Nutrient Export

[nugrad2005]

We recently added a refugium to our 150 and put some nice plants in it. I keep reading about nutrient export and keep throwing the term around myself, but i realized i actually have no idea what the phrase means. I know what the words mean individually but when placed together in context it just seems awkward. Where are the nutrients going? Is anything being imported?

My impression was that the plants use up the ammonia, nitrite and nitrates(one or all, not sure) which are the basics of fertilizer. So are the "nutrients" (ammonia, etc) being exported to the fuge? If so, is there anything being pumped back into the tank, or just better quality water?

If someone could please clarify i would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

-Dan

[RogerMcAllen]

The plants take up the nutrients just like you said. All you do is trim the plants and take them out of the tank to "export" nutrients from your system.