[APD] RE: K+

[Jeffery Ludwig <jeff at rockytop_net>]

> Let me put it another way:
> If I have 2ppm of PO4 and no algae, does PO4 cause algae? 
> If I have 50ppm of K+ and no stunting on the same species of plants, does
> K+ block Ca++?

If science were so simple Dr. Barr, I'd have my PhD already :) You are 
correct of course but didn't answer the "proper" question :)

"If I have 50ppm of K+ and excessively high iron content in my water, 
does K+ block Ca++?"

You're assuming a linear model without considering possible correlations 
- the real world is nasty and non-linear and correlated.  It might be 
excessive K+ in the presence of high silicates blocks Ca++ uptake.  Or 
excess K+ without sufficient iron causes problems, etc, etc, etc... I'm 
real close to shelling out some good money for an experimental setup 
where I can toy with these things a little more, I need to move some 
furniture in the basement around and come up with a cheap controllable 
CO2 injection system for smaller tanks (~2 gallons).

But I have read from more than one person that they have done K+ on, K+ 
off, K+ on, K+ off, and have seen stunt, no stunt, stunt, no stunt. It 
warrants some more detailed study and we need to tease out what the 
correlating factors are, I think they might be out there...

Jeff Ludwig
Elkton, MD
http://www.rockytop.net
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