Macro vs GHA on nutrients consumption

[dandelion]

When I got my first ball of chaeto, it was like a nitrate sponge. I tested a small ball of it in 1/2 gallon of post-cycle water (nitrate through the roof) and overnight it was undetectable with my API kit. (That's from 120+ppm to <20ppm in 24 hours.) however lately I have noticed they don't seem to be growing too well in both my tanks which test 0 nitrate and 0.02-0.04 phosphate (using red sea). It seems to me even that the macro is breaking down feeding GHA and causing algae issues.

 

so I have a theory. Maybe macroslgae thrives better at higher nutrients level and can outcompete Nuissancd algae better when nutrients are more readily available, but when nutrients become scarce they instead get outcompete by things like GHA?

[Weetabix7]

Interesting....

[devaji108]

I agree interesting...

[Lisa166]

Very interesting,
I had a lot and I mean A LOT of very pretty macros on my LR. And ever since my nitrites started to go down, they have been dying off!
I am not sure if this is the cause, or if it is just the cycling of the tank. But it sort of seems plausible? They were looking really good when my nitrites/ammonia was a little higher.
And I am getting other (unwanted) algae outbursts now. Tank is three weeks into cycling, have been doing a soft cycle after day 3.

 

(my phoshates are at 0 too)  

[Weetabix7]

3 hours ago, Lisa166 said:

Very interesting,
I had a lot and I mean A LOT of very pretty macros on my LR. And ever since my nitrites started to go down, they have been dying off!
I am not sure if this is the cause, or if it is just the cycling of the tank. But it sort of seems plausible? They were looking really good when my nitrites/ammonia was a little higher.
And I am getting other (unwanted) algae outbursts now. Tank is three weeks into cycling, have been doing a soft cycle after day 3.

 

(my phoshates are at 0 too)  

 

What you are seeing is just the cycling of the tank, it is the natural process and it hasn't finished playing itself out yet, you have to give it time to balance itself. 

You will be surprised at how much Macro you see grow back, and you will even see things grow that you didn't know were there.

[Lisa166]

9 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

What you are seeing is just the cycling of the tank, it is the natural process and it hasn't finished playing itself out yet, you have to give it time to balance itself. 

You will be surprised at how much Macro you see grow back, and you will even see things grow that you didn't know were there.

Okay, I guess I am just way too axious with this sort of thing. I will try to let it run its course. Its so hard though . And there I was just a few weeks ago going all like: i can definitely wait those 8 weeks of cycling. Easy peasy! 

Guess I was wrong . 

I'll try to stop whining about it now and go back to my actual work 

[Weetabix7]

10 minutes ago, Lisa166 said:

Okay, I guess I am just way too axious with this sort of thing. I will try to let it run its course. Its so hard though . And there I was just a few weeks ago going all like: i can definitely wait those 8 weeks of cycling. Easy peasy! 

Guess I was wrong . 

I'll try to stop whining about it now and go back to my actual work 

 

Lol, I'll go back and comment on your tank thread when I get a chance.

[Lisa166]

23 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Lol, I'll go back and comment on your tank thread when I get a chance.

You are great, don't feel obligued to do so though! 

[Clown79]

Your theory may indeed be correct. 

 

If macros consume nutrients and require photosynthesis to grow/live then if there is no nutrients in the water, what is it consuming to grow?

 

They are plants. In planted tanks they need fertilizer and photosynthesis to grow.

 

I also don't believe every tank goes through all the algaes and aggressive algaes won't didappear without irradication/prevention.

 

I had a small amount of gha appear in my tank at 1.5yrs, i got on that crap like bees to honey. It never got a chance to take over.

 

I've never had a major cyano outbreak. I had a tiny patch in one corner, it never got to the slimey point. I believe in not allowing aggressive algaes time to take hold.