Need help understanding phosphate availability and consumption. Also neophos.

[TheReefDiary]

So I've been dealing with dinos for the last week now. I've been testing my po4 and no3 daily. No3 is at a constant 10 for the last week. My phosphate level has gotten as low as .01 (today's reading). That was after feeding aminos to the tank and food earlier in the day.

How quickly will a 13.5g system use the nutrients in the tank? Obviously I understand this is an impossible question to answer exactly, but would be interested to know how quickly a tank can use up nutrients.

I dosed some neophos tonight after that low reading. Should I be dosing this daily at this point? If feeding isn't bringing up my po4 I have to dose right?

What should be my ideal rang? Neophos says not to bring above .04? Is there a reason for that being listed on the bottle? Po4 higher than that is completely fine so I dont understand that either.

 

[Dav2996]

So I've been dealing with dinos for the last week now. I've been testing my po4 and no3 daily. No3 is at a constant 10 for the last week. My phosphate level has gotten as low as .01 (today's reading). That was after feeding aminos to the tank and food earlier in the day.

How quickly will a 13.5g system use the nutrients in the tank? Obviously I understand this is an impossible question to answer exactly, but would be interested to know how quickly a tank can use up nutrients.

I dosed some neophos tonight after that low reading. Should I be dosing this daily at this point? If feeding isn't bringing up my po4 I have to dose right?

What should be my ideal rang? Neophos says not to bring above .04? Is there a reason for that being listed on the bottle? Po4 higher than that is completely fine so I dont understand that either.

If you got algae then I would not increase phosphate because it is made up of it and your just gonna increase the algae. I see phosphate as fertilizer in my head. It grows plants like weeds.

 

[Dav2996]

So I've been dealing with dinos for the last week now. I've been testing my po4 and no3 daily. No3 is at a constant 10 for the last week. My phosphate level has gotten as low as .01 (today's reading). That was after feeding aminos to the tank and food earlier in the day.

How quickly will a 13.5g system use the nutrients in the tank? Obviously I understand this is an impossible question to answer exactly, but would be interested to know how quickly a tank can use up nutrients.

I dosed some neophos tonight after that low reading. Should I be dosing this daily at this point? If feeding isn't bringing up my po4 I have to dose right?

What should be my ideal rang? Neophos says not to bring above .04? Is there a reason for that being listed on the bottle? Po4 higher than that is completely fine so I dont understand that either.

Corals don’t use a lot of phosphate. Phosphate comes from fish food, dying stuff, coral food, and fish poop. I never test for it because everything produces even my corals poop.

 

[TheReefDiary]

If you got algae then I would not increase phosphate because it is made up of it and your just gonna increase the algae. I see phosphate as fertilizer in my head. It grows plants like weeds.

Yeah but dinos came about because of the lack of po4 in my system.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Corals don’t use a lot of phosphate. Phosphate comes from fish food, dying stuff, coral food, and fish poop. I never test for it because everything produces even my corals poop.

Depends on the corals. Some corals like a higher po4 system (dirtier) and some prefer lower po4, but they all need phosphate. I have to increase my po4 because bottoming out will lead to cyano and longer road to recover from my current battle with dinos.

 

[Dav2996]

Yeah but dinos came about because of the lack of po4 in my system.

UV sterilizer is what I use for Dino’s so that is how I cure them. UV sterilizer also reduces diseases that fish can get and also increases water clarity by reducing floating algae and algae in the water column.

 

[TheReefDiary]

UV sterilizer is what I use for Dino’s so that is how I cure them. UV sterilizer also reduces diseases that fish can get and also increases water clarity by reducing floating algae and algae in the water column.

I actually just bought one it arrives tomorrow. I can only run it occasionally though as it has to be in my display since I have an aio and all the chambers are currently used.

 

[Dav2996]

I actually just bought one it arrives tomorrow. I can only run it occasionally though as it has to be in my display since I have an aio and all the chambers are currently used.

I am sorry. I am running a 20 gallon nuvo I got one specific for my tank. I don’t know any options for your tank. Mine works great in its caddy.

 

[TheReefDiary]

I am sorry. I am running a 20 gallon nuvo I got one specific for my tank. I don’t know any options for your tank. Mine works great in its caddy.

Yeah it would work in my tank but I don't have room in my current filtration setup for it. I'm go in nh to use an in tank one until dinos are gone then will use it at night a few times a week.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Bump for additional advice.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Bump.

 

[Dav2996]

Bump for additional advice.

You can use hang on the back UV sterilizer but you also need to use another pump to pump the water through it and I kinda wonder if you have space to do that

 

[Dav2996]

Bump.

Maybe add a sump or get a new tank

 

[TheReefDiary]

Added a uv pump to the tank today. Going to run it until dinos go away and then will run it a few times a week at night because it can't hurt. Luckily it just fit into my display.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Maybe add a sump or get a new tank

I'm getting a much larger tank at the end of this year. This tank will still be used though so don't want to replace it just because of dinos. They're also beatable so not a reason to get a new tank. I'm using this as a learning experience.

I just need advice on understanding phosphates in the tank. They're used up so quickly in the system I'm not sure if that's an issue, how often I should be dosing neophos.

I can't constantly keep testing to figure it out as the reagents aren't cheap and its extremely time consuming. I'm testing now daily but would like to stop that within the next few days if I get a better understanding of it.

 

[TheReefDiary]

You can use hang on the back UV sterilizer but you also need to use another pump to pump the water through it and I kinda wonder if you have space to do that

I got this. It fits in my display. Just ugly to look at for a bit but better than dinos.

 

[Dav2996]

I got this. It fits in my display. Just ugly to look at for a bit but better than dinos.

Turkey baste the Dino’s daily is an option. Or turkey baste then water changes like blow it into the water column. Stir the sand. Get a better sand sifter like fighting conch who will eat it out of the sand

 

[Dav2996]

I got this. It fits in my display. Just ugly to look at for a bit but better than dinos.

Diamond goby’s work amazing but you got to small of a tank

 

[TheReefDiary]

Turkey baste the Dino’s daily is an option. Or turkey baste then water changes like blow it into the water column. Stir the sand. Get a better sand sifter like fighting conch who will eat it out of the sand

I clean daily right now. I baste the rocks and agitate sand. It all gets kicked up and then sent straight into the filter floss. By the time water is clear filter floss is completely brown with dinos.

 

[Vicboihere]

I have a 20 gallon with rear sump. It’s a constant thread the needle with Phosphate. Too low and you get dyno, to high and cleaning algae. I find .50/.25 to be my sweet spot. I really have to watch for CUC deaths as the main culprit to swing higher. Once you have enough phosphate absorbed into the substrates you should be able to find a sweet spot. My process:

1. Weekly testing.
2. 10% water change weekly.
2. Neophos or phosphate-e to keep at .5/.25