Exactly. That's the fundamental principle. Having too much is just a waste so there is an economic imperative. That's all. The biomass issue has absolutely nothing to do with the fert levels in this context.
There are very good reasons for having higher biomass. More plant biomass in the tank interacts more with the sediment and bacteria via symbiosis. More
healthy biomass removes more ammonia, which is healthier for the fish. More biomass produces more oxygen due to photosynthesis.
It's not because "Oh my God, with only a few plants, they are not sucking up nutrients fast enough". That's a complete misinterpretation of the basic principles. What few plants you may have will simply grow faster due to greater availability and higher concentrations of nutrients and CO2.
Now, having said all that, at some point, when a huge biomass develops in the tank we often need to increase the fert levels beyond what we started with, simply to keep pace with increased hunger as well as to compensate for flow blockages and loss of efficiency. But that's a different context, see the difference?
B4M said:
I'll keep at roughly full EI without getting hung up on ppm.
Obi Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker: "Congratulations, you've taken your first step into a wider world."
Cheers,
