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Re:RE:PO4 & NO3
Where is mine then? I have 20ppm+ on the NO3(just tested actually) and
have
1.12ppm PO4.
Oh, and dump lots of TMG in there too. Fe to 1-2ppm. So where's my
bumper
crop of algae?
I let the NO3 go down and the PO4 also but only about to 3-5ppm of NO3
and
about .4-.5 of PO4.
I have high light in these tanks and lower nutrient levels in lower
lighting
tanks.
I can't say that a certain level is bad of any nutrient.
It's a balance, not a level. High PO4 are not a certain cause of algae
nor
is high NO3.
My suggested limit of 20 ppm of nitrate AND phosphate >1 ppm has proven
for me a set of long term operating conditions where I don't need to
scrape the glass and there is no algae visible on the plants. Lighting
is sunlight (southern exposure in Texas) plus 6 hours artificial on
timer ending at 10 PM. Alga control was one 6" pleco in 135 gallons.
Decrease the lighting, add more algae eaters, or limit a key nutrient
(nitrates, phosphates, iron) and a different threshold for developing
algae problems will probably be observed.
I believe the key is coupling "high" nitrate and "high" phosphate. I am
very intersted in finding out other peoples thresholds for NO3/PO4
levels based on algae (or ich) problems. My levels probably represent
the extreme low end. On the other hand, I have never run into any BGA,
blooms, filamentous algae, etc. For that matter, I havent had an
observed case of Ich in any of my tanks in over 14 years (could it be
the NO3 consistently less than 20ppm?).
Regards
Erdoz
In sunny south Texas, thankful for the summer rainfall