All are good nitrate reducers but is one better at reducing phosphates? Perhaps the question is whether algae or bacteria are better at phosphate reduction?
Algae scrubber vs NoPox vs siporax: what about phosphates
- Thread starter watchguy123
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The thing is, if you reduce nitrates to 0, phosphates are going to be a problem because they are consumed less by bacteria and algaes. If I keep nitrates at 1 ppm or higher, I have no detectable phosphates. When my nitrates are not detectable, my phosphate rise to about 0.08 or higher. I have used the bacteria approach and I have used the algae approach. Both work about the same for nitrate and phosphate reduction, but I get diatoms with the bacteria approach, mostly due to excess carbon.
Dialing in the correct amount of carbon is difficult, and over dosing leads to diatoms for me. Plus, the amount of carbon needed seems to change. With algae, it naturally grows fast if there are lots of nutrients and slow if nutrients are low.
Like italquam, I like the natural approach and go with algae because it is more self regulating. But I do have to dose nitrate sometimes. Others may employ GFO instead.
Dialing in the correct amount of carbon is difficult, and over dosing leads to diatoms for me. Plus, the amount of carbon needed seems to change. With algae, it naturally grows fast if there are lots of nutrients and slow if nutrients are low.
Like italquam, I like the natural approach and go with algae because it is more self regulating. But I do have to dose nitrate sometimes. Others may employ GFO instead.
