[APD] RE: PO4/RO and just grow the plants silly.

["Thomas Barr" <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

> Well don't know about the NO3 but most of the older pipes are iron so
maybe
> we have enough "Fe". Well the PO4 gota be coming from somewhere (new
> government conspiracy in the making) , but by adding the Phosfex the algae
> began to lose it's battle, we have it surrounded and it's making demands
but
> we don't negotiate with terrorists like Algae, so their days are over as
the
> algae is detaching, so whatever changed it's working.
> But hey, thanks you for your reply and opinion it's going in the fish
> file,,, Mark

Plant and algae have ___different turn over rates__, you'll see a reduction
in algae __first__, but the longer term effect causes plants to stunt and
grow slower.
That's not as noticable. Stunted plants just sit there, you think the algae
growing is the problem, it's actually the plants are not growing, that's
why you have algae in the first place. Doesn't matter what type or method
you use as long as it's a fully planted tank.
Good plant growth = poor algae growth.

An example is using bleach or copper, at low quick doses, it kills algae,
but if you leave it on too long, then it kills plants.
If you remove all the PO4, what will happen to the plants?
Plants need far more PO4 than algae down so limiting the PO4 might set the
algae back a little at first, but ther plants will suffer if it truely
limits the algae growth, that I can promise and verify with numerous
examlpes from the literature on specifically this type of situation.
Algae can also use organic forms of PO4 like those from fish waste, wereas
most plants cannot.
 
Another exmaple is limiting NO3 too low, why does this cause algae and not
reduce it?
Like plants, Algae also prefer CO2, why does adding that in the presence of
plant reduce algae?

Simply because the algae are more visible does not mean the plants are
growing better, it's a short term effect, not a long term solution.

This is precisely why people that use PO4 remover and other method to kill
algae have one species of algae replace the last one in a never ending
series. 

It's not about the algae, it's about the plants.
You take care of their needs, the algae does not grow. 
Your goal is to grow plants, not algae, so grow the plants, give them what
they need to grow well.


Regards, 
Tom Barr.






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