New Tank Phosphate

[putsumranchonit]

My tank is about 8 weeks old. My phosphate levels are odd. It’s like the rocks are absorbing all of it. It will read 0.00-0.01, so I’ll manually dose to bring it up to ~0.05ppm. Then the next day it’ll be zero again.

Prior to a water change I’ll baste rocks and do a test post WC and it’ll be 0.3 or more recently 0.9. Super high. But then the next day it’ll be 0.

Is this normal? Should I continue dosing phosphate when it’s zero in the water column? Or will the rocks release all the phosphate later on? I might add, there’s a little hair algae growth going on at the moment but nothing severe. I’ve been manually removing some every couple days.

 

[putsumranchonit]

Lightbulb thought, I could just baste the rocks every couple days to release some nutrients. Idk. Hopefully an expert chimes in.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Basting does not remove bound phosphate. The boost you see may be getting particulates into the test where they dissolve and seem like you have high phosphate.

I’d feed more or dose P. :)

 

[putsumranchonit]

Basting does not remove bound phosphate. The boost you see may be getting particulates into the test where they dissolve and seem like you have high phosphate.

I’d feed more or dose P. :)

And without worry that the rocks will leech phosphate later on and create a huge spike?

 

[MikeReefs]

The hair Algea is absorbing the little phosphate you have in the tank. Rock also absorbs phosphate if it is less than what is in the water column

 

[Dan_P]

My tank is about 8 weeks old. My phosphate levels are odd. It’s like the rocks are absorbing all of it. It will read 0.00-0.01, so I’ll manually dose to bring it up to ~0.05ppm. Then the next day it’ll be zero again.

Prior to a water change I’ll baste rocks and do a test post WC and it’ll be 0.3 or more recently 0.9. Super high. But then the next day it’ll be 0.

Is this normal? Should I continue dosing phosphate when it’s zero in the water column? Or will the rocks release all the phosphate later on? I might add, there’s a little hair algae growth going on at the moment but nothing severe. I’ve been manually removing some every couple days.

Is there aragonite sand present? That will also adsorb phosphate.

 

[putsumranchonit]

My tank is about 8 weeks old. My phosphate levels are odd. It’s like the rocks are absorbing all of it. It will read 0.00-0.01, so I’ll manually dose to bring it up to ~0.05ppm. Then the next day it’ll be zero again.

Prior to a water change I’ll baste rocks and do a test post WC and it’ll be 0.3 or more recently 0.9. Super high. But then the next day it’ll be 0.

Is this normal? Should I continue dosing phosphate when it’s zero in the water column? Or will the rocks release all the phosphate later on? I might add, there’s a little hair algae growth going on at the moment but nothing severe. I’ve been manually removing some every couple days.

Is there aragonite sand present? That will also adsorb phosphate.

Yes

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Yes

Typical new tank up and down. IMO monitor it and don't let it hit zero for a long period of time. Dinos are very common in new tanks because of this issue with PO4 bottoming out. I would keep dosing until you at least get past this cycle.

 

[putsumranchonit]

Yes

Typical new tank up and down. IMO monitor it and don't let it hit zero for a long period of time. Dinos are very common in new tanks because of this issue with PO4 bottoming out. I would keep dosing until you at least get past this cycle.

I will continue doing so. I was just really worried that once it finally stabilizes all the dosing Ive done would backfire and all get released back into the water column.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Just need to test quite often. I would shoot for +0.03~ppm PO4/day to at least keep it off zero and if you have any corals in there, prevent them for starving.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I will continue doing so. I was just really worried that once it finally stabilizes all the dosing Ive done would backfire and all get released back into the water column.

If you ever see accurate low readings, that is no concern. It does not just come off. It always stays in balance with the amount in the water. More in the water means more is bound, precluding the idea that it could suddenly get too high from releasing.