can't you just up the bioload of your tank to put more nitrates in the water
for the plants?

" wrote in message
om...
"Frank Mamone" wrote in message
...
That's what I thought I read..and I'm sure it's true, but don't fully
understand why.


Algae are smaller, they need less to N, P etc to exist. Plants have
much higher requirements for nutrients. But as such plants also need a
steady supply to do well. Variations or large ups and downs in the
nutrient supplies will give algae the advantage. CO2 is most often the
biggest issue followed by NO3.

Adding 50ppm etc will destabilize the system to the point everything
and anything will grow and rot and crash the system.

Adding 5-10ppm etc is a nice middle range that neither removes it all
nor adds too much.

See the estimative index on the DFW plant club site.
It's an easy non testing approach that gets pretty close and most
anyone can do that will add not too much and not too little.


Regards,
Tom Barr