trevorhiller
Reefing Nurse
This is hardly groundbreaking, but just some of my observations. I recently heard Richard Ross' talk on algae and his complaint of few people documenting their observations. So I figured I would do just that.
Since setting up my 60 gallon reef tank my phosphate levels have always been "good." 0.2 ppm is the highest result I recall in the last year, most of the time it is <0.1 ppm. I have had hair algae growing in the tank though. I setup up a refugium/DIY algae scrubber in the sump and was pulling out clumps of hair algae from the screen weekly. I've also been doing manual removal of the algae weekly. I am dosing DIY Fergon Iron, Lugols Iodine, Tropic Marin Trace A & K and monthly 20-25% water changes.
Recently I added an Avast Marine Plank feeder setup to feed for 1 minute, 4 times daily. I typically feed some frozen food on top of this. In anticipation of this increased nutrient loading I decided to preventatively add some RowaPhos to my reactor (previously was not using it). I started with 30 grams. After a few days and no difference noticed in Phosphate levels, I replaced it with 45 grams (The instructions state that it can initially become depleted quickly when used in an established tank due to bound up phosphates. A few days went by again and no change. I replaced it again with 60 grams. No change, however, I noticed the hair algae seemed to be slowing down in growth, both in the tank and my DIY algae scrubber which is now growing red sheets of cyanobacteria on it and almost no hair algae.
The other day I tested the phosphate out of the reactor and got 0.08 ppm and the tank level was 0.09 ppm (Hanna Ultra Low Phosphate). Again, I replaced the Rowaphos assuming it was nearly depleted again, this time with 80 grams for a 60 gallon tank.
I was hoping to see the threshold where the Phosphate level would start dropping, however, I haven't. I am going to keep the reactor as is and leave the Rowaphos at a slow churn rate for a while and monitor the tank for algae growth rates.
I'm not sure what to make of the RowaPhos regarding the steady phosphate levels despite the having added a cumulative 200+ grams to the tank over the last few weeks. I expected more of a decrease. Its addition seems to have slowed the hair algae growth from what I observe, but left my phosphate levels untouched in a sort of equilibrium.
My tank seems to refuse to get elevated phosphate levels. Perhaps due to insufficient clean-up crew to keep the nutrients in "liquid form limbo." I suspect the hair algae that I have been manually exporting from the DT has been maintaining my low levels and now with the GFO present (an additional export source) I'm having to manually export less.
My take aways from this:
1. Phosphate testing doesn't seem to be particularly helpful in the presence of an algae outbreak as its growth rate appears to elastically stretch to the level of available phosphate. Perhaps people who have high phosphate levels and no algae are limited in some other growth component required for the algae (iron, physical real estate, etc.) causing it to remain in the water in elevating levels.
2. What goes in must come out... ie. as algae, through phosphate binding media or chemicals, skimming, etc.
3. RowaPhos seems to be beneficial for my tank in reducing hair algae growth
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I had to move my long spine urchin down to the sump recently because he was eating my Acros so it's hardly a controlled experiment, I'm sure it's eating much of the algae in the refugium chamber. However, the mass of algae from the tank I am removing overall is less and my phosphate levels have remained consistent with pre-RowaPhos levels.
Sorry if that was a waste of your time, but there's so much conflicting information out there that I wanted to share my experience.
Since setting up my 60 gallon reef tank my phosphate levels have always been "good." 0.2 ppm is the highest result I recall in the last year, most of the time it is <0.1 ppm. I have had hair algae growing in the tank though. I setup up a refugium/DIY algae scrubber in the sump and was pulling out clumps of hair algae from the screen weekly. I've also been doing manual removal of the algae weekly. I am dosing DIY Fergon Iron, Lugols Iodine, Tropic Marin Trace A & K and monthly 20-25% water changes.
Recently I added an Avast Marine Plank feeder setup to feed for 1 minute, 4 times daily. I typically feed some frozen food on top of this. In anticipation of this increased nutrient loading I decided to preventatively add some RowaPhos to my reactor (previously was not using it). I started with 30 grams. After a few days and no difference noticed in Phosphate levels, I replaced it with 45 grams (The instructions state that it can initially become depleted quickly when used in an established tank due to bound up phosphates. A few days went by again and no change. I replaced it again with 60 grams. No change, however, I noticed the hair algae seemed to be slowing down in growth, both in the tank and my DIY algae scrubber which is now growing red sheets of cyanobacteria on it and almost no hair algae.
The other day I tested the phosphate out of the reactor and got 0.08 ppm and the tank level was 0.09 ppm (Hanna Ultra Low Phosphate). Again, I replaced the Rowaphos assuming it was nearly depleted again, this time with 80 grams for a 60 gallon tank.
I was hoping to see the threshold where the Phosphate level would start dropping, however, I haven't. I am going to keep the reactor as is and leave the Rowaphos at a slow churn rate for a while and monitor the tank for algae growth rates.
I'm not sure what to make of the RowaPhos regarding the steady phosphate levels despite the having added a cumulative 200+ grams to the tank over the last few weeks. I expected more of a decrease. Its addition seems to have slowed the hair algae growth from what I observe, but left my phosphate levels untouched in a sort of equilibrium.
My tank seems to refuse to get elevated phosphate levels. Perhaps due to insufficient clean-up crew to keep the nutrients in "liquid form limbo." I suspect the hair algae that I have been manually exporting from the DT has been maintaining my low levels and now with the GFO present (an additional export source) I'm having to manually export less.
My take aways from this:
1. Phosphate testing doesn't seem to be particularly helpful in the presence of an algae outbreak as its growth rate appears to elastically stretch to the level of available phosphate. Perhaps people who have high phosphate levels and no algae are limited in some other growth component required for the algae (iron, physical real estate, etc.) causing it to remain in the water in elevating levels.
2. What goes in must come out... ie. as algae, through phosphate binding media or chemicals, skimming, etc.
3. RowaPhos seems to be beneficial for my tank in reducing hair algae growth
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I had to move my long spine urchin down to the sump recently because he was eating my Acros so it's hardly a controlled experiment, I'm sure it's eating much of the algae in the refugium chamber. However, the mass of algae from the tank I am removing overall is less and my phosphate levels have remained consistent with pre-RowaPhos levels.
Sorry if that was a waste of your time, but there's so much conflicting information out there that I wanted to share my experience.
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