Bacteria vs Phytoplankton P04 study

ksed · Nov 12, 2015

I happen to come across this paper publish back in 1994. In short it appears to indicate that bacteria are more efficient than phytoplankton in P04 uptake more specifically inorganic phosphate.
http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/111/m111p265.pdf

Myka · Nov 12, 2015

That works in our favor.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2015

ksed said:
I happen to come across this paper publish back in 1994. In short it appears to indicate that bacteria are more efficient than phytoplankton in P04 uptake more specifically inorganic phosphate.
http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/111/m111p265.pdf

Are you sure the link is to the paper you meant? While I'm not saying that is incorrect, and I only skimmed the paper, I didn't see that conclusion from the experiments. I didn't even see any experiment that distinguished results in bacteria from phytoplankton. It seems primarily about distinguishing the bioavailability of different types of phosphate.

Myka · Nov 12, 2015

I guess I should have read it before commenting. Haha. I was going to read it tonight.

ksed · Nov 12, 2015

Randy, perhaps I may be misinterpreted, but this how I understand it. I have to reread the article again.

ksed · Nov 12, 2015

Randy , I found the study from reading post 105
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2499912&page=5&highlight=arid+reactor

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 13, 2015

At that post:

"He sent me a link to a study about PO4 uptake in coastal waters in Hawaii, (organic vs inorganic PO4 ...phytoplankton and bacteria were studied. Short version is that inorgantic/orthophosphates were preferred by bacteria"

I think you interpreted those words slightly differently than they were intended. The emphasis is on inorganic phosphate being preferred. It was preferred by the natural set of bacteria and phytoplankton in the water, and didn't distinguish between them.

The paper shows that both organic and inorganic phosphate can be a source of phosphate, with inorganic phosphate being more readily absorbed.

ksed · Nov 13, 2015

Thanks Randy,

Ok let try this one more time. Inorganic phosphate is preferred by the bacteria. If so, it would be beneficial to carbon dose as an effective way to rid of inorganic phosphates, since this is what most of our hobby grade test kits measure? Over/ vs macroalgae. You know where I am going with this

Thanks

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 13, 2015

ksed said:
Thanks Randy,

Ok let try this one more time. Inorganic phosphate is preferred by the bacteria. If so, it would be beneficial to carbon dose as an effective way to rid of inorganic phosphates, since this is what most of our hobby grade test kits measure? Over/ vs macroalgae. You know where I am going with this

Thanks

I think both macroalgae and bacteria prefer inorganic phosphate. So I do not know that this paper says anything that would distinguish between them.

In general, reefers have found that organic carbon dosing can drive nutrients lower (sometimes too low) using organic carbon dosing compared to macroalgae.

FWIW, I use both macroalgae and organic carbon dosing as well as GFO since organic carbon dosing alone can be a little lobsided toward nitrate reduction relative to phosphate since bacteria can use nitrate both as a source of oxygen in low O2 environments, as well as a source of N for tissues (macroalgae only use it for tissues).