Aquatic Pollution and Coastal Management

Unit 3 : Agricultural wastes and eutrophication

3.13.The major and minor plant nutrients in aquatic systems
For terrestrial gardeners, a listing of the major or macro- nutrients of aquarium-useful plants comes as no surprise; they're the same nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and more. What is definitely different is how these elements are made available and taken up by aquarium plants.

Additional major or macro-nutrients and minor/micro-nutrients follow the same general rule; and as with land plants organic and inorganic nutrients are provided by mineral and biological sources.

As you will see, in some ways aquarium plant life is favored over the air outside, physical support, moderation of the ill effects of varying water availability ,etc. But this surfeit of water is a "double edged sword", aquatic factors often affect the usefulness and uptake of necessary chemical species.