nitrates and hair algae

[rayn]

Everyone's goal is to have nitrate as minimal as possible. Some want to run a slightly dirty tank with 5-10 ppm nitrate. Others want that 0 mark. When testing and you get the holy grail of 0, but you notice those slight scruffs of HA, what is the actual levels of nitrate? There has to be some as it is getting used as fuel for the algae growth, but if test so 0, how does one know the actual amount of nitrate in the water? This is especially true if one wanted to carbon dose to help with the nitrate issue.

 

[mike007]

I would be more concerned about phosphates. Have you tested and what are your results? Most of the time these algae's are caused by overfeeding.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Phosphates and HA go more hand in hand, than they do with Nitrates. If they are both high, then it can get rediculous.

 

[rayn]

Last testing of phosphate was .03 by Hanna checker same time as nitrate test. 0 is better, but I didn't think .03 was horrific. Again I understand it is also being used by the algae, so actual numbers may be scewed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, algae may be able to get the nitrogen it needs from low levels of nitrate, or even ammonia. Depending on the kit, a 0 nitrate reading may not really mean it is all that low. NSW nitrate level on the surface of a coral reef may be only about 0.1 ppm, and yet some algae can grow.

Once you get to about 0.03 ppm phosphate, there is enough phosphate for algae growth (assuming there is enough nitrogen and iron and other things in the water).

It is all a big chess game. The algae needs enough of everything. Having a huge excess of anything (nitrate, phosphate, whatever) is of no great value to algae if something else is limiting its growth.