What does ATS absorb?

[Green]

Hi, new to the forum and I have some questions.
What are all the stuff that ATS can absorb from the water? is toxic metals included like copper for example? and also I want to know what exports that Algae gives back to the water.

[SantaMonica]

Metals including copper. And ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, CO2, phenols, pesticides and other poisons.

Puts into water vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates, oxygen.

[iggy]

Have you come across algae being able to remove organically bound nitrogen or phosphate?

[SantaMonica]

That would be heterotrophic, not autotrophic, and thus would not do any filtering. Everything alive in your tank already does that.

[iggy]

How is cyanobacteria classified?

[Green]

Metals including copper. And ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, CO2, phenols, pesticides and other poisons.

Puts into water vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates, oxygen.
Thanks for the reply, I just started a new reef tank, I will try to set up a small ATS because of the limited space.

[SantaMonica]

Cyano is autotrophic; it consumes N and P. It's also up there with diatoms for being the most abundant living biomass in the oceans.

[Green]

Cyano is autotrophic; it consumes N and P. It's also up there with diatoms for being the most abundant living biomass in the oceans.
I have slow water movement in the refugium that leads to Cyano growth, do you think that is going to affect the display tank in the long term, I am asking because I read somewhere that Cyano produce toxins, I see a lot of micro organisms where the Cyano is that I think they are feeding on it,That is why I want to leave it alone since I am not sure if it is bad or good thing.

[iggy]

I have come across evidence that cyanobacteria consumes dissolved organics as well. It is primarily autotrophic but suspect is is not a black and white classification.

[SantaMonica]

It probably is a bit mixotrophic, and dino's are.

Anyway, having some in the sump won't hurt anything. You can vacuum it out.