Phosphate reduction: How fast is too fast?

[rcpiv93]

I see all the time that we shouldn’t lower phosphate too quickly so as to avoid shocking the coral. But what exactly is too quickly? It seems so subjective.

My Biocube was at .11 last night so I added a bag of chemipure (I try to keep my levels under .1). Sixteen hours later and my HANNA checker says .05.

Is that too fast?

 

[KrisReef]

Take the Chemipure out now or you certainly will have problems once you get to zero.

 

[rcpiv93]

Take the Chemipure out now or you certainly will have problems once you get to zero.

I appreciate the response. I had already removed the Chemipure. I guess my question was more about the speed with which we can remove phosphate without causing a problem. Thoughts?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m not sure you needed to lower it at all, but rate is a complicated thing. Phosphate naturally bounces around a bit, so what you did is likely not a problem as long as it doesn’t go lower.

 

[rcpiv93]

Good to know. Thank you. I was surprised the chemipure worked so quickly. But now that it’s out, I’ll test again, and hopefully be right where I wanted to be.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Good to know. Thank you. I was surprised the chemipure worked so quickly. But now that it’s out, I’ll test again, and hopefully be right where I wanted to be.

There’s a good chance it might be back where it started, or nearly so, due to desorption from rock and sand.

 

[rcpiv93]

I’ll report back.

 

[rcpiv93]

.07 phosphate roughly 18hrs after removing chemipure…so within the margin of error.

 

[Jmp998]

Unless you are having a specific problem you can attribute to that phosphate level, I suggest you just monitor. I have always regretted trying to force phosphate levels to be super low using chemicals like lanthanum chloride, ferric oxide, etc-some LPS like torches and gonis don't seem to react well to rapid and persistent drops in phosphate.

I know levels fluctuate some with feeding etc during the day, but varying around a mean is different from changing that mean.

 

[rcpiv93]

Unless you are having a specific problem you can attribute to that phosphate level, I suggest you just monitor. I have always regretted trying to force phosphate levels to be super low using chemicals like lanthanum chloride, ferric oxide, etc-some LPS like torches and gonis don't seem to react well to rapid and persistent drops in phosphate.

I know levels fluctuate some with feeding etc during the day, but varying around a mean is different from changing that mean.

Totally agree. I just feel the need to constantly hover over this tank and its parameters. Small tank with acros…gotta be on top of things.