Randy Holmes-Farley
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Also, according to the article I posted above - if I’m remembering it correctly - carbon dosing effects nitrates versus phosphates 16 to 1, respectively. So, you should see a much greater reduction in nitrates from dosing.
Sort of.
It ignores denitrification, which uses only nitrate, but yes, growing organism tissues use far more nitrate (or other N) than phosphate.
The exact ratio varies some between organisms, and the 16:1 (Redfield Ratio) is the N atom ratio, not nitrate (NO3-) to phosphate (PO4---). Phosphate weighs more, so it isn't 16:1 nitrate to phosphate, but closer to 10.5 : 1.