High phosphates low nitrates during ugly stage

[clowntank]

Hi everyone, I’m new to reefing and am currently running a 15 gallon innovative marine tank! I’m going through the ugly stage right now after around 4 weeks (lots of brown algae on the sand and some on the glass). I figured I’d test the water parameters for phosphates to see if mine were out of wack, and it turns out, they are:

Phosphates: ~0.25 ppm
Nitrates: ~0-5ppm

(using the api test kit)

I have 2 clownfish, a scarlet cleaner shrimp, 3 astrea snails, 1 trochus snail, and one small gsp.

I think the gsp is happy, but I have to say it’s not super fluorescent and green. Im mainly just curious as to how my phosphates are so high. I feed pe pellets (about 3-4 2mm pellets per day crushed up for my baby clowns); and I have live rock, live sand, ceramic bacteria balls, and filter floss.

I’d love some insight, everyone seems happy but I’m wondering if this is something I have to address, or just the ups and downs of the new reef tank cycle. Thank you so much!!

 

[LavenderTi]

What type of live rock do you have? Some of them leach phosphates in the early phase of the tank. I used life rock in my nano and had that issue.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hi everyone, I’m new to reefing and am currently running a 15 gallon innovative marine tank! I’m going through the ugly stage right now after around 4 weeks (lots of brown algae on the sand and some on the glass). I figured I’d test the water parameters for phosphates to see if mine were out of wack, and it turns out, they are:

Phosphates: ~0.25 ppm
Nitrates: ~0-5ppm

(using the api test kit)

I have 2 clownfish, a scarlet cleaner shrimp, 3 astrea snails, 1 trochus snail, and one small gsp.

I think the gsp is happy, but I have to say it’s not super fluorescent and green. Im mainly just curious as to how my phosphates are so high. I feed pe pellets (about 3-4 2mm pellets per day crushed up for my baby clowns); and I have live rock, live sand, ceramic bacteria balls, and filter floss.

I’d love some insight, everyone seems happy but I’m wondering if this is something I have to address, or just the ups and downs of the new reef tank cycle. Thank you so much!!

Very new tanks will have fluctuations in nutrient levels in part because the bacterial/archaeal biome is still immature. More simply put, the microscopic critters in your system are still finding a balance, and that includes those that produce and consume nutrients.

 

[clowntank]

What type of live rock do you have? Some of them leach phosphates in the early phase of the tank. I used life rock in my nano and had that issue.

Oh I didn’t even think of that- I have the caribsea spore-induced live rock (it’s purple if that helps lol)

 

[clowntank]

Very new tanks will have fluctuations in nutrient levels in part because the bacterial/archaeal biome is still immature. More simply put, the microscopic critters in your system are still finding a balance, and that includes those that produce and consume nutrients.

Okay this makes me feel a lot better- thank you so much!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Okay this makes me feel a lot better- thank you so much!

You're welcome!