Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[Katrina71]

I may regret asking this. Seems to be completely opposite views locally. Does phyto cause cyano or ultimately combat it? Please dumb it down for me. I'm learning.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Real actual phyto does not cause it no.
Some blends of “phyto” may have stuff that cyano likes.

Real phyto I think should not combat it, as real phyto plankton is a plant , or several species of tiny plants.

 

[Katrina71]

But the things in my tank that eat it, do combat cyano, right? Or no?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

They all compete for the same thing so kinda yea.

 

[Katrina71]

Nevermind. I think I understand. Just given some wrong info that confused me.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No worries.
That’s kinda the short of it.

And a lot of folks do think that it’s Little critters that Clean up the tank.

It’s hard to prove , but may belive good zooplankton like rotifers and pods do eat up a lot of that stuff in the same way you’re describing.

“Biodiversity “ and how it works is a bit of a complicated discussion. Think that’s what your describing.

 

[Katrina71]

Actually Brew 12 has a pic of a rotifer in his. Who knows? I try to feed the whole tank period. I figure every level of bio diversity has a purpose.

 

[Katrina71]

...and I'm a Southern girl. Clearly at a size 12, I like to eat. @Sarah24! Told ya, come visit.

 

[Katrina71]

So cyano is a minor issue in my tank and major in my son's. I understand flow in a cube is a challenge. Just trying to figure out the triggers and why. I don't really mind it in my tank as it isn't invasive. The balance is confusing. The whole chemistry thing is confusing as a newer reefer.

 

[Katrina71]

The guys I'm reading are above my head a bit. It's like reading without knowing all of the alphabet yet.

 

[NY_Caveman]

The way I think about it is everything breaks down waste until it gets smaller and smaller. Pods are near the bottom of that scale for what we can see, and then microscopic critters will continue down the chain. They do not all eat detritus per se, but they pick through it for animal or vegetable matter making it smaller overall for the next level of the chain.

The more critters in the chain in our closed systems, the more likely there are no gaps in detritus break down. This is part of the reason I have always used live rock. It almost guarantees that microfaune chain is complete.

Phytoplankton is essentially the bottom of the chain. It is food for everything above it. Including pods and corals, etc. Live Phytoplankton can also photosynthesize. I feel it is possible by dosing it, it may take in some Nitrate and Phosphate before it gets eaten up.

As far as Cyanobacteria, I am no expert but it does not seem Phytoplankton would directly cause it to come or go.

 

[Katrina71]

The nitrate/phosphate relationship. Does it impact each other or are the outside influences the cause for imbalance?

 

[Scurvy]

I click on @Scurvy's link and I see a kayak going down a rock face...?

Haha, I had sent that to a friend that’s a kayaking nut. I’ll try again!

 

[Scurvy]

https://www.amazon.com/Kent-Marine-...pID=21PLmRQTyeL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[Fin]

Haha, I had sent that to a friend that’s a kayaking nut. I’ll try again!

It was still cool. :-)

 

[Brew12]

The nitrate/phosphate relationship. Does it impact each other or are the outside influences the cause for imbalance?

It only impacts each other in terms of limitations. For instance, if you are PO4 limited you may not be able to grow algae that would also reduce NO3.

 

[Katrina71]

I'm learning the nuances. Some of the basics I thought I knew aren't finite.

 

[najer]

I'm learning the nuances. Some of the basics I thought I knew aren't finite.

What are your most recent nitrates and phos readings, got a pic of the tank to show the flow please? :)

 

[najer]

Oops.

 

[Brew12]

I'm learning the nuances. Some of the basics I thought I knew aren't finite.

So little in this hobby is well defined. Once you get past Alk, Calc and mag consumption by coral it seems that everything else is varying states of interpretation and experience.