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Re: Yamato green, N and P


Well a very good name anyhow:)
I just think the macro's should not be mixed in with the traces. It's just
that simple. Reason? They vary too much to different tank's light levels
growth rates, tap waters etc. Traces generally do not. You often need far
more volume than anyone can add to take in account the folks that don't need
very much so they have to add very little and be conservative with macro's.
So why even bother? Buy some KNO3 and add regular traces/PMDD etc. Want some
ammonia add more fish food/fish. KH2PO4 is great stuff too. I don't see
anyone adding that yet:)

If someone wants to make something semi useful just make stock solutions of
K+, PO4 and NO3, and NH4+. "Add 5 drops per 10 gallons to get 1.0ppm of NO3"
and so on....etc.

I added 1.8 ppm PO4 before I left for 10 days. I had no PO4 when I got back.
The plants looked like N and P starved. I estimate about .2ppm of P needed a
day for my tanks.  This was not enough apparently. I am concerned with
getting some algae outbreaks above 2.0ppm of PO4. I have not seen evidence
of this yet though. Just being conservative(me conservative?). I see great
growth at lower levels(1.0ppm range) so why push it beyond? This is crazy.
Where does the breaking point exist? Curiosity killed the cat.  I dumped in
about 1.2 ppm of PO4 and the plants just started pearling like mad. Added
the KNO3(the next day) and lots of fish food. There was no algae at all.
Hasn't been since I've been adding it. Health really improved at the high
levels. I did use small pulses at first(to about .2ppm) but have abandoned
that since the growth and health of the plants has improved dramatically at
the higher less limited levels.

Folks make me laugh when they say PO4 causes algae all the time. It's
ironic, these are the folks who have algae and plant problems. Simply adding
PO4 to your tank will not "cure" you of this but all the nutrients need to
be taken into account, even CO2:) Some folk's tanks will see a great
dramatic growth if they add small amount of PO4 to their tanks. But each
tank is different....many of you have a fair amount in your tap. You folks
don't need to add it.
Regards,
Tom Barr