Asking people who have been doseing phosphate

[Backreefing]

Hello I’m currently doseing phosphate. If I don’t there would be zero in one to two days. I’m keeping it at 20-30 ppb and testing with the Hanna ulr tester . I’m following the directions religiously. BTW I run no skimmer if it maters or not ?
My question for my fellow members is how is your aquarium responding to the doseing phosphate?
My aquarium is in bad shape. The few lps seam unaffected . But the sps have been getting beaten up. The montipora seam the worst.
Also my nitrates are slowly going upwards . I’m testing with a Red Sea kit . It’s above 12 ppm and short of 36 ppm ( the next color step) maybe this is my cause for sps stress .
How are your aquariums responding to the doseing?

 

[Idoc]

My experience with dosing nitrates and phosphates in the past was similar...add some one day and it would be depleted in a day or two. What occured with mine was that eventually the system equilibrated and then the absorption of the dosing elements no longer was receding quickly. It may have taken 2-3 months for me to notice where my system was holding the nutrients longer. Also, I've noticed that elevated nitrates seem to increase the reduction of phosphate in the system...which seems to be the case in your tank as well.

Fluctuations in nutrients definitely have an effect on corals. Specifically SPS, they don't like swings in nutrients from day to day. LPS are more forgiving and like those slightly higher nitrate numbers...but they seem to like some phosphate in the system as well.

I dosed Seachem's Fluourish Phosphate into my system.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

. I’m following the directions religiously.

What directions are you referring to?

 

[Backreefing]

What directions are you referring to?

The directions for the Hanna test kit . Sorry I wasn’t more clear .

 

[Eagle_Steve]

As @Idoc said, the phosphate will bond with rocks and sand to start out with. Once that reaches the point that no more can be bound, you will see levels increase and may be able to reduce or even stop dosing.

 

[Backreefing]

My experience with dosing nitrates and phosphates in the past was similar...add some one day and it would be depleted in a day or two. What occured with mine was that eventually the system equilibrated and then the absorption of the dosing elements no longer was receding quickly. It may have taken 2-3 months for me to notice where my system was holding the nutrients longer. Also, I've noticed that elevated nitrates seem to increase the reduction of phosphate in the system...which seems to be the case in your tank as well.

Fluctuations in nutrients definitely have an effect on corals. Specifically SPS, they don't like swings in nutrients from day to day. LPS are more forgiving and like those slightly higher nitrate numbers...but they seem to like some phosphate in the system as well.

I dosed Seachem's Fluourish Phosphate into my system.

I have been doseing potassium phosphate. Was started me down this rabbit hole was a bad case of Dino’s. Which are gone.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I have been doseing potassium phosphate. Was started me down this rabbit hole was a bad case of Dino’s. Which are gone.

I prefer tri-sodium phosphate, as there is no worry of potassium build up. But that all depends on how much is being dosed into how much water.

@Randy Holmes-Farley may be able to elaborate further, as I have no idea how to figure out the amount of potassium being added lol.

 

[Backreefing]

I did refer o James planted tank calculator. When I put potassium in the nutrient selection it produces about .4 ppm of potassium per day . And I have done water changes to . So I’m assuming potassium build up is negligible.

 

[Backreefing]

Actually I reviewed it and it is.04 ppm over 5 days . Of potassium from potassium phosphate. I’m doseing through the ato. It lasts 5 days

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Potassium isn't a big concern when dosing phosphate. It's a bigger concern dosing nitrate since you dose far more each day. But food grade sodium salts may be more readily available.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

What about other essential nutrients? Dosing only phosphate and or nitrate may deplete other essential nutrient availability if the nitrate and phosphate is used for growth.
If dosing phosphate is considered needed, how one will know it is used for growth? Nitrate increases.
I like to keep the nutrient reserve, N/P ratio, in a way the nutrient reserve may not become responsible for phosphorus starvation wich means a nitrate/phosphate ratio in weight max 9/1.

 

[blasterman]

My 20gal SPS dominant tank cannot maintain detectable levels of phosphate. No matter how much I feed it, and it's a BB tank. However, high feeding levels drive up nitrate, which starts causing issues above 5ppm or so.

When I add phosphate via seachem phosphate (approx 1 capfull) I get an immediate spurt of growth from the large amount of montipora I have in the tank. Things then slow down.....until I add more phosphate.

I've heard similiar stories from monti - cap keepers.

 

[MexiReefer]

I have been doseing potassium phosphate. Was started me down this rabbit hole was a bad case of Dino’s. Which are gone.

how long did it took in days/weeks of dosing to have the Dinos gone?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I dosed trisodium phosphate for a while to get a baseline in my 80g system. I had to dose a lot for a long time to get a stable level. I'm now down to a very small amount per day and will probably stop soon.

I've moved away from dosing liquid PO4 and NO3 supplements and have started feeding more. I feed two frozen cubes per day for the fish and corals to eat, but I feed pellet food for the express purpose of raising PO4 and NO3. I find this much easier than dosing the liquid supplements. I experimented and found that about 3 pinches of Hikari Marine S keeps PO4 stable and NO3 between 5-10. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Backreefing]

how long did it took in days/weeks of dosing to have the Dinos gone?

Actually I started doseing nitrates ( sodium nitrate ) first . It killed the Dino’s in about 4-7 days. But my corals still we’re failing. I discovered zero phosphates . And I have Been doseing phosphate for 2 months now . They still will fall to zero, at this time.

 

[Backreefing]

I also forgot to add that once the Dino’s were gone , my nitrates was high (20ppm) so after a week I stopped doseing nitrates. It’s been just phosphate since.

 

[blasterman]

Forgot to add I have several birdsnests that respond immediately to phosphate dosing. Once the dosing stops growth nubs go away but the coral is otherwise healthy.

 

[Backreefing]

I forgot to add that my birdsnests died immediately with phosphate doseing . LOL