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**ShaunW** · 12-22-2007, 08:46 PM

TO SUMMARIZE the above info and integrate it towards our aquariums:

All living creatures in our tank will be similar to their ocean cousins having a Redfield ratio of 16N:1P. Collectively, they will work to maintain this ratio by either growing or dying as the water chemistry changes (water Redfield ratio changes).

If your water's inorganic phosphate level is high then the equilibrium between the living creatures ratio and the environment's ratio will be dissimilar. Therefore, the living creatures will use the inorganic/free phosphate to bring the ratios back to equilibrium by growing and using up the phosphate. This usually manifests as nuisance algae growth in our aquariums, since they are best at integrating excess nutrients towards replication. They decrease environmental P through growth, bringing the inorganic and organic Redfield ratios back to equilibrium.

Bacterial populations too will increase, but their effects on the entire ecosystem I will leave out, therefore keeping the thought process simpler.

In the case of SPS specifically, the zoox will grow when the environmental Redfield ratio is off (high phosphate), using up the external phosphate similar to other algae species. Since the zoox concentration within an SPS is constant, the host (coral) will not be able to adjust fast enough to deal the the zoox concentration increase. This will lead to many problems, the least of which will be lack of growth and color.

12-22-2007, 08:46 PM	#73
ShaunW Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,662 Reefer Ratings: (37) Friends: (0) Blog Entries: 4	TO SUMMARIZE the above info and integrate it towards our aquariums: All living creatures in our tank will be similar to their ocean cousins having a Redfield ratio of 16N:1P. Collectively, they will work to maintain this ratio by either growing or dying as the water chemistry changes (water Redfield ratio changes). If your water's inorganic phosphate level is high then the equilibrium between the living creatures ratio and the environment's ratio will be dissimilar. Therefore, the living creatures will use the inorganic/free phosphate to bring the ratios back to equilibrium by growing and using up the phosphate. This usually manifests as nuisance algae growth in our aquariums, since they are best at integrating excess nutrients towards replication. They decrease environmental P through growth, bringing the inorganic and organic Redfield ratios back to equilibrium. Bacterial populations too will increase, but their effects on the entire ecosystem I will leave out, therefore keeping the thought process simpler. In the case of SPS specifically, the zoox will grow when the environmental Redfield ratio is off (high phosphate), using up the external phosphate similar to other algae species. Since the zoox concentration within an SPS is constant, the host (coral) will not be able to adjust fast enough to deal the the zoox concentration increase. This will lead to many problems, the least of which will be lack of growth and color. __________________ *"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."* - James Madison, to the Virginia ratifying Convention, June 16, 1788. "I sincerely believe.....that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity under the name of funding is but swindling futurity on a large scale." -Thomas Jefferson Last edited by ShaunW; 12-22-2007 at 10:07 PM.