I really like your question and the answers already given
there are both chemical and biological driven reactions going on effecting nitrate and phosphate levels
Chemicals are ones such as phosphate being bound up by aragonite or rockwork. Those chemical reactions go on till an equilibrium is reached and then increase or decrease depending on how much phosphate becomes available via food primarily (consumed or not).
Simultaneously, biological reactions are going on that will consume phosphates although apparently not all that efficiently. So all the live critters, like algae, fish, single and multicelled critters will all consume and/or utilize phosphates. The richer and larger biodiversity likely improves that uptake.
Nitrate levels are also effected by their chemical and biological reactions.
Physical export like water changes and skimming play a role as well. I am not sure that skimming plays much of a role in phosphate levels
The older a tank gets the more likely the chemical reactions have reached equilibrium. Also a likely
larger biodiversity and biomass has been achieved.
So in older tanks, feeding volume maintains the equilibrium. But for most tanks, it still takes a while for the nutrient levels to fluctuate with changes to feeding.
As with most things in life , a little bit is good but too much can be bad. I feel much more secure with measurable but “lower levels” of nutrients. I am concerned with unmeasurable levels because I think a lack of nutrients is a potential for unwanted pests like cyano outbreaks and dinos.
Plus as has been alluded in a previous post, most of what we “know” in reefing is what we have heard from others and may not be correct.
there are both chemical and biological driven reactions going on effecting nitrate and phosphate levels
Chemicals are ones such as phosphate being bound up by aragonite or rockwork. Those chemical reactions go on till an equilibrium is reached and then increase or decrease depending on how much phosphate becomes available via food primarily (consumed or not).
Simultaneously, biological reactions are going on that will consume phosphates although apparently not all that efficiently. So all the live critters, like algae, fish, single and multicelled critters will all consume and/or utilize phosphates. The richer and larger biodiversity likely improves that uptake.
Nitrate levels are also effected by their chemical and biological reactions.
Physical export like water changes and skimming play a role as well. I am not sure that skimming plays much of a role in phosphate levels
The older a tank gets the more likely the chemical reactions have reached equilibrium. Also a likely
larger biodiversity and biomass has been achieved.
So in older tanks, feeding volume maintains the equilibrium. But for most tanks, it still takes a while for the nutrient levels to fluctuate with changes to feeding.
As with most things in life , a little bit is good but too much can be bad. I feel much more secure with measurable but “lower levels” of nutrients. I am concerned with unmeasurable levels because I think a lack of nutrients is a potential for unwanted pests like cyano outbreaks and dinos.
Plus as has been alluded in a previous post, most of what we “know” in reefing is what we have heard from others and may not be correct.