Phosphates

[Needles15]

How much phosphates is too much .. I know they should be as close to 0 as I can get .. But is any trace of it acceptable!?

 

[bribo12]

You really want them 0 anything above will inhibit stony coral growth an cause algae growth.

 

[alco1]

0 is always the best....

but always thought phosphate is similar to nitrate... 10 should be the max... but not consistently sitting there.

correct me if im wrong lol

 

[bribo12]

0 is always the best....

but always thought phosphate is similar to nitrate... 10 should be the max... but not consistently sitting there.

correct me if im wrong lol

Your tank would be green lol. 10 phosphates is very high, you want it below 0.1 but 0 is much better

 

[alco1]

ive learnt something new

 

[dragonfisher33]

i thought a (very) small amount of phosphate is actually good for the corals

 

[Needles15]

Okay thank you.. I have an pipe organ coral that hasn't opened in about 2 days but has been doing great for about 3 weeks prior.. The only parameter high is my phos and it's at .35 .. I had a 10k light burn out and it took 3 days til I could replace it (48" t5ho 4 bulb, 50/50)

Any ideas!?

 

[alco1]

how often are you doing water changes? are you using rodi water or treated tap water?

and what sort of substrate are you using on the floor of the tank? aragonite? live sand? crushed coral? sand?

And how deep of a sand bed?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Studies show with acro growth a phosphate of .2 to .07ppm is optimum. The acro will be browner as a result of extra algae growing in it. Overall best levels for color is .07 to .05ppm is generally accepted. Below .05ppm coral algae start to suffer.

As with virtually every affordable test kit, zero isn't zero, it's just out of the range of that test kit. So a phosphate level of truly zero would be most noticeable as the corals algae starved.

I shoot to stay under .1ppm

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/324253-maybe-low-nitrates-and-phosphates-arent-the-problem/

 

[Needles15]

how often are you doing water changes? are you using rodi water or treated tap water?

and what sort of substrate are you using on the floor of the tank? aragonite? live sand? crushed coral? sand?

And how deep of a sand bed?

Yes I'm doing 20% WC every 3 weeks. I am using rodi from the dispenser at the store.. I did originally fill the tank with 1/2 rodi 1/2 treated tap.. That was 3 WC ago.. And I have live sand 2.5 inches deep and live rock.. There are also zoa's in there that open fully everyday ..

 

[Needles15]

Studies show with acro growth a phosphate of .2 to .07ppm is optimum. The acro will be browner as a result of extra algae growing in it. Overall best levels for color is .07 to .05ppm is generally accepted. Below .05ppm coral algae start to suffer.

As with virtually every affordable test kit, zero isn't zero, it's just out of the range of that test kit. So a phosphate level of truly zero would be most noticeable as the corals algae starved.

I shoot to stay under .1ppm

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/324253-maybe-low-nitrates-and-phosphates-arent-the-problem/

And tht is very interesting!! Thanks for the link! It kinda eases a little stress lol