# Seeking the truth at heart



## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

Yo. This is a journal I've decided to make to keep tabs on my research. I've got numerous things listed in my bookmark that it makes it more difficult to keep up.. So I figured this would be the perfect website to add all the stuff I find ^.^ Especially because I know a few curious aquarists out there will be just as interested as I am in the matter.
More than likely, this'll be planted tank related. As there's so much information to gather, it's hard to keep track of it all >.< So to any who are interested, enjoy <3


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm trying to find as much as I can about nutrients and how it coincides with making a planted tank thrive. There are so many factors, it just seems like I need to dig anywhere and everywhere I can to narrow down the gap between "It must be because I'm not good at growing plants" to "I know exactly why this didn't work."

http://www.algone.com/articles/aquarium-plants/aquarium-plant-fertilizer

This seemed like a very interesting article about fertilization. It touches up on how important CO2 and pH levels are- as it seems that most mentions on plant care are lax about it... I know it's mostly because this site and many other threads thrive on lower light plants, but I'd like to branch out and see what can really make a tank grow- and even so, low light plants can benefit from CO2. I honestly just think it depends on how well you balance your plants and your tanks out... And pH- who really thinks about that when wanting to have plants in their aquarium? I know I didn't xD lol....


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

I was reading into fertilizers and seeing as how one particular article mentioned that it's better to use ferts that don't have certain things such as nitrates and a few other things I can't quite think of at the moment ^.^;; Anyway, I looked at the ingredients on my Seachem Flourish bottle to see what it contained and one of them was nitrogen. It got me thinking "Hey, aren't nitrates the finished product of the nitrogen cycle? And if that's the case why is it that this has nitrogen and what's the difference between the two?" Haven't answered the first part, but I found this short article explaining a little about nitrogen and nitrate.

http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-nitrogen-and-vs-nitrate/

Essentially, they're the same. Main difference is that nitrogen is an element while nitrate is a compound that is coupled with oxygen. It's funny how nitrogen is a non-combustable element while when it becomes nitrate it can be explosive.. and I only mention this because my boyfriend was bringing up how when you have a non-combustable atom (like water) it has derived components that are explosive (ie. hydrogen and oxygen- they're both combustable yet when converted into water they're neutralized).

Anyway, I know I said I was going to touch up on macro and micro nutrients, but I just haven't had the time to dig around much.... I'll definitely get back to that as soon as..... I get to it >.>


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

Really not much of a poster when it comes to this site. I've been digging here and there at a leisurely pace for research. I'm very eager to learn as much as I can about the subject of aquarium plants, but I find when I tend to rush things, I grow bored of it much faster. I'm not saying this is by any means a boring subject, but what I am saying is my personality enjoys dynamics.
Now, today I stumbled across this very nice read about preparation and maintenance when it comes to planted tank. I've yet to finish it, but once I do I might say a thing or two about it- hopefully more or less what I learned and theories that seem like they might have a connection with one or another (like how I feel when it comes to plants processing ammonia or ammonium and how that could change your pH balance over a period of time)

http://lowlightlowtechplanted.blogspot.com/

So far I love the first illustration they provide showing how different elements affect the soil and the water- I was in doubt, but because of this picture that's provided I can see why its such a great benefit to have something like trumpet snails in your tank. The fact that the soil is being aerated properly means that the soil gets the oxygen it needs to form good bacteria. This bacteria helps to break down anaerobic gas pockets (illustrated as the anaerobic substrate and severe a/s in the picture) which in turn helps to break it down into the nutrients needed for plants to thrive on. (If you know anything about making compost, then you'll know it is the same concept of stirring the compost pile every so often so it may provide oxygen and develop good bacteria).
See, I knew that anaerobic gas pockets were bad, but seeing it in this kind of light helps envision the structure on how it's developed naturally and how it in turn is broken down to continue the cycle. It shows how while large pockets of this gas can be devastating to a tank, small increments of it is actually what helps break down the smaller, already broken down particles of waste.

http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/encyclopedia/anaerobic-substrate

I probably should've looked at the first page I found more thoroughly on the off-chance it has more information about it, but I went ahead and googled about 'anaerobic substrate' to better understand what it is and why it happens. Nice short read explaining how anaerobic substrate is what develops from rotting foods or plant debris. It's also interesting how they point out having small patches of anaerobic substrate can benefit ones tank as it "helps prevent nutrients becoming oxidized and unusable" which is something you never usually hear from people who talk about anaerobic gas/substrate. Speaking of, it's very interesting how preventing things from oxidizing helps to prolong life- typically it's things like painting over a wooden fence, using primer on a vehicle when painting it, using mineral oil on a sword or knives to keep the blade from rusting, etc. I just never would have thought of keeping nutrients in substrate from oxidizing an issue until now.... *shrugs* The more you know, right?

Well, I'm out. Hopefully I'll start posting more here so I can keep up with my findings better. There have been other things I've stumbled upon in my scavangings, but I regret I didn't document the website here like I originally planned... Ah well.. Just means I need to be more active! Both in life and on this site!
Good tidings all~


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