I had a question about phosphate?

[cba191]

My phosphate has gone from .04 on the 14th to .16 today. Should I be concerned?

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

It’s not ideal. Really depends on the types of corals you have. Has anything changed? More feeding, gfo ran out, etc?

 

[cba191]

It’s not ideal. Really depends on the types of corals you have. Has anything changed? More feeding, gfo ran out, etc?

I added my first two fish last Wednesday and I added a refugium Sunday. No corals yet.

 

[Freenow54]

Here we go There are huge varying opinions on this and I am not a chemist. But years ago the laundry Chemists by the way decided to add phosphate to detergent. It added a huge bio load to the great lakes system . So bad you could see algae that was two to three feet deep as far as you could see on Lake Erie which is the shallowest one. It had a huge impact on the eco system . Google the great lakes close your eyes and imagine that site. So back to the question. In your Aquarium how much is too much? I have no idea

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd just keep watching it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randy’s-thoughts-on-nutrient-target-ranges.1087/
4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:

• Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
• Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
• Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
• Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

 

[KrisReef]

My phosphate has gone from .04 on the 14th to .16 today. Should I be concerned?

Being aware can allow you to make adjustments if they are needed. You may be over feeding your fish to have phosphate increasing that rapidly, but with time the tank may also start assimilating P into coral and plant and fish growth so that the level remains stable. Some is better then zero.

 

[cba191]

I'd just keep watching it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randy’s-thoughts-on-nutrient-target-ranges.1087/
4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:

• Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
• Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
• Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
• Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

my nitrates dropped 25+ after getting the refugium going. that made me happy. It's at 50 now. The phosphate is up from .04. I just tested it again and an expired test said .11.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That seems good to me. :)

 

[rishma]

Agree the numbers are good. I don’t like 0.04, it’s below my target range but I’d be quite happy around 0.1 or 0.15.

I do watch trends as much as the absolute measurement and I tend to take action when it’s trending fast, particularly down, because too low is much worse than high in my experience.

The I’d keep measuring since the refugium+fish is a significant change.