Hi all - I’m hoping to get some suggestions as to what may be going on with the Phosphates in my 30 gallon tank. The tank is young (~2 months old ) which could be the source of the answer - but to be sure I’m not lining myself up for a disaster - I thought it better to check.
TL;DR do diatoms consume phosphates?
The tank consists of 50% Live Rock and 50% Indonesian dry rock. There is also a sand bed about 1-1.5 inches in depth.
Parameter tests over the last few weeks have shown elevated levels of Phosphates - typically ~0.6 ppm. Nitrates are low at around 3 ppm.
In the tank for a couple of weeks was 2 clowns, 1xGSP and 1xFavia.
I did multiple large water changes (30-40%) for about 2 weeks (every other day I would say) to try to bring the Phosphate down. This didn’t seem to work as at the end I was still at about .6ppm. My guess was that it’s the dry rock leaching phosphates.
I added a couple more corals, and added a purple tang and dosed reef roids - this brought the phosphates to 1.36
I got some phosphate E and did dose it once - initially 5 ml - did a test and that brought it down to .2ppm. I dosed a further 2ml which brought it down to .03 ppm which I was satisfied with.
A couple of days later I’ve run my usual battery of tests and I’m seeing 0.00 Phoaphates. Nitrates are still very low at 1-3 ppm.
Ive also had a bit of explosion in diamtoms on my sand bed. I’m assuming this is consuming the phosphates? I’m feeding heavier on purpose but I’m wondering where the phosphates are now
TL;DR do diatoms consume phosphates?
The tank consists of 50% Live Rock and 50% Indonesian dry rock. There is also a sand bed about 1-1.5 inches in depth.
Parameter tests over the last few weeks have shown elevated levels of Phosphates - typically ~0.6 ppm. Nitrates are low at around 3 ppm.
In the tank for a couple of weeks was 2 clowns, 1xGSP and 1xFavia.
I did multiple large water changes (30-40%) for about 2 weeks (every other day I would say) to try to bring the Phosphate down. This didn’t seem to work as at the end I was still at about .6ppm. My guess was that it’s the dry rock leaching phosphates.
I added a couple more corals, and added a purple tang and dosed reef roids - this brought the phosphates to 1.36
I got some phosphate E and did dose it once - initially 5 ml - did a test and that brought it down to .2ppm. I dosed a further 2ml which brought it down to .03 ppm which I was satisfied with.
A couple of days later I’ve run my usual battery of tests and I’m seeing 0.00 Phoaphates. Nitrates are still very low at 1-3 ppm.
Ive also had a bit of explosion in diamtoms on my sand bed. I’m assuming this is consuming the phosphates? I’m feeding heavier on purpose but I’m wondering where the phosphates are now