How to get Phosphates down

[austin_socal]

If you can, get a second opinion/test from your LFS, If im having issues i usually go to both my lFS to double check my readings

Will do!

 

[Formulator]

Can’t afford the Hanna kits lol

FYA, Salifert is a good step up from API and not as expensive as Hannah.

 

[austin_socal]

FYA, Salifert is a good step up from API and not as expensive as Hannah.

Awesome, thank you

 

[Lavey29]

Are your lps doing well? Reefapalooza is coming up and I was planning on getting lots of LPS.

If your tank is new like less then 6 months then I would spend much money on LPS because your tank is still very unstable and highly likely they will not survive long.

 

[NonstopSoda]

If your tank is new like less then 6 months then I would spend much money on LPS because your tank is still very unstable and highly likely they will not survive long.

I second! Reefapalooza is still half a month-ish away, try to get everything cleaned up and stable before LPS because they can be quite sensitive to changes in the tank.

 

[GatorGreg]

Yeah, I am lol. So weird. I tested my water and it is at 0 for nitrates and 0.25 for phos. I got one piece of coral right now and it looks great! (Better in person)

Your tank looks pretty clean. That coral looks freaking sweet too.

 

[NonstopSoda]

Yeah, I am lol. So weird. I tested my water and it is at 0 for nitrates and 0.25 for phos. I got one piece of coral right now and it looks great! (Better in person)

omg i didnt see this! what type of coral is that cause its beautiful!

 

[austin_socal]

Your tank looks pretty clean. That coral looks freaking sweet too.

Thanks bro! Just turned on the lights after a blackout for a few days to hopefully get rid of the dinos

 

[austin_socal]

omg i didnt see this! what type of coral is that cause its beautiful

Thanks!! I honestly forgot- I got it a year ago and it was the size of a quarter!

 

[austin_socal]

If your tank is new like less then 6 months then I would spend much money on LPS because your tank is still very unstable and highly likely they will not survive long.

Haha lucky me then! It’s been running for a little over a year now

 

[Lavey29]

Haha lucky me then! It’s been running for a little over a year now

Cool fix your nutrients and buy some cool corals there.

 

[austin_socal]

Cool fix your nutrients and buy some cool corals there.

Will do broskie

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

While I don't disagree, my phosphates are always elevated around. .4 and even up to .79 but my corals especially SPS are growing like weeds now.

I’m not saying they aren’t, and not everyone wants or needs to maximize growth anyway.

 

[Spare time]

Can’t afford the Hanna kits lol

You can use salifert. The API is useless for phosphate.

 

[austin_socal]

You can use salifert. The API is useless for phosphate.

Oh, I didn’t know. Thank you.

 

[Spare time]

Oh, I didn’t know. Thank you.

The reason is phosphate should be between 0.03-0.05ppm ideally with 0.1ppm as a typical maximum level people like. The API phosphate test read that precisely.

 

[austin_socal]

The reason is phosphate should be between 0.03-0.05ppm ideally with 0.1ppm as a typical maximum level people like. The API phosphate test read that precisely.

The reason is phosphate should be between 0.03-0.05ppm ideally with 0.1ppm as a typical maximum level people like. The API phosphate test read that precisely.

Do you think the Nitrate test kit from API is good tho?

 

[Spare time]

Do you think the Nitrate test kit from API is good tho?

It's ok

 

[Lavey29]

The reason is phosphate should be between 0.03-0.05ppm ideally with 0.1ppm as a typical maximum level people like. The API phosphate test read that precisely.

Given the typical error range of any of the testers how can you be comfortable at .03 number? Could be 0 right?

 

[Reefvision]

Much more potentially important is to get nitrate up. I recommend dosing food grade ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, sodium nitrate, or calcium nitrate.

Agreed, I have raised nitrate using ammonium bicarbonate and it is no longer at zero after approximately a week. You might have to go slowly and check pretty regularly so as not to go over a target range that you may want. I am steady at 10- 15 ppm now after adding 2x/day 10 ml ea. on 210 gallons system. I just cut back to 1/day. My nitrates were 0 prior (Hanna ulr).fwiw.