Kalkwasser bottoming out phosphate?

Acrofiend

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
1,634
Reaction score
579
Location
Washington
What state or country do you live in
Washington
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
Hi a few days ago I started dripping fully saturated kalkwasser into my 50 gallon and my phosphates have been at 0 since. Im currently dripping around 3ml/min. Before I started dosing I was consistently at .03 ppm using only a large skimmer. Is it possible for the kalk to drop my phosphates so quickly?
 
Not to my knowledge. Maybe a false reading or maybe more stable parameters led to more uptake of N and P?
 
Ok it’s possible that the combination of high pH (8.5 midday) and kalk is causing them to bottom out.
I’m also dosing sodium phosphate around 5 ml/day. 1ml=.024 concentration.
 
Im sure randy has a much more in depth answer, but yes it is possible, esp dosing 3ml per minute.

To my knowledge it can cause PO4 to precipitate out as calcium phosphate which is not bioavailable.
 

WHAT KIND OF HAPPY ACCIDENT(S) HAVE YOU HAD IN YOUR REEF?

  • Stable parameters over time

    Votes: 31 63.3%
  • Consistent coral growth

    Votes: 16 32.7%
  • Fish and inverts are settled

    Votes: 9 18.4%
  • The tank has moved past its ugly stages

    Votes: 13 26.5%
  • It has survived a major setback

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • At least six months old

    Votes: 5 10.2%
  • At least one year old

    Votes: 9 18.4%
  • Stop worrying about age—it’s about stability

    Votes: 12 24.5%
  • Other (Post in the comments)

    Votes: 2 4.1%
Back
Top
Home
Post thread…
Market
What's new