Dosing Phyto In Low Nutrient Environment

[ptrick21186]

So obviously there are numerous benefits to dosing live phyto in a reef tank. But what if you're struggling to keep Nitrates up? Does the benefit of having live phyto in the system for corals/pods to eat outweigh the lack of nitrates for the corals that the phyto is going to eat up?

 

[TopClamSkoo]

Hmm... Good question.
On my end I have too much nutrients so dosing phyto is good for me.

I could be wrong but I think dosing phyto in a low nutrient system may just starve the phytoplankton.. am I wrong about this fellas?

 

[Stick Man]

So obviously there are numerous benefits to dosing live phyto in a reef tank. But what if you're struggling to keep Nitrates up? Does the benefit of having live phyto in the system for corals/pods to eat outweigh the lack of nitrates for the corals that the phyto is going to eat up?

Last time I dosed phytoplankton I found that my neutrance went up but I blame the fertiliser I was using

 

[Spare time]

Not all corals eat phytoplankton and I would assume most we keep do not. Corals are better specialized at eating zooplankton. A better way to go about it would be to dose amino acids

 

[ptrick21186]

Hmm... Good question.
On my end I have too much nutrients so dosing phyto is good for me.

I could be wrong but I think dosing phyto in a low nutrient system may just starve the phytoplankton.. am I wrong about this fellas?

They've gotta be getting something through photosynthesis from the lights right? Plus how long is the typical lifecycle of phyto in a reef tank system? Obviously a skimmer plays a part but what if you're not using one?

 

[ptrick21186]

Last time I dosed phytoplankton I found that my neutrance went up but I blame the fertiliser I was using

Was this live phyto?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would work to raise nitrate independent of whether you dose phyto or not, since, as noted above, not all organisms consume phyto.

 

[ptrick21186]

I would work to raise nitrate independent of whether you dose phyto or not, since, as noted above, not all organisms consume phyto.

Agreed. But is it counterintuitive to dose phyto when your system is struggling to keep nitrates up?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Agreed. But is it counterintuitive to dose phyto when your system is struggling to keep nitrates up?

I do not think it is counter intuitive.

Yes, it is possible the phyto takes up some nutrients before it is eaten or dies, but after it is eaten or dies, most of the nutrients it took up plus most of the nutrients it came in with are released back to the system, just like any food.

I expect in the end it boosts N and P, as opposed to reduces them.

 

[ptrick21186]

I do not think it is counter intuitive.

Yes, it is possible the phyto takes up some nutrients before it is eaten or dies, but after it is eaten or dies, most of the nutrients it took up plus most of the nutrients it came in with are released back to the system, just like any food.

I expect in the end it boosts N and P, as opposed to reduces them.

Ah yes. I completely forgot that as the phyto dies it would release those nutrients back into the water column.