[APD] RE: NH4= algae, not NO3/PO4

["Thomas Barr" <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

> Hi Tom,
>
> Appreciate the feedback on the GW/Cloudy stuff. You ARE correct with the
> less light situation...I HAD to take a risk at first with my new Glosso
> tank.

Well adding more light ain't going to help.

 > HEAVY light and heavy Co2 at the onset to get the Glosso going. It has
> worked, but at a price of a (almost bloom).

Yea, great raid Gloss growth ...................then what? Now you have to
deal with this damn weed's growth rate. PITA.
Try less light, keep the high CO2 and keep the water changes, dose 2x a
week and it grows better ansd more importantly, last longer looking good.

So do other plants, this was something George Booth has pointed out,
myself, Claus of Tropica etc.

More is NOT better.

 Over the weekend, I did 75%
> water changes to somewhat clear the water each day. 

It'll always come back, it'll laugh at you.

Today I received the UV
> filter hooked it up and the water is clearing rapidly all within 4 hours
> thus far. I caught this bloom VERY early on thanks to you and all the
others
> feedback here! I also have cut back my lighting to 2 x 92w (184w) to my
55g
> tall 36 x 15 x 24h". I had 276w at the onset. 

Good grief! 184W is too much too. Try 110 or maybe 150w(1x 48 T-8 or T-12
with 2x 55w PCs)

The glosso is now 4" thick and
> growing very well. JUST got the LaMotte Fe kit and beginning to dose
> accurately.

So remember it doesn't take long to grow 4" of Gloss, but I don't like 4"
of Gloss.
I like no more than about 1/2" tight, healthy carpet. IOnlyu enough to
cover the gravel,. not piled up on itself.

> Since I've been out of the loop for a bit, what does "NH4" stand for?  

Ammonium ion. Easy food for algae. Easy food for plants but you cannot
supply enough in that form without causing algae(one reason why we cannot
just keep adding more fish instead of having to dose nutrients without an
algae bloom)

In
> your post you also listed N, K, and P.  I know of course Fe is the iron,
is
> the N=Nitrite, K=Hardness and P=Potassium?? 

K= potassium, NPK is the number sequence they have on sides of fertilizers
at nurseries. 

I am lacking something of
> course.  I just measured my Fe and am below .05 thus far. 

Read some old post on Fe, I do not measure it nor do I recommend measuring
it and I know I will likely never measure it in order to keep a nice plant
tank.

 My Co2 is good,
> but I'm unsure what is the NH4 and how do I test for this?  Thanks Tom!!

Well you can test for it but it's produced and used so fast you nwever will
get an accurate reading of what's there without using labeled isotopes like
15N etc.
Not many hobbyist have these types of ability(Mass spectrophotometers etc)
and testing procedures:)
But there are ways to test for how much is produced within a given system.

It's not practical for us, just have some fish and feed them(this will be
your source of NH4), dose your KNO3 etc(This is your source of NO3).

NO3 should supply most of plant's N needs.High levels do not seem to induce
algae. Many people have stated this in the past.

I believe they are incorrect.
I believe it is the NH4 they are missing that causes all the algae and then
this NH4 is converted by the nitrogen cycle bacteria into NO3, and that is
what they are measuring as the build up and correlating as the cause for
the algae.

The same thing can be said for PO4.  

Everyone missed the NH4 as the cause for algae blooms.

You can do this test yourself.
Use inorganic NH4 salts and NO3 salts and PO4 salts.
No fish or critters to speak of, lots of plants etc.

Since there is no real significant source of NH4 and only NO3 bering added,
you can see if algae blooms occur.
I went up to 75ppm of NO3 with 1ppm of PO4 and no bloom occured after 3
weeks, but all plant needs were met(Fe, traces, K+, CO2 good light etc).

Regards, 
Tom Barr



 




 


 
>
> Vic Di Cosola
>


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