macroalgae stops microalgae?

[ebaybrad]

if i put some macroalgae in my fish only tank....will it help stop the growth of micro?....what about in a reef?

 

[ADS]

This is simple competition for nutrients. Macroalgae and microalgae consume available/excess nutients and grow rapidly. Control of excess nutients/phosphate/silica in your system is the best way to keep down unwanted algae blooms. Good nutrient export using a skimmer and quality water(RO/DI or DI) plus reducing feeding will control it.
Macroalgae needs a certain environment and good lighting to flourish. If you drop some in your FO tank it may not proliferate or be consumed quickly by the tanks inhabitants. Some use refugia to grow out macroalgae. It's best to look at your whole system and correct the basic problems contributing to algae growth.

 

[esmithiii]

ReeferBrad:

Can you tell us some more about your system? What kind of algae, lighting, size of tank, fish load, filtration, water flow, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels, etc? We can then help you fix your algae problems.

Ernie

 

[Scott D Passe]

ADS,

I think there is something else going on here in addition to competition for nutrients, namely biochemical suppression.

I.e. I believe that vigorously growing macro algae biochemically suppresses nuisance algae growth. I have a hard time believing that macro algae would be more adept at utilizing available nutrients than nuisance algae.

But what ever the reason, whenever my macro algae bed looks like this:

I have no problems with nuisance algae.

Regards,

Scott Passe

[ December 23, 2001: Message edited by: Scott D Passe ]</p>

 

[ADS]

Scott-by biochemical suppression are you referring to photosynthesis? CO2 consumed producing O2 possibly free radicals/superoxides that inhibit another plant from growing? That's probably a question for a biochemist.
Your refugia with it's HUGE macroalgae crop certainly functions as a nutrient trap eliminating DOCs and reducing the available nutrients for unwanted microalgae.This was my understanding of the refugia concept.
Nice refugia by the way!

 

[Joey1]

Scott,what type of lighting are you using for this overgrown bed of green? Sorry for the crosspost...Joey