Nutrient levels to grow macro.
- Thread starter StaghornE
- Start date
Depends on the macro. I run 5-10ppm nitrate. Light interval is 12-16 hours. Light intensity at bottom of tank 50-100 PAR. Some macro is fast growing and some is slow. Most macro can adjust to different light spectrum and intensity.
Red Grapes and Dragons Breath are deep water macros harvested in Gulf of Mexico between 30'-130'. At that depth, color rendition is blue. All of the reds and yellows are filtered out by water depth with 73% green, 75% blue, 76% violet remaining.
Gracilaria Hayi is a shallow water red macro that will grow profusiously under all spectrum and intensity. With increasing intensity, the faster growing tips will take on some orange/yellow. With subdued lighting it is dark burgundy.
Red Grapes and Dragons Breath are deep water macros harvested in Gulf of Mexico between 30'-130'. At that depth, color rendition is blue. All of the reds and yellows are filtered out by water depth with 73% green, 75% blue, 76% violet remaining.
Gracilaria Hayi is a shallow water red macro that will grow profusiously under all spectrum and intensity. With increasing intensity, the faster growing tips will take on some orange/yellow. With subdued lighting it is dark burgundy.
If you're serious about macro algae, suggest you check out iron supplementation. I like to run my iron at 5x to 10x NSW.
Plantbrain
Active member
NO3 can be anywhere from 2-10 ppm or higher if you wish, but there's no need to lard it on really.
PO4, you can have some and a little is good, but not having rise much beyond about 0.2 ppm, 0.4ppm and above tends to induce a diatom bloom.
Alk and Ca++ keep in line with reef tanks.
Fe: DTPA(330 sequestrene is the brand name) or a touch of EDDHA(this can doscolor your tank water if you over dose it, Sequesterene 136 I think).
ETDA and Fe Gluconates tend to be too weak for the pH/Alk combos to be of that much good, but some vs none obviously, is not a fair comparison to judge whether EDTA is that effective vs sat DTPA or EDDHA.
Here's a comparative graph of % chelation at various pH's.
ETDA is decent at 6-7, but at 7-8, DTPA is better, EDDHA is problematic as it's bloody red, even small amounts.
DTPA would be the optimal marine Fe trace.
Also, when you make your solution, use some vinegar or RO water to make the mix, warm water works well to dissolve it and it'll stay in solution then on.
If you want to target a specific concentration stock solution or ppm:
http://rota.la/
PO4, you can have some and a little is good, but not having rise much beyond about 0.2 ppm, 0.4ppm and above tends to induce a diatom bloom.
Alk and Ca++ keep in line with reef tanks.
Fe: DTPA(330 sequestrene is the brand name) or a touch of EDDHA(this can doscolor your tank water if you over dose it, Sequesterene 136 I think).
ETDA and Fe Gluconates tend to be too weak for the pH/Alk combos to be of that much good, but some vs none obviously, is not a fair comparison to judge whether EDTA is that effective vs sat DTPA or EDDHA.
Here's a comparative graph of % chelation at various pH's.
ETDA is decent at 6-7, but at 7-8, DTPA is better, EDDHA is problematic as it's bloody red, even small amounts.
DTPA would be the optimal marine Fe trace.
Also, when you make your solution, use some vinegar or RO water to make the mix, warm water works well to dissolve it and it'll stay in solution then on.
If you want to target a specific concentration stock solution or ppm:
http://rota.la/
SantaMonica
Well-known member
EDDHA does not vary with pH?
Hi Plantbrain...
Is your PO4 recommendation for a plant tank, a reef tank, or both? I've preferred to keep my reef tank at less than 0.1, even if that requires the use of lanthanum chloride.
Also, is excess PO4 the trigger for diatoms? I've always thought excess silicates was the trigger...
Thanks,
Bob
