Do I need to adjust levels for an urchin and starfish?

[Cflip]

My readings are .5 phosphates ca 360. Alk 6 and mag 1320. I just have live rock no corals. Any problem with these levels?

 

[James M]

No there inverts not coral

 

[Cflip]

Would adding Magnesium hurt? They managed to sell me that.

 

[acabgd]

Your phosphates are rather high, but how are your nitrates? Urchins do not tolerate high nitrates, same goes for starfish.

 

[Cflip]

Your phosphates are rather high, but how are your nitrates? Urchins do not tolerate high nitrates, same goes for starfish.

Nitrates are at 0 They also sold me some GFO. I didn’t add it yet.

 

[acabgd]

You could say your magnesium level is spot on, there's no real need to get it any higher. The LFS will sell you whatever you want to buy, it's up to you to read and research if you really need it or not.

 

[James M]

Sounds like the lfs is just trying to make money off you

 

[Cflip]

You could say your magnesium level is spot on, there's no real need to get it any higher. The LFS will sell you whatever you want to buy, it's up to you to read and research if you really need it or not.

That’s why I’m here

 

[Cflip]

That’s why I’m here

Just tested my phosphates with a Hanna checker. It’s .10 ppm.

 

[MSB123]

Just tested my phosphates with a Hanna checker. It’s .10 ppm.

That’s bad. You want it much lower then that.
Run some GFO and test again tomorrow.

 

[Cflip]

That’s why I’m here

I’ll just return what I was sold today!!

 

[MSB123]

I’ll just return what I was sold today!!

Ok.
Good. What test kit are you using?

 

[Cflip]

Ok.
Good. What test kit are you using?

The .5 reading was from the store. I think it was api test kit. I just got the Hanna so I tested it again at home. Other kits I’ve used are salifert and nyos for nitrates

 

[Cflip]

That’s bad. You want it much lower then that.
Run some GFO and test again tomorrow.

What number am I looking for?

 

[MSB123]

Under 0.2 PPM

 

[Cflip]

Under 0.2 PPM

Isn’t .10 lower than .2?

 

[MSB123]

Isn’t .10 lower than .2?

Sorry.
0.02-0.03 is ideal

 

[acabgd]

Opinions differ, but I'd say you're okay up to 0.1 ppm for phosphate. I tend to run in the 0.05 - 0.08 rangem but have ventured up to 0.16. SPS don't like that in particular but it's not a fixed number I would chase, rather a range where you see your corals are doing fine.

 

[KenO]

Sounds like a new tank. Urchins feed on coralline, do you have that growing on the rocks yet? If not, then that poor boys going to stave. I’m not sure about what a starfish needs to eat to survive.

I wouldn’t go chasing your PO4 levels just yet on a new setup.

 

[ckalupa]

Op, you have not said what is in your tank? You are getting many suggestions on regulating phos yet we don’t even know if you are sps, lps, fish only?