@Reef Nutrition any advice?
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
I wasn't intending to imply that ammonia was the only thing phytoplankton needed. Only that NH4 in particular can be a nitrogen source utilized by phytoplankton. Since NH4 and NH3 are in an equilibrium based on pH, if phytoplankton consumes NH4 then some NH3 shifts to NH4 reducing total ammonia. Probably a little more in depth than this thread needs....He stated current ammonia at 2PPm. Bacteria digests ammonia. Along with sunlight, water and carbon dioxide, phytoplankton require a variety of other nutrients from the water including nitrogen, phosphorous and iron. The most important are nitrogen and phosphorous which are essential to survival and reproduction. Nitrogen is in short supply in some areas but in other areas, phosphorous is limited. Phytoplankton cannot continue to grow when one or the other has been used up. They are part of the food chain and therefore would not be consuming and transferring ammonia to aquatic life.
Phytoplankton contain chlorophyll which allows them to convert sunlight into energy. In the process known as photosynthesis, they combine the sunlight with water and carbon dioxide to create carbohydrates which they use as nutrients.
I wouldn't add more ammonia. I would wait another day or two to see if nitrite will finish dropping to zero.Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 10
....am I just about cycled? I haven't been testing for ammonia very often like I should (working nights and heavy training for a half Ironman take up most of my time lately), so I don't know if it ever really spiked. Should I give it a dose of ammonia, test daily, and see what it does?
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 10
....am I just about cycled? I haven't been testing for ammonia very often like I should (working nights and heavy training for a half Ironman take up most of my time lately), so I don't know if it ever really spiked. Should I give it a dose of ammonia, test daily, and see what it does?
I wasn't intending to imply that ammonia was the only thing phytoplankton needed. Only that NH4 in particular can be a nitrogen source utilized by phytoplankton. Since NH4 and NH3 are in an equilibrium based on pH, if phytoplankton consumes NH4 then some NH3 shifts to NH4 reducing total ammonia. Probably a little more in depth than this thread needs....
I wouldn't add more ammonia. I would wait another day or two to see if nitrite will finish dropping to zero.
I'd certainly let them know so they can fix this deficiency going forward with other orders, if not your own.