Dosing Phoshpate

[Randeeeezy]

Hey all,

I've got a new tank and diatoms have started to set in. I ran my params today and the only concerning thing is that the phosphate is at 0.

Is it worth dosing phosphate to avoid dinos this early? Is it just the diatoms using up the phosphate?
And if so, I've read that a lot of phos doses can add alk. Which currently sits at around 9 where I want it.

What have yall dosed to raise Phosphate and has it had any adverse effects to any of you other parameters?

Current Params:
SG: 1.026
pH: 8.2 (Per salifert, not sure how accurate, waiting on apex)
Ammonia: .08
Nitrate: 9.2
Alk: 8.5

 

[BonnieB]

Did you cycle with dry or live rock? Do you have any livestock in there? How “young” is the tank? These will help with suggestions!

 

[Randeeeezy]

3 Week tank, Currently 1 Mocha Clown, softies, and some CUC in there.

Its a 10 gallon tank

Dry rock and live sand

 

[BonnieB]

Let the diatoms run their course at this point. It helps the tank mature even though we don’t like the uglier phase. You do need phosphates for the corals though. If you have a good CUC them they should handle any Dinos or cyano that might arise from the bottoming out. I’m n more of a natural person so I would feed just a tad more and let the tank do its thing and test again in a week, then see how everything is doing. Also, not sure what you are using as test kits, but measurement error is also a possibility, especially if you’re using API.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d feed more or dose food grade sodium phosphate. No one wants dinos.

 

[Science/G]

What Randy said.

 

[Randeeeezy]

Let the diatoms run their course at this point. It helps the tank mature even though we don’t like the uglier phase. You do need phosphates for the corals though. If you have a good CUC them they should handle any Dinos or cyano that might arise from the bottoming out. I’m n more of a natural person so I would feed just a tad more and let the tank do its thing and test again in a week, then see how everything is doing. Also, not sure what you are using as test kits, but measurement error is also a possibility, especially if you’re using API.

Using all Hannah except for pH

 

[Randeeeezy]

I’d feed more or dose food grade sodium phosphate. No one wants dinos.

Is there a specific brand you would recommend?

 

[BryanM]

are you testing phos? It doesn't appear you are.

 

[Randeeeezy]

are you testing phos? It doesn't appear you are.

Sorry first sentence says it is zero. That's the whole issue

 

[Miami Reef]

Is there a specific brand you would recommend?

Here’s a phosphate dosing recipe. There’s also an Amazon link in that thread to buy pure sodium phosphate:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-phosphate-dosing-recipe.1109919/

 

[BryanM]

Sorry first sentence says it is zero. That's the whole issue

Apologies, I missed that, and was just looking at the rest of the results.

I dosed NeoPhos when I needed to, and it worked quite well. It isn't the cheapest, and if I need to dose LONG term I will dose something else. But it is a good product short term.