Phosphate consumption with high nitrates.

Jonathan Troutt · Dec 30, 2018

Hey guys so I have been having Super high nitrate issues for the past few months. I ran across some reading about how undetectable phosphate levels can cause a build up of nitrates.

So I decided to purchase a Hanna ULR phosphorus Colorimeter. That way I would just be blindly dosing phosphates which I had been doing.

So the night I got home with my new meter I tested my water and it showed. 0ppb I thought I might have messed it up being first test and all so I redid the test 0ppb again.

I thought this was incredible seeing as how I had been blindly dosing phosphates, TSP, in a concentration that should of brought my tank to .05. I was dosing every other day.

So 2 night ago when this double test came up 0ppb I decided to dose enough to bring my levels up to .1ppm. So in went 1mL of my TSP Solution.

Fast forward to tonight. Let’s see where my levels are right?! well hanna is showing 0ppb. My nitrates according to two different test kits are close to 100ppm. And my other not a Hanna phosphate kit is not showing any color difference that I can detect with my eyeballs.

I do not have algae everywhere in my tank. My chaeto is growing albeit slowly but has sped up since I’ve been adding phosphates which makes sense.

But I want my dang nitrates to drop. Should I increase my phosphate dosing to everyday? Any thoughts here?

DLHDesign · Dec 31, 2018

Do you know what is causing your nitrates to climb that high in the first place?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 31, 2018

Jonathan Troutt said:
So 2 night ago when this double test came up 0ppb I decided to dose enough to bring my levels up to .1ppm. So in went 1mL of my TSP Solution.

Fast forward to tonight. Let’s see where my levels are right?! well hanna is showing 0ppb. My nitrates according to two different test kits are close to 100ppm. And my other not a Hanna phosphate kit is not showing any color difference that I can detect with my eyeballs.

I do not have algae everywhere in my tank. My chaeto is growing albeit slowly but has sped up since I’ve been adding phosphates which makes sense.

But I want my dang nitrates to drop. Should I increase my phosphate dosing to everyday? Any thoughts here?

It is absolutely normal and expected that phosphate will never rise in a reef tank by the amount you dose, due to it binding to calcium carbonate surfaces.

One member here showed he had to add more than 50 ppm to get 0.16 ppm to remain in the water (1 pound of dead dry rock in 5 gallons of water).

So yes, keep dosing. :)

Jonathan Troutt · Dec 31, 2018

Ok will do thank you sir!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 31, 2018

Jonathan Troutt said:
Ok will do thank you sir!

You're welcome.

Keep us updated. :)

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 3, 2019

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
You're welcome.

Keep us updated. :)

I am finally showing some phosphates!!

.006 PPM

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 10, 2019

so maybe the .006 reading was part of the error range of the meter. I have not had another reading above 0ppb since then. I am dosing an amount of phosphate that should according to the calculator raise my PO4 up to .1ppm. I guess I am going to increase my dosage and see what happens.

I am having a cyano outbreak currently. Everything else is doing great. Corals have regained color they look fantastic actually. And skimmer is producing more than ever. I just wish I could get a steady reading for phosphates.