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Re: BlueGreen Algae revisited



The b/g algae is interesting in that it can fix atmospheric
nitrogen when other supplies are low. Which means that it can be
particularly hardy.
As has been said before, the best way for longterm control of this
stuff is the balance of phosphate and nitrate.
When I had an outbreak I chose to leave the feeding regime (and
by default the available PO4) alone and I titrated the system
with increasing amounts of KNO3 (potassium nitrate). After about
a month the b/g disappeared. Patience is key!
For the benefit of the new folks the theory (as I understand it)
is that *adding* nutrients allows the higher plants to sequester
the nutrients and essentially out compete the b/g. The paradox is
the adding of nitrogen which the b/g is particularly good at
obtaining. But this method renders the PO4 the rate limiting
nutrient which taken up by the good plants (metabolized more
slowly) and eventually starves the algae.
Using the antibiotics does not resolve the nutrient imbalance
issue and that's why the b/g usually reappears.
This is turning into a treatise!

Marshall Wilkinson
Calgary Alberta