Impossible PO4??

[Zestfullyclean]

I just can’t seem to get PO4 up at all in my tank. Tank is five months old. NO3 and PO4 were bottomed out for weeks after initial cycle and diatom bloom and now I’ve been battling Dinos for the past couple weeks.

Started dosing Neonitro and Neophos two weeks ago. NO3 I’ve been able to get up to where I’m now at 8.3ppm but PO4 is still 0.00. I have dosed 620ml of Neophos over this past two weeks but still just reading 0.00 each day when testing after 24-hours.

I keep increasing my amount in dosing but doesn’t seem to make a difference. Should I just keep the course and continue dosing in the hopes it will finally be saturated in the rock, etc and start showing above 0.00? Do I need to wait 24-hours between dosing Neophos or should I add and wait maybe a couple hours and test and then add until I finally get a reading?

Started with Caribsea life rock in the tank and cured for three months prior to setting up the tank.

Dinos are kicking my butt and the few corals that I’ve added are suffering.

Full levels listed here.

DKH: 8.3
CA: 460
PH: 8.3
NO3: 8.3
PO4:0.00

 

[Pyrogens]

What test kit are you using to measure phosphates? I'd double check the procedures with the kit to rule out user error. If testing is correct, and you still aren't seeing a change, I would also double check you are dosing correctly per Brightwells instructions.

 

[Garf]

I just can’t seem to get PO4 up at all in my tank. Tank is five months old. NO3 and PO4 were bottomed out for weeks after initial cycle and diatom bloom and now I’ve been battling Dinos for the past couple weeks.

Started dosing Neonitro and Neophos two weeks ago. NO3 I’ve been able to get up to where I’m now at 8.3ppm but PO4 is still 0.00. I have dosed 620ml of Neophos over this past two weeks but still just reading 0.00 each day when testing after 24-hours.

I keep increasing my amount in dosing but doesn’t seem to make a difference. Should I just keep the course and continue dosing in the hopes it will finally be saturated in the rock, etc and start showing above 0.00? Do I need to wait 24-hours between dosing Neophos or should I add and wait maybe a couple hours and test and then add until I finally get a reading?

Started with Caribsea life rock in the tank and cured for three months prior to setting up the tank.

Dinos are kicking my butt and the few corals that I’ve added are suffering.

Full levels listed here.

DKH: 8.3
CA: 460
PH: 8.3
NO3: 8.3
PO4:0.00

What phosphate test kit are you using?

 

[Sneak]

I am having the same problem, its awful. My 20g nano reef hasn't had dinos, but i've been reading 0.00 for the past few months. I dose phos up to 0.05, and it returns to 0.00 by the end of the day. Nitrates stay solid at 10. I am dosing way more phosphate than I ever should have to, yet it disappears by the end of the day. I have no idea if I should keep on dosing, or just let it be

 

[Zestfullyclean]

What test kit are you using to measure phosphates? I'd double check the procedures with the kit to rule out user error. If testing is correct, and you still aren't seeing a change, I would also double check you are dosing correctly per Brightwells instructions.

Sorry should have listed that. Using the Hanna low range. Have taken samples to my LFS to see if anything may be different but they show 0.00 as well.

Followed Brightwells instructions to start but now I’m dosing three times the amount to try to get some kind of levels. Yesterday I dosed on what should bump it up to .12 PO4 and still nothing today.

From what I’ve read on the threads is that I just need to keep adding and increase the amount but seems like it’s excessive dosing this amount and not showing any levels of PO4.

Should I keep bumping up the amounts I’m dozing or scale back. Don’t want to all the sudden have PO4 skyrocket but the Dino’s are also taking a toll on the corals and think the PO4 being bottomed out is the main problem.

 

[Garf]

Sorry should have listed that. Using the Hanna low range. Have taken samples to my LFS to see if anything may be different but they show 0.00 as well.

Followed Brightwells instructions to start but now I’m dosing three times the amount to try to get some kind of levels. Yesterday I dosed on what should bump it up to .12 PO4 and still nothing today.

From what I’ve read on the threads is that I just need to keep adding and increase the amount but seems like it’s excessive dosing this amount and not showing any levels of PO4.

Should I keep bumping up the amounts I’m dozing or scale back. Don’t want to all the sudden have PO4 skyrocket but the Dino’s are also taking a toll on the corals and think the PO4 being bottomed out is the main problem.

I would dose some into some fresh saltwater and double check the Hanna is working.

 

[Zestfullyclean]

I would dose some into some fresh saltwater and double check the Hanna is

 

[Pyrogens]

* Sorry, double post *

 

[Zestfullyclean]

Wow great idea. I’ll do that tomorrow. Tank is at my office so I’ll swing by to try that tomorrow.

 

[Pyrogens]

I would dose some into some fresh saltwater and double check the Hanna is working.

Solid advice right here.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Foods add more than 0.05 ppm per day, so adding an additional 0.05 ppm per day may just not be enough to offset the sinks for phosphate.

I’d dose more, and when the expensive Brightwell products of unknown purity run out, switch to food grade sodium phosphate and nitrate.

 

[Zestfullyclean]

Foods add more than 0.05 ppm per day, so adding an additional 0.05 ppm per day may just not be enough to offset the sinks for phosphate.

