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Unread 10/15/2017, 12:11 PM   #197
Louis Z
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Montgomery
Posts: 1,257
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timfish View Post
Getting back to nutrients, several of the surprises when I was looking at the research on phosphates was PO4 was higher away from the reefs and the lowest levels anywhere in the ocean where found on reef flats (clearly corals sucking up as much as they can get). Second was phosphate is a limiting nutrient for corals to utilize nitrogen. Yet another is microbes are needed to convert organic into inorganic wheich is mush easier for corals to utilize.

https://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/research/...al_DSR1999.pdf
http://www.academia.edu/2645650/The_...osphorus_Cycle
http://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/16/2749.full
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...25326X17301601
.

From the last two papers . I am damned if I do and damned if I don't . I think I just have to stop messing with the nutrient levels so much and try to achieve a balanced ratio of N/P vs ultra low levels . So if my levels are high my zooxanthelle are happy along with the nuisance algae . But reduce the levels then I starve both . So does this mean that the herbivores are the ones that keep the reef from being overtaken ? so I take it as keep the nutrients from being way high to avoid the macro algae from over growing the coral and employ a lot of herbivores to control the algae that does pop up .


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