Macros And Micros

[Rlon35]

Can someone explain the differnece between the two and why both are necessary? I think I can infer the meaning of the issues my plant guy explained to me, but I'd like to hear from experts here, like Aaron, Ade, etc.....Thanks...

 

[Renate]

Would you please be more specific. Two of what?

 

[Colin_T]

Would you please be more specific. Two of what?

macro & micro nutrients for plants.

Macro nutrients are things like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Micro nutrients are calcium, magnesium, copper and so forth. Iron is sometimes considered a micro nutrient but I consider it a macro nutrient because plants use more of it than the normal micro nutrients. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is needed by plants as well but is not a nutrient. Light is also essential for plant growth.

Most of the macro nutrients come from fish food and waste in the water.
Nitrogen causes leaf growth and is found in the water as ammonia, nitrite & nitrate.
Phosphorus encourages roots development and is tested as phosphates. It is found in most tanks that get dry fish foods.
Potassium encourages flower or fruit development but is rare in aquariums. Fortunately it is not needed in huge quantities by most aquatic plants.

Carbon dioxide is used for cell growth but is only used when the plants have light. When it is dark plants stop photosynthesising and start using Oxygen (O2) instead of Carbon dioide. CO2 is readily available in the water and comes from the fish, the filter bacteria, and thru the surface of the water via the air we breathe.

Iron and other trace elements are required to prevent deficiencies in the plants. Many water supplies have very few trace elements and as such it is a good idea to add some if the plants are changing colour (going yellow). Most good plant foods will contain trace elements as well as macro elements.

 

[aaronnorth]

experts here, like Aaron, Ade, etc.....Thanks

yes like colin says,

macros - NPK
micros - trace.

 

[Rlon35]

Wow, thanks for explaining that. So, if you had a 55 gallon tank, what prodcuts would you recemmend in terms of adding the basic necessary macros (if needed) and micros. And, I know this is asking alot, but what kind of dosage schedule would you folllow with each product? I just got major lighting, and I have a fermentation CO2 kit that only runs during the light phase. I am using an air pump and moonlights at night. My set-up is improving, but the fert schedule recommended at the LFS is going to break my bank (over 120 dolllars). If you'd be so good as to give me advice, keep in mind that I plan on having a rather heaviy stocked tank, when I get my desired fish, with minimal carbon in my filters.


PS Is there any kind of material, wrapp, or object that will protect stem plants from being dug up by my gold nugget and covert clowns?

 

[Dave Spencer]

Most of the macro nutrients come from fish food and waste in the water.
Nitrogen causes leaf growth and is found in the water as ammonia, nitrite & nitrate.
Phosphorus encourages roots development and is tested as phosphates. It is found in most tanks that get dry fish foods.
Potassium encourages flower or fruit development but is rare in aquariums. Fortunately it is not needed in huge quantities by most aquatic plants.

Where do you get this info from, Colin? I believe it to be simplistic and incorrect.

The carbon from CO2 is a nutrient.

Iron is a trace element, and not necessarily used any more than any other micro element. It may be that there is more emphasis on iron as opposed to other micros because it is the one tested for as an indicator for micro levels in general. Anyway, understanding availability of iron in the aquarium must be extremely difficult, as it is a mare to test for iron levels in water in the lab at work.

Rion, for the basics of plant nutrient requirement, have a read of the EI sticky. When you start a planted tank, plan it around what kind of growth you want. It is the required growth rates that determine how much light you need, followed by whether this means you need CO2, followed by whether you dose micros and macros.

I think macros are called so because there is greater amount of these elements required in comparison to micros, which are required in far smaller amounts by the plants.

Dave.

 

[Colin_T]

Most of the macro nutrients come from fish food and waste in the water.
Nitrogen causes leaf growth and is found in the water as ammonia, nitrite & nitrate.
Phosphorus encourages roots development and is tested as phosphates. It is found in most tanks that get dry fish foods.
Potassium encourages flower or fruit development but is rare in aquariums. Fortunately it is not needed in huge quantities by most aquatic plants.

Where do you get this info from, Colin? I believe it to be simplistic and incorrect.
The carbon from CO2 is a nutrient.
Dave.

Carbon is an atomic element, a basic building block of most life on this planet. Nutrients are released from the decomposition of once living matter.

I get my information from the 20+ years I have studied horticulture and grown plants.

What's wrong with my explanation, it's simple and informative? NPK, Nitrogen, Phosphorus & Potassium are all macro nutrients and are used by all plants, terrestrial & aquatic. They are used by plants to do the above, namely grow leaves, roots, flowers and fruits.

 

[Dave Spencer]

Carbon is an atomic element, a basic building block of most life on this planet. Nutrients are released from the decomposition of once living matter.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron etc. are all elements, and nutrients.

NPK, Nitrogen, Phosphorus & Potassium are all macro nutrients and are used by all plants, terrestrial & aquatic. They are used by plants to do the above, namely grow leaves, roots, flowers and fruits.

True, but aquatic plant use of these is far more complex than what you have written. None of what you say is correct. It is not particularly important to the relevance of this thread, but if you are going to offer information additional to what is required, it should be correct.

I`m not having a go Colin, you are far more helpful to people on this forum than I am, but I just don`t think the info in this thread is correct.

Dave.