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  #1  
Old 07/15/2004, 05:59 AM
thackray thackray is offline
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Co2 Producers/user In The Tank?

I’m trying to account for all the internal sources and users of CO2 in my tank.

Plants use CO2 when the lights are on and animals produce CO2 continuously. Animals that contain zooxanthellae both use and produce CO2. If a large zooxanthellae containing creature (coral or clam) created its entire energy needs through photosynthesis, would the CO2 usage of the zooxanthellae equal the CO2 produced by the animal portion of the creature through respiration (averaged over the daily cycle)?

In fact, most zooxanthellae containing creatures get nutrients from other sources and if the above is true then we could say that respiration dominate photosynthesis in these creatures making them net exporters of CO2. Is this true?
  #2  
Old 07/15/2004, 07:22 AM
Randy Holmes-Farley Randy Holmes-Farley is offline
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Any organism, plant or animal, that lives totally off of sunlight is a net sink for CO2. It may produce excess CO2 at night and consume it during the day, but overall it is a net sink.

If they consume significant amounts of carbon compounds that they metabolize to CO2, then they can be either a net sink or a net source of CO2.
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  #3  
Old 07/15/2004, 07:41 AM
thackray thackray is offline
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Now that I think about it that makes sense.

Thank you Randy'

Phil Thackray
  #4  
Old 07/15/2004, 07:45 AM
Randy Holmes-Farley Randy Holmes-Farley is offline
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You're welcome.
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  #5  
Old 07/15/2004, 08:16 AM
thackray thackray is offline
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Randy,

My model would have resulted in the "perpetual motion clam".

Phil Thackray
  #6  
Old 07/15/2004, 09:14 AM
Randy Holmes-Farley Randy Holmes-Farley is offline
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Now there would be something neat to sell to aquarists
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