformis seems to help it suck up nitrites and ammonia, that I view as building blocks for nitrates. I noticed that Wahter gave you links to Tropica, a great site!

Use the button in the upper right hand corner to do a targeted seach for fast growing plants for your aquarium!

[Eurogalex]

Hello,

As you can see I´m from Spain then sorry for my poor English.

To reduce your nitrates you should use fast growing plants. How many watt / liter do you have?? Do you use co2??
Knowing this parameters I could help you better. Fast growing plants requires good light conditions and co2 but there´s some which are easier to mantain without it.

rgds
Eurogalex

[walk23]

No CO2. Watts/ gal about 1.5. I recently added wisteria and lowered my temp.to about 83 from originally 86.
Thanks
Kevin :angel:

[Tiptoptank]

Any stem plant will help but not that much if you are only rocken 1.5 and no co2. I have mostly stems in my tank and I have to add nitrates just to keep the plants healthy. I probly add about 5ml of nitro+ every 2 days. Try riccia and just let it float. It will grow very fast and eat up alot of every nutrient.