Why Low Nutrients Are Not ideal for Your Aquarium - Nutrients and Nutrient Control
- Nov 26, 2023
- Anshika Mishra
- 81 0 0
Low nutrients are no longer ideal for a tank parameter. Here, we'll explain why.
Because people realize that you have to have phosphates if you have algae, you have nuisance algae that makes people think if we can get rid of the phosphate, we'll get rid of the algae.
But nature is smarter than that. By shifting phosphate to the super-low level, you'll eliminate the good bacteria. And you are going to promote the bad bacteria because nature is going to outsmart you when it comes to phosphate.
The fact is your phosphate test kit can only measure only 2% of the total phosphate in the aquarium.
Phosphate
There are two types of phosphate:
- In-organic (Soluble reactive phosphate RP)
- Organic phosphate
The organic is 98% of the total phosphate in the system that's generally bound to something bound to organic molecules. Your fish aquarium is full of organics: fish waste, dead algae, and all that material is full of this organic phosphate that other organisms can get to.
So, even though your test kit will say zero phosphate, your aquarium will still have phosphate in the system.
Bacteria
Cyanobacteria form a film on the surface. But their competitor is like the waist aqua or equal balance these free-swimming bacteria that are in the water. That's why you have the Dinoflagellats because the competition to the Dino and the Cyno on surfaces is the bacteria.
You can physically remove as much of the Cyanobacteria from the Dino, but you gotta shift the water parameters by adding SRP.
This helps create bacteria that break down the organics; the tank will look bad. You'll go through the terrible phase. But in the end, the tank will look so much better.
Nitrates
As you build up bacteria and SRP in your system, you'll notice a coloring up in your aquarium. But, with the phosphate down, what about nitrogen and nitrates? Well, nitrogen mainly comes into your system through fish food. Your fish, corals, and other stuff in the tank need them to survive.
Bitrates are mainly formed from the by-product of the nitrogen cycle. There is a lot of leeway when it comes to nitrates. But if you get them up to 25, your corals aren't likely going to care. However, if you can't get it below 25, there is something wrong.
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