Hi
@John q
Sorry, John. My bwain hurts*. Would you please elaborate on the above? Most of my grey matter is on a 'go-slow'!
* John Cleese in
Monty Python's Flying Circus
JPC
Hi Jpc,
Certainly, my suggestion that the scientific evidence is at odds with itself is based on a couple of things. In this study that you linked in a previous thread.
(PDF) Photosynthetic performance of freshwater Rhodophyta in response to temperature, irradiance, pH and diurnal rhythm
It states that these algal types do better in ph 8.5 or 6.5. It then goes on to reference the sheath 1984 article that suggests the occurrence of freshwater red algae is more prevalent when the ph is less than 6.5.
So we have 2 studies suggesting different opinions.
Diana Walstad goes on to say that certain algae are better adapted to alkaline water than aquatic plants.
Diana notes that red algae may not have this alkaline advantage, and even suggests that it eventually dies off when placed in her hard water alkaline tanks.
So we have three experts, one suggests red algae thrives in high ph water, another says it dies in a high ph environment, and the last one says it thrives in low ph values. To me this science is at odds with itself.
Yes, treat yourself to a copy of Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. Then all will be made clear. Fundamentally, it's because aquatic plants don't have the accessory pigments phycoerythrin, phycocyanin and siphonoxanthin.
You've probably already worked out I have a copy of her book.
OK so algae can adapt to certain wavelengths of light better than plants, I've learnt something there.
I think the point I was trying to make is our plants will adapt to the light we give them, and personally think trying to find a particular spectrum of light that favours the plants and not the algae is futile.
Keep up the research John, I genuinely find these posts interesting 👍
