Inorganic nutrients in waterbodies are the driver of primary producers like microalgae and cyanobacteria. These waterbodies can be natural systems like ponds, lakes, streams and rivers, or managed systems like treatment lagoons, and aquaculture ponds. High levels of ammonia, nitrate and phosphate are often associated with excess growth of algae or cyanobacteria, which in turn can reduce water quality and cause high pH, low dissolved oxygen and fish kills, when blooms collapse. Our research shows that adding micronutrients, that are only bioavailable to diatom algae, will enhance the growth of the naturally occurring diatom populations, giving them a growth advantage. Without a micronutrient limitation, diatom populations can take up more nitrogen and phosphorus, reducing inorganic nutrient concentrations. Other algae and cyanobacteria growth reduces due to the lower concentration of macronutrients. The primary production of diatom algae is valuable to the food web grazing upon them as diatoms have high nutritional value compared to many other algae. The long-term improvement of diatom growth has not only demonstrated increased productivity in aquaculture (prawns and fish), but also reduced phytoplankton, improved biodiversity, increased dissolved oxygen, and sludge degradation and reduction.