Questions about iron.

[as1720]

So im a little confused i dont know if this is something i will use but just in case i got it all wrongi figured i should ask.

The artical i am reading says "Iron limits the growth of phytoplankton in parts of the ocean, and may limit some macroalgal(im thinking who ever whote this ment macroalgae?) growth in many reef aquaria" but in another paragraph it says "The reason to dose iron is that macroalgae may benefit from it."

So does this mean that it helps some to grow and keeps others from growing?

And can some one explain this sentance to me? "Because of its short supply and critical importance, it is also subject to aggressive sequestration by bacteria and other marine organisms."

I have been reading for the last 5 hours so maybe i should take a break but my brain just is not wraping around this one for some reason. But i feel smarter after everything i have read. lol

 

[kaskiles]

I think that when the aquarium does not contain enough iron (whatever that amount is), adding it can help anything that photosynthesizes grow. But some of the photosynthesizers in your tank might be better growers under all of your other specific conditions; so it could possibly kick start your chaeto into starving your cyano (or hair algae) even though both need iron.

 

[Curtswearing]

The artical i am reading says "Iron limits the growth of phytoplankton in parts of the ocean, and may limit some macroalgal(im thinking who ever whote this ment macroalgae?) growth in many reef aquaria"

This is plural

but in another paragraph it says "The reason to dose iron is that macroalgae may benefit from it."

This is singular

So does this mean that it helps some to grow and keeps others from growing?

No

And can some one explain this sentance to me? "Because of its short supply and critical importance, it is also subject to aggressive sequestration by bacteria and other marine organisms."

It's in short supply so any organism that requires Iron for life, is nabbing it out of the water column and incorporating it into their bodies as quickly as possible.

Limited means something different than most people think

Lets say that organism ABC requires 4 things to live, Carbon, phosphorus, Calcium, and Silicon. If organism ABC has the proper amount of Carbon, phosphorus, Calcium but no (or not enough) Silicon, then that organism is Silicon Limited. It doesn't have what it needs to grow or live.

 

[as1720]

Ok got it tanks!