Dose or remove

[scotty333]

I don't have exact numbers, but when i see corals starting to brown a bit, I mix 7ml of seaklear phosphate remover into 1 gallon of rodi and constant dose it until it's empty. The gallon mixture lasts roughly a week.

I haven't tested in a while, but I'd imagine ime well over 0.40 ppm

So corals brown out over .4 , that’s going to get debunked quickly I’d say

 

[X-37B]

I do not dose phosphate and use Phosgaurd in a nylon bag dropped into my 150's sock chamber like this.

 

[ColorMeGone]

I dose 2ml per day. Test once a week.

 

[Pod_01]

TM has some cool products like phos feed and reef actif. I’ve never tried them because I don’t understand them and I don’t know what’s in them. That doesn’t always stop me from trying something but it certainly makes me hesitant.

Hmmm… You got me I do use Reef Actif as well, mild carbon source.
When I use it corals look happier, but don’t ask me to show scientific proof.

When I stopped they didn’t look as good, again all based on my Mark 1 eyeball. I stopped because I could not buy any for about 2 years.

 

[rishma]

Hmmm… You got me I do use Reef Actif as well, mild carbon source.
When I use it corals look happier, but don’t ask me to show scientific proof.

When I stopped they didn’t look as good, again all based on my Mark 1 eyeball. I stopped because I could not buy any for about 2 years.

Full disclosure, I use NP bacto balance. Don’t really know what it is but it’s the best carbon dosing I’ve ever tried.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hmmm… You got me I do use Reef Actif as well, mild carbon source.
When I use it corals look happier, but don’t ask me to show scientific proof.

When I stopped they didn’t look as good, again all based on my Mark 1 eyeball. I stopped because I could not buy any for about 2 years.

What sort of corals?

Would be interesting to know why. They might eat it directly, or something they eat something else that in turn at it. Or a much less direct effect.

 

[Pod_01]

What sort of corals?

Would be interesting to know why. They might eat it directly, or something they eat something else that in turn at it. Or a much less direct effect.

They all do perk up, SPS tend to show more polyps, I have mixed reef:
GSP, devil hand, chalices, acros, montipora, Favia also algae etc…

This acro lost all polyps when I stopped with reef actif and now they are back.
Same coral when it retracted polyps:

It definitely makes the reef lively. Or let me rephrase when I use it the reef looks better.

 

[rishma]

They all do perk up, SPS tend to show more polyps, I have mixed reef:
GSP, devil hand, chalices, acros, montipora, Favia also algae etc…

This acro lost all polyps when I stopped with reef actif and now they are back.
Same coral when it retracted polyps:

It definitely makes the reef lively. Or let me rephrase when I use it the reef looks better.

any similar observations with phos feed?

 

[Pod_01]

any similar observations with phos feed?

Phosphate from my experience tends to feed corals.
If there is not enough phosphate some corals end up like this:

I see Phos Feed as coral food when the tank does not have enough fish.
I was adding other phosphate forms like liquid or coral foods etc…

No I didn’t see any noticeable improvement, corals didn’t have phosphate starvation to start with.

Hope that helps.

 

[rishma]

Phosphate from my experience tends to feed corals.
If there is not enough phosphate some corals end up like this:

I see Phos Feed as coral food when the tank does not have enough fish.
I was adding other phosphate forms like liquid or coral foods etc…

No I didn’t see any noticeable improvement, corals didn’t have phosphate starvation to start with.

Hope that helps.

Thanks.I manage phosphate in a tight range so I don’t think I have much opportunity there. I have mostly been curious about reef actif. I really like the idea of providing food for the corals but I carbon dose and have been concerned about messing up the balance I’ve achieved by adding another carbon dosing variable. Next time I need to make an order I may just give it a try. Everything is happy and growing in my tank so I don’t know that I expect to see anything but, you know, compulsive tinkering…

 

[reefer2/19/24]

So guys

Do you have to dose phosphate or use a remover to keep in check?

So is anyone else using a turf scrubber? Instead of chemical for phosphate and nitrate control?

 

[FernBluffReef]

Newer tank. First 6 months, I had to dose significant amounts of Phosphate and some nitrates daily which was not surprising. Then nitrates and phosphates increased substantially for 3-4 months and I started carbon dosing. All the while I’d also get some phyto.

Now I’m back to having to dose small amounts of nitrates and phosphates daily. Carbon dosing is cut way back (next to nothing) but not totally eliminated.

I’m ‘thinking’, guessing, whatever based on other other commentary online, that the primary reason I’m not having to manage down nutrients now (and having to add some) is I’m now growing my own phyto so it’s much fresher and consistent added daily. Either that or the corals are consuming, as if I do something or don’t do something that makes them less happy there tends to be an increase also but I’d be surprised if the corals are a ‘major’ factor yet as most of my corals remain relatively small. Probably a bit of both

 

[McPuff]

So is anyone else using a turf scrubber? Instead of chemical for phosphate and nitrate control?

I'm running one as my nutrients are very high... but on their way down. My last ATI showed nitrate ~100 and phosphate ~ 1. A couple months before that they were even higher. All my sand sifters died over the course of a year and I neglected to replace them. This led to the sand getting compacted and utterly filthy and I've been working slowly for months to vacuum it out, stir regularly, and add sifters back. Will run another ATI in a week or two to see how it's progressing. Still a decent way to go regardless.