High Nitrate Effect on Plant Growth

[Richard Kowalski]

It's getting cold here on Long Island, NY so I had to move my tilapia inside.

I built a mini Flood/Drain System to act as the filter for the fish. 

Fish Tank Temp 70F

PH 6.8

Ammonia .25 ppm

Nitrite 0 ppm

Nitrate Off the Charts

I planted Bush Beans, Spinach, Basil and Romaine Lettuce. All from seed. It has been about 4 weeks and the Beans took off. Notice how long and tall they are. 

  The Basil and Romaine Lettuce are growing slowly, or maybe it just seems slow compared to the Beans.I thought that the leaf vegies would be the ones to take off with the Nitrate level being so high.  If the Nitrate levels don't come down, will it effect the Bean plant ability to produce  Beans?

[Jack Dunbar]

Hi Richard. My Nitrates were 160 ppm and my beans were loaded. I don't know if I was just lucky or it was the type of bean. I always thought that with high nitrates you would get a great plant but maybe not so much fruit but my stringbeans did extremely well. My cucumbers are also loaded but the majority get a couple " long and turn yellow and die. I will usually get one that will mature to be eaten. I notice that you have a grow light. I'm guessing that this is inside. I had to use a couple of fans to help with pollination.  

[Richard Kowalski]

Yes Jack,

My Blue Tilapia had to be moved inside due to the cold weather. I dont heat the fish tank because the electric rates are high in New York. The temperature of the water is a steady 70 F right now indoors. Im sure the Tilapia would love it if the water temperature could be 80 F. But they will have to deal with 70 F. They dont seem to be bothered by it. 

My grow bed is small in relation to the amount of fish I have in the fish tank. I have been feeding the fish every other day until I start to see the nitrate level go down.

The type of vegies I am growing are self pollinating.