why cant i get a phyto bloom like nature?

[boxfishpooalot]

In nature when there are excess nutrients a phytoplankton bloom effectivly removes the nutrients. The nutreints would be incorporated into the mass of the phyto and dissapear into the ocean or be utilized by organisms.

Why in my tank do I not see this bloom with 100ppm nitrate and 3ppm of phosphates? Wich my skimmer could remove.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Other factors must be limiting the phyto bloom. Damaging pumps, filter feeders, skimmers, chemical limitations (like maybe iron) etc, all may play a role.

[boxfishpooalot]

I had a phytoplankton bloom when I first set up my tank 1 1/2 years ago. It was a pea soup green. I ran a 400watt 4k halide(ugly color) Eventually I killed it off with uv light. Although i did not use a skimmer then, just some pumps and sand bed.

Now I have the 400w 4k light under in the sump growing macro, but no blooms.I use t5 lighting, and used to have 20k 400watt halide, with no blooms. But I use a becket skimmer now.

I have dosed iron many times and I dont see a bloom. A couple capfulls at once.

How would pumps damage the phyto? They are so small.

Maybee im limiting in a certain phytoplankton species?

Maybee they are being removed faster than they are growing?

[Herpervet]

Why not add a heavy dose of phytofeast live to get the ball rolling?

[boxfishpooalot]

I was thinking about that. But it could be a waste of money.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Maybee im limiting in a certain phytoplankton species?

Maybee they are being removed faster than they are growing?

Those could certainly both be true.