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Re: an algae experiment
Roger,
That was an interesting post a couple of days back.
I've been trying to digest it. I'm out of my element
with most of this discussion, but wanted to comment.
In a discussion with friends, it was pointed out to me
that plants (which includes algae) can make use of
sugars, amino acids, etc. - it is the basis of tissue
culture.
You are referring to a nutrient stressed situation.
I’m assuming that you are referring to high light tank
with co2 supplementation and without adequate nutrient
supplementation, because most “planted fish tanks”
have an abundance of nutrients. The low tech planted
fish tank is where most folks experience algae
“problems”. But again, you are talking about a
nutrient stressed situation.
You mention that the plants might be leaking sugars
into the water, which makes this sugar food source
available for algae to use. This is difficult for me
to follow, but certainly, I’m not saying that you are
wrong. During lean times when plants are nutrient
stressed you conjecture that our plants begin to make
sugars as terrestrial plants do. I would think that
the plant is making sugar for its own use. The plant
controls the water flow into and out of the tissue.
If the sugars leak then wouldn’t it be in miniscule
quantities? The sugars need to be leaked by the
plant and absorbed by opportunistic algae. This is a
byproduct of a byproduct, as it were. Would this
effect be measurable in an aquarium?… I would think
that the bacteria bed would make use of the sugar
before the algae would.
Thanks for sharing your post with us.
Chris
=====
newellcr at yahoo_com
http://home.att.net/~c.r.newell/
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