Re: [APD] algae experiment

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at yahoo_com>]

>Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 08:40:53 -0500
>From: "Bill D" <billinet at comcast_net>
>Subject: Re: [APD] Ammonia and Nitrates
>To: <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>

>After a month the low nutrient jar had almost no algae present.  
>The glass
>of the
>higher nutrient jar was covered with algae, so much so that some 
>of it had
>to be
>scraped off to see the water.   The water in each jar was 
>crystal clear,
>BTW.

>I sent pictures of the two jars to a knowledgeable person, and 
>he replied
>that
>the test environment was completely unnatural - excessive light, 
>no higher
>plants
>present, etc.  And of course it was, but the purpose of the 
>experiment was
>to test
>the effect of high nitrate levels on the growth of algae, and it 
>did.
  Hi Bill,
  
  It';s not that is was un natural, if was no different if you put any  plant in there, you'd get the same results. BBA, Pellia, GSA,  Hygrophila, wouldn't matter what you put in there, the solution with  the higher nutrients wouldf have more growth.
  
  The issue is that the test was not based on a plant x algae dynamic.
  You need a good planted tank, the environment in question.
  
  The question is will algae form due to high NO3 in a planted tank.
  You add some, then see.
  Then you try it with NH4, add some and see.
  
  Something will grow in the jar, the tank etc, you have a choice of what that is. 
  Those parameters are what is important in understanding the dynamics  that occur in our tanks and allow us to better approach the  horticultural needs.
  
  We want the choice to grow the plants instead of the algae. So what  makes the plants do well and not the algae is the real end game  question, not simple limitation of one species of plant or algae.
  
  High CO2 also does not limit algae either if the plants are removed,  nor does high O2. I had the same attached algae chl a levels for each  of the 4 treatment tanks as I did for the 4x 4 design. 
  
  But with plants, the algae tend to be much lower when the O2 and CO2  are high(15ppm and 25 ppm in the test). Nutrients/light were non  limiting over the 3 week run. 
  
  Regards, 
  Tom Barr
  
  www.BarrReport.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


		
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