Phosphate

[Flyangler33]

Hey All,

About 7 weeks into my first tank journey, did a water change last night and ran all the parameters:

Nitrate	6.6
Phosphate	0.27
Alkalinity	8.6
Calcium	422
Salinity	1.025
Temperature	77
PH	7.8

I was searching around for how to maintain or reduce my phosphate. There seems to be a lot of mixed information and seems there are a ton of variables. My question is should I be super concerned with the phos level right now, and should that prevent me from adding some first beginner corals? If you recommend me lowering it before adding in corals, what method would you suggest? Also PH, I would love to bump that up a bit, using tropic marin pro reef salt currently, just purchased a bucket of it and would prefer not to switch but if there are recommendations I don't mind.

 

[crazyfishmom]

At 7 weeks in, I would be mostly watching the phosphate levels and making sure they’re not trending up rather than trying to do anything to bring them down/control especially if you don’t have algae concerns right this moment. Plus if you do add corals, you may start to get some consumption. Do you have fish in yet or will you be adding any? This also plays into the equation.

Does look like you could potentially add a couple of softy frags and see how they do in your tank.

 

[Flyangler33]

At 7 weeks in, I would be mostly watching the phosphate levels and making sure they’re not trending up rather than trying to do anything to bring them down/control especially if you don’t have algae concerns right this moment. Plus if you do add corals, you may start to get some consumption. Do you have fish in yet or will you be adding any? This also plays into the equation.

Does look like you could potentially add a couple of softy frags and see how they do in your tank.

I do have fish in the tank currently, 2 clowns, purple firefish, watchman goby, 6 line wrasse some cleaner shrimp and misc bag of snails. In the past 3 weeks it has fluctuated from .15 to .27 up and down, not consistently up.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I do have fish in the tank currently, 2 clowns, purple firefish, watchman goby, 6 line wrasse some cleaner shrimp and misc bag of snails. In the past 3 weeks it has fluctuated from .15 to .27 up and down, not consistently up.

That’s very very normal for a tank this age. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t get out of hand. I think maybe some zoas or a toadstool would be good to try out and see how they do for you.

 

[Lavey29]

Are you feeding pellet food or any coral supplements?

 

[Flyangler33]

That’s very very normal for a tank this age. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t get out of hand. I think maybe some zoas or a toadstool would be good to try out and see how they do for you.

Awesome thanks for the input it is much appreciated!

 

[Flyangler33]

Are you feeding pellet food or any coral supplements?

I have been feeding frozen misis mainly, pellet food rarely but sometimes in the evening I will. I feel like I may be over feeding, I usually use the whole cube of misis. But even then they always act like they are starving even though there is typically left overs

 

[Lavey29]

I have been feeding frozen misis mainly, pellet food rarely but sometimes in the evening I will. I feel like I may be over feeding, I usually use the whole cube of misis. But even then they always act like they are starving even though there is typically left overs

Pellet food and coral supplements raise phosphates. As mentioned above just monitor and stay the course with a new tank. Weekly water changes. Your rocks will start binding your phosphate.

 

[Peair]

Hey All,

About 7 weeks into my first tank journey, did a water change last night and ran all the parameters:

Nitrate	6.6
Phosphate	0.27
Alkalinity	8.6
Calcium	422
Salinity	1.025
Temperature	77
PH	7.8

I was searching around for how to maintain or reduce my phosphate. There seems to be a lot of mixed information and seems there are a ton of variables. My question is should I be super concerned with the phos level right now, and should that prevent me from adding some first beginner corals? If you recommend me lowering it before adding in corals, what method would you suggest? Also PH, I would love to bump that up a bit, using tropic marin pro reef salt currently, just purchased a bucket of it and would prefer not to switch but if there are recommendations I don't mind.

Yes you should reduce your phosphates, it's not going to happen overnight, just do more frequent gradual water changes, and use a product called Rowa in a Reactor, it works great, Germany uses it in their water system.

 

[Pod_01]

For starter corals I also like GSP (on its own rock):

It can outcompete algae but can become a pest.
Also devils hand is nice choice:

Great for beginners when polyps are out you know water parameters are good.

I prefer to feed high quality pellets and I find that they pollute the water column less compared to frozen foods. Based on my experience and I use Fauna Marin Soft Multimix (I am sure there are other brands). I tend to feed 4 times a day.
The fish look happy and there is lot less aggression compared to when I fed frozen.

Coral foods like Reef Roids will drive phosphate up.

Start to add the suggested corals track your Phosphate and as coral mass increases your phosphate will come down. Corals do need it.

Good luck,

 

[Flyangler33]

For starter corals I also like GSP (on its own rock):

It can outcompete algae but can become a pest.
Also devils hand is nice choice:

Great for beginners when polyps are out you know water parameters are good.

I prefer to feed high quality pellets and I find that they pollute the water column less compared to frozen foods. Based on my experience and I use Fauna Marin Soft Multimix (I am sure there are other brands). I tend to feed 4 times a day.
The fish look happy and there is lot less aggression compared to when I fed frozen.

Coral foods like Reef Roids will drive phosphate up.

Start to add the suggested corals track your Phosphate and as coral mass increases your phosphate will come down. Corals do need it.

Good luck,

Thanks for the info, how many fish do you have and how much are you typically feeding in one of those feeding sessions?

 

[Pod_01]

Thanks for the info, how many fish do you have and how much are you typically feeding in one of those feeding sessions?

Seven residents and I do large pinch each time. Plenty of pellets floating around for the fish to chase. I also don’t turn the pump off just let the pellets float around and I see some pick at the sand as well.
General feeding routine one before breakfast, one after, one when I am back from work and one before dinner.

Unfortunately I do have to confess that when I started I fed very sparingly (counted the pellets etc..) since I was worried about phosphate etc… So I ended up with low phosphates, dead fish, dead corals and green hair algae everywhere. Let’s just say it wasn’t the greatest start to reefing…

 

[jabberwock]

I have been feeding frozen misis mainly, pellet food rarely but sometimes in the evening I will. I feel like I may be over feeding, I usually use the whole cube of misis. But even then they always act like they are starving even though there is typically left overs

That's how fish do...

How many gallons? Post a full tank shot?

 

[Flyangler33]

That's how fish do...

How many gallons? Post a full tank shot?

50 gallons

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd go ahead and add some initial corals. :)

As to mixed info, we can certainly clarify the info as to what is right, what is wrong, and what is an opinion that only some folks share while others do not.