Algae Rant

[stacksoner]

Why do we test nitrate and phosphate when diagnosing algae issues? Isn't the presence of algae an indication that nitrate and phosphate levels are misrepresented bc the algae consumes these nutrients?

It seems to me that our DT's provide an advantageous environment for algae to thrive. The best lighting money can buy, long and diverse photoperiods, plenty of detritus dissolved organics, doodoo and particulate matter for them to consume, and tons of surface area for it to grab hold and grow.

How is this $900 Pax Bellum chaeto reactor tube supposed to out compete these menances.

We use GFO to knock it back, which creates decomposition and new opportunities for it to reboot

Feed to little, too much, too often, not often enough...algae city, usa.

Everything sucks

 

[Hemmdog]

Why do we test nitrate and phosphate when diagnosing algae issues? Isn't the presence of algae an indication that nitrate and phosphate levels are misrepresented bc the algae consumes these nutrients?

It seems to me that our DT's provide an advantageous environment for algae to thrive. The best lighting money can buy, long and diverse photoperiods, plenty of detritus dissolved organics, doodoo and particulate matter for them to consume, and tons of surface area for it to grab hold and grow.

How is this $900 Pax Bellum chaeto reactor tube supposed to out compete these menances.

We use GFO to knock it back, which creates decomposition and new opportunities for it to reboot

Feed to little, too much, too often, not often enough...algae city, usa.

Everything sucks

We try to hard to stop nature from being nature, that’s for sure.

 

[User]

The lights in the DT aren’t of the correct, optimal wavelength for maximal algae growth. It also ramps in intensity over the day (since you said best money can buy, I’ll assume it has sunrise/sunset)

Provide an area of the sump — our your overpriced $900 reactor tube— and hit it with light optimized for algae growth, on a 12/12 light cycle , no ramping, and it’ll prefer to grow there .

It’s all about the correct photons

 

[fish farmer]

FWIW I wasn't testing nitrates and phosphates regularly until July 2018. I hadn't tested those for years and did have algae issues. Long flowing GHA.

My phos was 2 pmm and nitrates were around 30. It gave me the beginning of a data set so when I started to do things to bring them down I can see if they changed. I still have some algae(mostly reds) in the DT, but my numbers are lower.

Does the number really matter? To some yes, if I come on here and ask advice the first thing people ask is "what are your parameters?". Also when I was testing regularly on my first reef, it got me engaged in the workings of the tank.