To be lost - it most be found first - or in this case be readily available. Most organic matter has nearly the same C/N/P ratio as the organisms that consume it. N and P are mostly readily available but much of the C are not that. Some of the bound carbon will form (in anaerobic environment) temporary carbon compounds such as carbohydrates (starch and sugar) and various alcohols before becoming available and excreted as CO2, Further on some C is so tightly bound that upon complete mineralization it will not become CO2 but CH4. I still will say that using DOC in a aerobic aquarium environment is a shortcut that eliminates the need for anaerobic release of the more tightly bound carbon.That is correct to a some extent, but the main reason why our aquariums are organic carbon limited is the cellular respiration where most of organic carbon from the food is lost as CO2 (gas).
Sincerely Lasse
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