Macro for Nitrate Export...

[Dr4g0nf1y]

I added a baseball size clump of Chaeto to my display tank to help with Nitrate removal. The ball has grown to softball size by now but I'm not sure how much to harvest. I'm really not sure I need to harvest at this point. My nitrates really haven't changed with it in there so I'm not even sure if it's working. Thoughts, Ideas?

 

[Triterium]

Let it grow as big as possible. The bigger the clump, the faster the growth, the better the nutrient export. But if its your display you might not want it to get too big.

 

[Dr4g0nf1y]

I guess what I'm missing is how it exports nitrates when you remove some of it.. or is the removal just control of the size of the colony?

 

[Triterium]

The macroalgae uses the nitrogen in nitrates for protein synthesis. As long as the chaeto is alive, it stores the nitrogen in its tissue and it can be considered "exported". Removing the chaeto from the tank is simply for controling the size. If the macro dies, the nutrients are released back into the water.