However, if your growing algae in effective quantities, they are releasing sugars which adds a carbon source, further confusing things. The bacteria’s which proliferate off these sugars may have a large impact in reducing nutrients rather than the nutrient uptake from the algae themselves.
Either way we know that plants and algae require nitrates and phosphates for growth. If it was just carbon source being released by the algae then it would not be as effective in reducing phosphates. If it is a combination then it is fine. If it is sugars why do you not get the same bacterial growths as dosing? I don't need to know the why as much as how to incorporate something. I am to old to be back in school.
Yes but they can get the nitrogen from nitrates and of course some of the stuff like cyano can grow even with very low nitrates. Nitrates is not only source for nitrogen. You guys are going to keep me schooled.
Interesting and I dose vinegar as it is simple and cheap. I have heard of dosing ammonia just not enough to try it yet. I feed my fish plenty so I have to export more. I am not one that believes in controlling nitrates and phosphates by starving fish.
I can add a little bit to ratio and stability, I think. When dosing N and P at low nutrient concentrations a ratio may be useful. Dosing phosphate and nitrate one after the other may create very unstable conditions and concentration swings.
In my experience ratios make sense in dosing. Unbalanced dosing may cause more cyanobacterial growth than necessary. Continued unbalanced dosing may lead to buildup and rise of one nutrient.
If I would dose only one nutrient it would be phosphate although this seems to cause more cyanobacterial growth than necessary also.
These are my experiences with dosing in ratios.
I know what you mean but I started dosing N and P compounds in certain molar ratios 25 years ago and I noticed already then that a certain range of ratios works better and extreme ratios work not so good, especially regarding cyanbacteria.
I know what you mean but I started dosing N and P compounds in certain molar ratios 25 years ago and I noticed already then that a certain range of ratios works better and extreme ratios work not so good, especially regarding cyanbacteria.
Nutrients have always been in the low range.
When comparing "nutrient ratios" I think we must see the difference between calcium reactors with coral rubble and CO2 and nearly all other forms of calcium and alkalinity supply. Coral rubble is a source of phosphate.
My experiences are nearly exclusively with the "all other forms of calcium and alkalinity supply".
Yes, it's clear. But that was never my starting point. I either had phosphate very low and nitrate something I wasn't able to find or the tanks were freshly started at all.
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I am currently pondering the amount of phosphate that I want to include in a combined ammonium/phosphate dosing solution, and was wondering if you would be willing to share the range of safe ratios, or even a ratio in the middle of the range? If you can't due to it being proprietary info for basing TM products on, then I will understand.I know what you mean but I started dosing N and P compounds in certain molar ratios 25 years ago and I noticed already then that a certain range of ratios works better and extreme ratios work not so good, especially regarding cyanbacteria.
Nutrients have always been in the low range.
When comparing "nutrient ratios" I think we must see the difference between calcium reactors with coral rubble and CO2 and nearly all other forms of calcium and alkalinity supply. Coral rubble is a source of phosphate.
My experiences are nearly exclusively with the "all other forms of calcium and alkalinity supply".
My experience with mixed algae cultures supports this view. The amount of nitrate drives algae growth (wet mass and chlorophyll A), but if there isn’t enough phosphate, growth cannot proceed as far as when there is a high concentration of phosphate. Phosphate essentially throttles growth. There is no evidence to support that there is any special control over algae growth with a particular ratio of N : P.I understand what you are saying, but IMO, that's a concentration issue, not necessarily a ratio issue.
If you are maintaining N and P at appropriate target absolute values, regardless of what ratio of dosing is needed to attaint those levels, then that is certainly as good as dosing a specific ratio, and may be better if the fixed dosing ratio still leaves N or P at inappropriate levels (say, undetectable phosphate).
I think you should make an ammonium solution and a phosphate solution and dose more or less of each one depending on what is needed(at least temporarily). You could mix them together again when you find the correct ratio.
I thought about doing that. Right around the time that I finished up the combined solution.
