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Green Water Update
I stated a couple of weeks ago that I believed when Nitrogen became a
limiting nutrient, that this can allow for the production of green water
(unicellular algae). I still believe this, but have an addition. If
one allows potassium (K) to become limiting, this will also alow green
water. My thinking is this...
I suggested that one could eliminate green water by the addition of
Nitrogen to the system. This is true, but ONLY if potassium is
constantly present. In my tank, I had great green water for a few
weeks. I decided to try to eliminate it, and started adding nitrogen.
This worked great for a few days, then it stopped clearing. What I
hadn't realized is that I had then caused the potassium to be the new
limiting nutrient. Once my brain realized that, additions of potassium
and nitrogen cleared the tank in two days. No joke... two days.
The source of nitrogen I used was KNO3 (potassium nitrate), and for
potassium I used K2SO4.
By dosing with both of the above, I shifted the balance to having
Phosphorus being the new limiting nutrient, and knocked out the green
water.
Hope you all found this experiment as interesting as I have.
Cheers,
Mark
------
pearlsco at u_washington.edu
Complication, Depression and Stress have the power to put one on the
right track of life.