# NH4 and plants growth



## kekon (Aug 1, 2005)

Are NH4 ions needed for the proper plant growth ? And, will plants grow well if there aren't NH4 ions ?


----------



## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

NH4 will grow plants, but it will gorw algae faster. Better to use NO3 as plants can utilize it better than algaes can.


----------



## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I agree with Simpte. There seems to be some good evidence out there that plants actually prefer NH4+ to most other forms of nitrogen. Tom Barr has done some work that leads him to believe that NH4+ is one of the nutrients that can universally produce an algae bloom if added to the tank. The plants seem to be perfectly able to utilize NO3 with many fewer issues with algae and less of an ammonia load to the fish.


----------



## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

If NH4 is available only from the substrate there shouldn't be a big problem with algae.


----------



## kekon (Aug 1, 2005)

But if one stirs up the substrate and its particles get into the water and dissolve then NH4 will be present for algae. The problem may appear if we have to replant some plants by taking them out of the substrate. Unfortunately some plants must be pulled out from the substrate in order to prune them (Alternatera Reinecki for example). Nevertheless, NH4 is a very controversial issue and many people are tempted to dose it into the tank. 
When it comes to me, I'm reluctant to dose it now but my friend has problems with stunted growth and with "falling plant tips". I mean, he doses KNO3, KH2PO4 and reconstitutes RO water using CaCl2, NaHCO3, MgSO4. As a trace mix he uses TMG. Although NO3, PO4, Ca, Mg etc. are at proper levels he still has stunted growth and we both don't know what's going on. "Falling plant tips" happens after prunning and putting cut stems into the substrate (I don't have the problem in my tank). I don't know exactly how it looks like (I don't have photos yet) but he thought it was caused by lack of NH4 ions. As far as my tank is concerned, the plant growth was improved after doubling Ca from 13 ppm to 25 ppm but I still have very slow growth of Rotala Rotundifolia. After prunning, new leafs begin to grow only after a week


----------



## detlef (Dec 24, 2004)

Hi kekon,

what has helped my RR was upping Mg levels. Try adding 0,2 g MgSo4 x 7H2O per 80L for 4 days running and let us know if the Rotalas started to grow. Don't change anything else, try consistency in dosing amounts especially with NO3 >5ppm and CO2 ~30ppm. If your plants are Mg deficient you should see an improvement pretty fast (less than a week).

Regards,
Detlef


----------



## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

www.BarrReport.com


----------



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

For stunting/deformed growth on your plants, I would first look towards your Ca, Mg and K. As Tom and others have said, dosing NH4 is not a good idea.


----------

