Need some help! Phosphate high!

[Exotrezy]

Hey guys! So I recently purchased a Hanna Nitrate HR and ULR Phosphorus checker. Before these 2 I was using an API test kit which didnt have a phosphate checker so I have never checked my phosphate before this. My tank has been running since November 2024 and I have 2 fish (A yellow watchman goby and a firefish goby) which I have had the Yellow watchman since April of this year and the firefish goby since about end of June around June 25 of this year. I have a few different coral, a green hammer coral, 2 different types of zoas, a hairy mushroom, a candy cane coral, and lastly some clove polyp corals. All the corals are doing amazing and are growing well. I tested my water with the Hanna checkers for the first time today, and my phosphorus PPB shows 95 which coverted to PPM is about 0.3 and from what I read that is pretty high. My Nitrate PPM on the other hand shows 0.0 probably because I have low Nitrate and this is a Nitrate HR. Is the Phosphorus high or is it okay?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Hey guys! So I recently purchased a Hanna Nitrate HR and ULR Phosphorus checker. Before these 2 I was using an API test kit which didnt have a phosphate checker so I have never checked my phosphate before this. My tank has been running since November 2024 and I have 2 fish (A yellow watchman goby and a firefish goby) which I have had the Yellow watchman since April of this year and the firefish goby since about end of June around June 25 of this year. I have a few different coral, a green hammer coral, 2 different types of zoas, a hairy mushroom, a candy cane coral, and lastly some clove polyp corals. All the corals are doing amazing and are growing well. I tested my water with the Hanna checkers for the first time today, and my phosphorus PPB shows 95 which coverted to PPM is about 0.3 and from what I read that is pretty high. My Nitrate PPM on the other hand shows 0.0 probably because I have low Nitrate and this is a Nitrate HR. Is the Phosphorus high or is it okay?

You mentioned the tank/ corals are growing and happy. I think that shows that your phosphate reading of .3 is acceptable. Many tanks run .3 up to 2ppm of phosphate and are fine.

 

[Exotrezy]

You mentioned the tank/ corals are growing and happy. I think that shows that your phosphate reading of .3 is acceptable. Many tanks run .3 up to 2ppm of phosphate and are fine.

Ok, thanks for the help! I was just a little scared since it seemed a bit high.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Don’t worry , sometimes we can get caught up in chasing numbers versus simply looking at the health of the corals. I get caught up in this constantly lol

 

[CHSUB]

No action necessary. Hobby test is for confirmation of what you see. So, healthy corals = current parameters good. If things start going bad, test to see difference and return to levels that = healthy corals.

 

[Exotrezy]

Don’t worry , sometimes we can get caught up in chasing numbers versus simply looking at the health of the corals. I get caught up in this constantly lol

LOL, ill try and get some pictures in a little bit of the coral. When they open up they are HUGE. Right now they are kinda tiny cause lights just came on.

 

[Exotrezy]

No action necessary. Hobby test is for confirmation of what you see. So, healthy corals = current parameters good. If things start going bad, test to see difference and return to levels that = healthy corals.

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

. I tested my water with the Hanna checkers for the first time today, and my phosphorus PPB shows 95 which coverted to PPM is about 0.3 and from what I read that is pretty high. My Nitrate PPM on the other hand shows 0.0 probably because I have low Nitrate and this is a Nitrate HR. Is the Phosphorus high or is it okay?

My target level for phosphate runs up to 0.3 ppm, and higher can also lead to a great tank.

I personally would be very cautious about doing anything as it often causes problems instead of fixing something that isn’t broken.

This has more:

Randy’s Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges by Randy Holmes-Farley Almost nothing in the world of reef aquarium chemistry causes as much discussion as selecting and maintaining ranges for nitrate and phosphate. Some aquarists want low targets, some want...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Exotrezy]

My target level for phosphate runs up to 0.3 ppm, and higher can also lead to a great tank.

I personally would be very cautious about doing anything as it often causes problems instead of fixing something that isn’t broken.

This has more:

Randy’s Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges by Randy Holmes-Farley Almost nothing in the world of reef aquarium chemistry causes as much discussion as selecting and maintaining ranges for nitrate and phosphate. Some aquarists want low targets, some want...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks!

 

[Exotrezy]

Don’t worry , sometimes we can get caught up in chasing numbers versus simply looking at the health of the corals. I get caught up in this constantly lol

Here’s some pictures!

 

[dvgyfresh]

Here’s some pictures!

Looking good ! Healthy colonies

 

[CHSUB]

Rock looks new and young …be vigilant in scrubbing and blowing until coral take up real estate or you will be back in a few months asking how to control algae.

 

[Exotrezy]

Looking good ! Healthy colonies

Thank you!

 

[Exotrezy]

Rock looks new and young …be vigilant in scrubbing and blowing until coral take up real estate or you will be back in a few months asking how to control algae.

In the picture they look kinda white but in person they are pretty brown/green. I never really had an ugly phase tbh. I just had diatoms and then some green hair algae but nothing that like took over or anything. Then maybe around 5 months in I started seeing some corraline growing.