The Redfield ratio and BGA

[budak]

This article, which I found referenced in a current AGA mailing list discussion on BGA is, at least for myself, especially timely. I do recall dosing somewhat more PO4 (in the hope of warding off green spot algae) than usual in the past fortnight..... and horror of horrors, the swamp thingie (aka stinky BGA) has appeared.

i know the black-out method works, but this time I would like to see if this particular regime (ratio of nitrate to phosphate of about 15-17) works as well. I presume also that when the article talks about green algae, it refers to spot algae, thread and hair algae (not BBA and allies).

The calculator at the bottom is pretty neat too.

Also, if you click the "Caridinia serrata" link at the bottom, you get a page with a video of a nice shrimp... unfortunately the rest of the site is in Dutch.

[leroyfong]

interesting article.... will give the regime a shot to stamp down the green spot algaes.

[Aeon]

Great article, thanks for the knowledge

[geoffrey]

That is a great article. I calculated the ratio in terms of NO3:PO4 and derived 25:1 to get a Redfield ratio of 17 (circa).

[juggler]

Very interesting. When my tank was stable, no algae problem, the Redfield ratio was 14 just before I do a water change. Seems like the observation tallies with their tables.

[bclee]

No according to what I experience. I used to run my tank with very high PO4 (around 1:3) I never had BGA problem... until recently when my NO3 was down to zero or close to zero.

BC