P04 and Bacteria

[KMott]

Hello Everyone!
New here, First post.
Relatively new to the marine tanks, but I've been obsessively reading for months. Our 75g with sump and all is doing great, but I need a little advice on my 29.

I will start by saying that I am doing most of this on a budget and the hard way, So I don't have the best gear.

No fish currently, Had inch and letting tank sit fallow
29g tank, 6 months old, Mixed coral types
Tidal 55 HOB with ROX.
Mow 3, Mow5, Mow16 (extra from our big tank)
Hypargero A100 light

Dkh 8.6 to 8.9, Dosing AFR to maintain
N03 9.0-10.
P04 0.

So, i made a mistake early on and used chemipure blue. Over time without testing, My P04 dropped to 0 on the Hannah ULR. I've been dosing NeoPhos to maintain between .03-.05 to keep it up. I've read the threads about phosphates binding, releasing, and adsorbing, so I have a basic Idea of what's been happening, and I've been seeing some steady rising, and a lack of sudden drops per day for 2 weeks- until today.

The last fish in my tank died yesterday at work at some point, CUC didn't take care of it all and the tank was cloudy when I got home. Pulled the fish, Didn't change water, and left it alone.

Today I came home and my P04 has once again bottomed out (from .05 24hrs ago).

Am I right in assuming that the dead fish caused a bacteria bloom, and it possibly are up all my P04?
Do I just continue dosing to keep up my P04?

 

[Cichlid23]

Cloudy water in this case means that yes, the dead fish probably caused a bacteria bloom, although wouldn't really worry to much about that. As for dosing NeoPhos, some people on here will almost certainly disagree with me, but I feel like there is better ways to keep your PO4 above 0. I feel like the vast majority of reefers under feed there tanks, with you have no PO4, then don't be afraid to overdose the reef roids a little bit (or whatever food you are using), or maybe feed 3-4 times a day, heck make it 6. If after all that your PO4 is still 0, then it doesn't matter because your coral is still getting plenty of food.

 

[KMott]

I've been putting reef roids in, Acropower, AB+, and moderating the levels of P04 with the NeoPhos.

I do have a couple pretty tough acros that have only paled in color, but nothing more.
Red Planet, Green Slimer, and a Laura Purple Polyp Acro.

The red planet paled out- didn't turn green, but a light pink color. Any idea on how long it could take with my phosphates back in the right window before it starts coloring back up?