[APD] RE: PO4 storage in diatoms

["Beek, Graham" <Graham_Beek at ds-s.com>]

But I thought you disagreed that PO4 caused algae anyway?

I have a 3' tank with rampant Hygrophila Polysperma, no C02 and no algae
(well, a little on my Anubias). I did a phosphate test 'cos I was curious,
and it came out with a reading of >5. Probably a bit lax on my water
changes, but if high phosphate causes algae my tank would be smothered.

Graham


> -----Original Message-----
> Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 13:01:26 -0500
> From: Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>
> Subject: [APD] PO4 storage in diatoms
> To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
> 
> A paper I recently reviewed suggest that some diatoms are 
> able to store enough PO4
> in the form of polyphosphate to support nearly 100 subsequent 
> generations.(Horne
> and Goldman 1994)
> 
> This suggest that it would rather difficult, perhaps 
> impossible to beat certain
> species of diatom algae through PO4 limitation when growing 
> aquatic plants.
> It is not unreasonable to assume when the nutrient levels are 
> extremely  low for
> very long periods, that even smaller algae have similar 
> abilities even if an order
> of magnitute lower, they would still be very formidable foes.
> 
> But these PO4 levels never occur in an aquarium unless you 
> have no fish, larger
> critters, never disturb the substrate via removal of plants etc.
> 
> Regards,
> Tom Barr
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