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I do not see it that way both observationally nor theoretically.
I've run a 20 gal with loads of light(5.5w/gal pc), good CO2(30ppm), no fish/herbivores(and did it with them as well), and dosed 20-30ppm of NO3, PO4 to 2ppm for long extended peroids(4 months).
I dose traces way beyond the needs of the plants.
I had the best growth I've seen.
No algae, no herbivores either.
That's virtually all plant power, not other things influencing the algae.
That is also a long enough time peroid to have significant algae and opportunity for algae to bloom.
The tank was pruned and tended, filter cleaned etc, but nothing special.
Algae need a reason to grow. They also are much smaller and as such require far less nutrients concentrations to sustain high growth rates than the much larger plants.
There is a graph in my first article that explains this visually. Alage(microphytes) are not in the same niche as plants(macrophytes).
That assumoption that they are will get you into trouble.
This is also observed in natural lakes in FL, you add PO4 or NO3, you get more plant growth, niot algae growth if the lake is already dominated by plants, this is not the least bit surprising to aquatic weed researchers.
You also do not find good macro algae growth in nutrient poor regions, you do fine very small plankton. This same concept is true in SW systems as well.
Regards,
Tom Barr
I've run a 20 gal with loads of light(5.5w/gal pc), good CO2(30ppm), no fish/herbivores(and did it with them as well), and dosed 20-30ppm of NO3, PO4 to 2ppm for long extended peroids(4 months).
I dose traces way beyond the needs of the plants.
I had the best growth I've seen.
No algae, no herbivores either.
That's virtually all plant power, not other things influencing the algae.
That is also a long enough time peroid to have significant algae and opportunity for algae to bloom.
The tank was pruned and tended, filter cleaned etc, but nothing special.
Algae need a reason to grow. They also are much smaller and as such require far less nutrients concentrations to sustain high growth rates than the much larger plants.
There is a graph in my first article that explains this visually. Alage(microphytes) are not in the same niche as plants(macrophytes).
That assumoption that they are will get you into trouble.
This is also observed in natural lakes in FL, you add PO4 or NO3, you get more plant growth, niot algae growth if the lake is already dominated by plants, this is not the least bit surprising to aquatic weed researchers.
You also do not find good macro algae growth in nutrient poor regions, you do fine very small plankton. This same concept is true in SW systems as well.
Regards,
Tom Barr