I’d dose more, and when the expensive Brightwell products of unknown purity run out, switch to food grade sodium phosphate and nitrate.

Thanks Randy. I’ve learned quite a bit reading your past posts. Pretty cool to have a place like this to learn from people like you!

Does it seem odd though that I’m just still not getting any PO4 readings at all after dosing 620ml over the past two weeks? I have a 225g tank and the brightwell Neophos says 1ml in one us gallon should raise it by .05ppm.

Reading through your comments and past posts it sounds like I just need to keep at it and keep dosing more. Is it a problem that I keep increasing my amount in dosing? Yesterday I dosed 120ml which is way more than the instructions say and should have raised it to 0.12ppm. Not sure if I should dial it back and do smaller amounts so once it is finally saturated in the tank it does not just skyrocket. The Dino’s are hurting my corals though so really trying to get PO4 up and feel like I need to dose this higher amount to get the PO4 to start stabilizing.

Also do you think by using starboard at the bottom of my tank would have any impact? I am running a bare bottom with coral life rock and wondering if having the starboard could play a role too?

Going to switch to the food grade sodium phosphate like you recommend and use the calculator you have posted in the past. Is there a certain threshold/amount you would recommend I not exceed daily while dosing to try to get my PO4 up?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

When phosphate is very low, it can bind a lot to rock and sand, but none to starboard. Probably you are seeing consumption and some binding to rocks.

 

[Zestfullyclean]

Made it into the office to test the levels again on the tank today. I finally am showing a reading on PO4 after two weeks and 620ml later of dosing Neophos. Only issue is the PO4 jumped from 0.00 yesterday to 0.12ppm today...

My NO3 is still at 8.3ppm. Should I try to increase NO3 to get to a 10:1 ratio or is the 16:1 Redfield ratio the range I should shoot for? Not sure what the preferred levels should be right now to fight off the Dino's I'm dealing with.

Also, I had previously turned my skimmer off while trying to get the nutrient levels up. Should I kick that back on?

 

[Uncle99]

Made it into the office to test the levels again on the tank today. I finally am showing a reading on PO4 after two weeks and 620ml later of dosing Neophos. Only issue is the PO4 jumped from 0.00 yesterday to 0.12ppm today...

My NO3 is still at 8.3ppm. Should I try to increase NO3 to get to a 10:1 ratio or is the 16:1 Redfield ratio the range I should shoot for? Not sure what the preferred levels should be right now to fight off the Dino's I'm dealing with.

Also, I had previously turned my skimmer off while trying to get the nutrient levels up. Should I kick that back on?

0.12ppm phosphate is just fine.
Keep both stable.

 

[Pyrogens]

0.12ppm phosphate is just fine.
Keep both stable.

I second this. You'll be alright, no need to try and chase it down and balance it only to get off kilter again.

 

[Garf]

Thanks Randy. I’ve learned quite a bit reading your past posts. Pretty cool to have a place like this to learn from people like you!

Does it seem odd though that I’m just still not getting any PO4 readings at all after dosing 620ml over the past two weeks? I have a 225g tank and the brightwell Neophos says 1ml in one us gallon should raise it by .05ppm.

Reading through your comments and past posts it sounds like I just need to keep at it and keep dosing more. Is it a problem that I keep increasing my amount in dosing? Yesterday I dosed 120ml which is way more than the instructions say and should have raised it to 0.12ppm. Not sure if I should dial it back and do smaller amounts so once it is finally saturated in the tank it does not just skyrocket. The Dino’s are hurting my corals though so really trying to get PO4 up and feel like I need to dose this higher amount to get the PO4 to start stabilizing.

Also do you think by using starboard at the bottom of my tank would have any impact? I am running a bare bottom with coral life rock and wondering if having the starboard could play a role too?

Going to switch to the food grade sodium phosphate like you recommend and use the calculator you have posted in the past. Is there a certain threshold/amount you would recommend I not exceed daily while dosing to try to get my PO4 up?

That’s a big tank for an office isn’t it? Where’s the photos?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Made it into the office to test the levels again on the tank today. I finally am showing a reading on PO4 after two weeks and 620ml later of dosing Neophos. Only issue is the PO4 jumped from 0.00 yesterday to 0.12ppm today...

My NO3 is still at 8.3ppm. Should I try to increase NO3 to get to a 10:1 ratio or is the 16:1 Redfield ratio the range I should shoot for? Not sure what the preferred levels should be right now to fight off the Dino's I'm dealing with.

Also, I had previously turned my skimmer off while trying to get the nutrient levels up. Should I kick that back on?

Forget ratios as they are misleading at best.

Target both nitrate and phosphate, independently, to desirable levbels.

0.12 ppm phosphate is OK, and it will likely drop without more dosing.

8.3 ppm nitrate is also perfectly fine. I recommend 2-10 ppm.

 

[Zestfullyclean]

That’s a big tank for an office isn’t it? Where’s the photos?

Lol yeah, went a little overkill for it being at the office. It’s my stress reliever though and makes me happy with it sitting next to me all day

 

[Pyrogens]

Lol yeah, went a little overkill for it being at the office. It’s my stress reliever though and makes me happy with it sitting next to me all day

I don't know how you get much work done with a nice tank like that in your office!