Consumption?

[Phishless]

This thread is about consumption not related to TB mind you!

I'm not interested in fert recipes or dosing methods etc...
Some follow EI, 50% WC end of week, PPS Pro, some dose who knows what.

Has anyone tried measuring consumption from plants?

For 14 weeks I've paid extreme attention to what I dose and what I test to determine plant uptake.
Basing the macro consumption on NO3 using an API test kit with a 2nd test diluted with 50% RODI.
API can be a testy guess @ times, a second test proves your in the ballpark.
Testing micro consumption with a Hanna Fe checker.

The Results:
Average NO3 uptake per day 3-3.5ppm.
Average Fe uptake per day .015ppm.

The tank being tested is an 80G heavily planted, density off the hook.
Small bio-load, maybe 22" worth of phish that are fed every 3rd day.
Phish include 10 harlequin rasboras and 12 small Cory's.
CO2 @ least 45ppm and 120 PAR @ substrate.

I would link some pics but linked images seem deformed unless they are opened in a new tab.
What are the display limits/options in threads in this forum?

It is typically quiet here so I'm trying to stir the kettle!

Night All:

[Wobblebonk]

I hate doing the api nitrate test. I don't really want to get a pneumatic paint shaker... not jerking off that bottle every day! I like how the seachem test works a little better, but a few amazon comments complain about their nitrate reagent going bad. Whatever it's cheap enough I might just go ahead and order one to try it anyhow.

[Phishless]

The main point here was plant consumption!

The Results: Heavily planted tank
Average NO3 uptake per day 3-3.5ppm.
Average Fe uptake per day .015ppm.


API NO3 kit I've never had an issue.
I've reduced this to a 1ml water sample with 2 drops of each reagent.
If color is negligible I do a 2nd test cut with 50% RODI.

[Wobblebonk]

Yeah but requires regular testing how do I measure this accurately when my craziest tank evaporates gallons of water a week and is still dropping tds I'm estimating about 3-4 ppm a day because with topping off and dosing the tds remains roughly stable if I give it around there but like you I hardly dose iron and do way less than 50% water changes. Also running > 40 ppm co2 and par is probably slightly higher than 120 but theres hardly anywhere I can get my seneye on the substrate without it being shaded.

[Phishless]

I always top with pure RODI so everything is relative.
Constantly declining TDS always!

I don't test a lot, every 7 days or so, maybe longer.
Key is I know exactly what I dose and until the NO3 test proves well just wait till the next test.

This was a very painful attachment, resized and lower DPI.
bbcode will not resize a linked image, tried several different ways.

[Wobblebonk]

Then I'm sticking with my 3-4ppm no3 daily and I'll have to figure something out to give some kind of answer for micros consumption.