Nitrate reduction - Solid debatable material

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BrianC

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[I just read on a forum that someone thought Macro Algae did Nitrate reduction. Now I am no chemist and infact I wouldn't know where to begin to test that theory. But, to my knowledge that is an unsubstantiated claim!

I know macroalgae will take out nitrogen (which is not beneficial to remove anyway) My knowledge of gardening and reading of material leads me to believe we use Macro algae for phosphate reduction.

My reading tells me that there are several way to remove Nitrates they include (but may not be limited to)

Water changes
Plenum
DSB, Live rock, Biological filter media
and Chemicals

pretty much in that order.]
 
[last time I checked, it was common knowledge that macro algae assisted in nitrate reduction. Many people, I included, have seen there nitrates go to zero after adding a fuge with macro. There are countless threads on reefcentral with people recommending macro to people with high nitrates. From my experience, macro grows faster with high nitrates and slower with low nitrates....coincidence?]



Edited By BigStun on 1094195693
 
[Yes, macros consume nitrates, ridding the water column of them. The more macros the better success rate. By cutting out the excess, the new growth will continue to absorb more nitrates. Pruning manuallly removes it before it can be re-released.

It is best to not prune more than 25%, then you won't see an ugly change in NO3.]
 
[Dang! I think every danged commercial plant fertilizer has ammonium nitrate in it. I used to use straight ammonium nitrate to 'green up' the yard muy pronto but you can also burn up the yard muy pronto with it as well.

So plants do use nitrates and algaes are plants so maybe they use nitrates as well...well, in fact, I know they do...nitrates are used in the production of proteins.

Dang! That BS in Biology finally paid off somewhere...

Here's latest marine.com writeup on fragging and water hygiene: http://www.marinedepot.com/aquariu....17&key=]



Edited By cpalmist on 1094215000
 
[
I know macroalgae will take out nitrogen ( said:
NO3 is Nitrate, so I think you have contradicted yourself :)
Nitrate is probably the biggest source of nitrogen for our macro's.]
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[Instead of using my limited intellect, trying to explain it to you. I will let Randall Holmes-Farley show you how growing maco-algae helps reduce nitrates in a aquarium.Nitrates]
 
[NPK - Nitrogen (nitrate is a form of nitrogen), phosphates, and potassium are required for all green plants to grow. Macros are also very heavy users of Calcium.]
 
@mmiller40 wrote:
[[I]@mwolek wrote:[/I][quote="Macros are also very heavy users of Calcium. said:
Is this a blanket statement? I thought this only applied to calcifying macros such as money macros (halmedia, sp??)]"]
[I certainly would think so, but would be very interested to see a source of information that substantiates that all macro alages are heavy users of calcium. Like you said Mitch, I thought there was only a few clacium hogs, such as Halimeda sp..]
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[
My knowledge of gardening and reading of material leads me to believe we use Macro algae for phosphate reduction. said:
Perhaps you should check your sources of information...<u>Gardening for Dummies</u> gave me no reason to think macro doesn't assist with Nitrate reduction, but what do I know...my IQ is only 155]
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[Before I added a refugium Nitrates = 20ppm in my tank.

After I added a refugium with Macroalgae Nitrates = 2.5ppm.]
 
[Mitch, it is a blanket statement. Most (if not all) marine macro algaes are big time users of Ca. The other interesting fact is that macros thrive in a stable environement.

Stability of tempature is perhaps one of the most important aspects of macro algaes.

Yes some are more reliant then others, halmedia(sp) is a Ca hog...

"Marine plants use a lot of Ca and KH just like coral.
Keeping the alkalinity and Ca high is critical as adding CO2 to our planted tanks.
Also, good aeration improves growth a great deal.
Temp changes/differences, variabilty, effect marine plants/macro algae a great deal.
This is not the case with FW plants. "

Taken from a PM from Tom Barr (well known biologist, known as the guru of aquatic plants to many)

http://wetwebfotos.com/talk....ange=15 for more info, check out the 2 posts on page 3 and 4 of that thread by 'plantbrain' (Tom Barr).]
 
[I believe myself to be an expert on a great many things... This hobby is certainly not one of them. Honestly, if I was would I need to be in a club dedicated to education of this subject matter?

NO3 is the form that nitrogen is delivered naturally (the way it comes) into your soil not because it is the best way to give plants' roots nitrogen.

Nitrogen is necessary for every carbon based life forms breathing process. I know everyone took biology and recalls the repiratory process of plants; Co2 is brought in and during photosynthesis 02 is released. The Oxygen in No3 is waste material for a plant and is not useable. Contrary to popular beliefe the oxygen is left in the soil to help the decay process.

For those of you unfamiliar oxygen is actually a corise material that is all rust is?

Rick if Randy Holmes said it he must be right so I guess it is substantiated the man is what a dr in chemistry and knows this 10000 times better than I do.]
 
[cpalmist

Dang! I think every danged commercial plant fertilizer has ammonium nitrate in it.

NO3 is the form that nitrogen is delivered naturally (the way it comes) into your soil not because it is the best way to give plants' roots nitrogen.

Was meant for you and Amanda I didn't phrase it or my current statement the best way.

I meant NH4NO3 is the easiest way to deliver Nitrogen to the root structures. Subsequently when the compond breaks down it will leave 2* H20 molecules (Water) and O which will help break down organics in the soil the O will actuall still pair making 02 (because oxygen by itself is not a stable molecule)

Amanda there is a distinct difference between NO3 and nitrogen!]
 
[I'm no biologist either, but when I got rid of the bioballs and added the fuge - with caulerpra and tang heaven - my nitrates went from .25 to zip. May not be a big difference, but it IS one!]
 
[algae is too commonly thought of as plants. While they do have similar traits such as growing off of photosynthesis, they are not plants. This is why relying on your gardening experience holds no merit when it comes to discussing what role macro algae has in reducing nitrates.

Lets go back to science class people...anyone remember the scientific method? Someone has a hypothesis that macro algea does not reduce nitrates. I think there has been enough testing and experimentation to blow that hypothesis out of the water. It might make sense to discuss other functions macro algae serves, but to say that macro algae reducing nitrates is an unsubstantiated claim, why that is quite preposterous.]
 
[Matthew just calm down buddy. Algae is in the plant kingdom... it is therefore a plant??? Green cell material all pretty much works the same. So gardening experience is relevant. That is like saying Randall Holmes-Farley chemistry experience is not relevant. As far as your IQ goes it doesn’t automatically make you smart you need to study about a 1000 more books particularly “Gardening for Dummies which because it gave you no reason to think...really alarms me and that is exactly what the problem is! :no: :laugh long:

P.S. I did say it was debatable and I believe I already yielded to Rick on this issue!]



Edited By BrianC on 1094337335
 
[while it is in the plant kingdom, you are referring to knowledge of terrestrial plants. Terrestrial plants photosynthesize but the difference in algae is that they lack any vascular tissue, and that they reproduce using spores]
 
[I am not sure I understand are you saying that algae doesn't go through photosyntesis???

They are not the only plant that repopulates using spores...

"they lack any vascular tissue"...sounds over read means they have no roots :no: seriously though who told you that... I was stumped on the tissue thing I had to look it up...also not the only thing in the plant kingdom with out roots amoeba and paramecium]
 
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