

[APD] N budget

Thomas wrote:
>> How many grams of N (elemental) could a typical plant use?

> You need to pick a plant/biomass of plants/light value etc.
> Focus the question down to something much more specific.

>> Make & state whatever assumptions necessary.

Ok, late me supply some assumptions:

How much N is in an average sized Sword plant?
How many grams does an typical Sword weigh wet or dry?

Repeat question for:

Alternanthera reineckii  "Dragon flame"
Bacopa caroliniana
Hygrophila polysperma "Sunset" or "Rosanervig"
Lobelia cardinalis
Hemianthus micranthemoides

Anubias barteri
Anubias barteri nana
Anubias coffeeafolia
Anubias lanceolata

Spathiphyllum wallisii

Echinodorus horemanii
Echinodorus parviflorus
Echinodorus quadricostatus "Dwarf Sword"

Aponogeton crispus  "Ruffled Aponogeton"
Aponogeton madagascariensis  "Madagascar Lace Plant"

Cryptocoryne blassii
Cryptocoryne bullosa

Cryptocoryne lucens or Cryptocoryne x willisii
Cryptocoryne nurii
Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
Cryptocoryne retrospiralis syn. C balansae, C crispatula
Cryptocoryne wendtii "green"
Cryptocoryne wendtii "brown"

Bolbitus heudelotii  "African Fern"
Vesicularia dubyana  "Java Moss"
Microsorium pteropus  "Java Fern"
Microsorium pteropus var Windelov "Java Fern"

Glossostigma elatinoides

Salvinia minima

The above is the list of plants which I have available to me in my current
tanks. I did say you could choose the plant & size to make the question
easier to answer. If you want a size, then the size will be the size of my
hand or a single 6" strand of stem plant.

The objective is to make a scientific wild-a** guess as to how many grams of
NPK to incorporate into clay balls for a given planting density & at what
point in time to add new balls. The guess need not be precise because the
plant is going to use a portion of whatever I give it. This is the first
iteration of a practical trial. Obviously, if a plant is growing too fast, I
will reduce its N budget; if its growing too slowly for my taste, I will
increase its budget.

I'm using the word budget because the plant has to work with what I give it.
If its not happy, it can't borrow N from other plants, it can only go into
deficit. Unlike the government, plants can't diddle the money supply or
synthesize N.

I'm looking for data of any kind to make guesses with.

Steve P

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