Should I set up my doser and split up my phosphate dosing more?

[Tathamet]

Hey all, I’m currently dosing 0.2 ppm of phosphate a day on my new tank (0.1ppm when I wake up and 0.1ppm before bed) and every time I test I either have 0.01 or 0.00 on my Hanna ulr phosphate checker around 8 pm.

im wondering if I should up my dose a bit more and set up my jabao doser so I can split it up to reduce the swings a bit better.

Also curious how much I can actually let it swing as I figured the swings I’m having right now would have caused damage to the corals but I haven’t really noticed any big issues yet about a month into the dosing.

 

[PatW]

I often get 0.0 for phosphate on my Hanna ULR. I dose phosphates and I do it once a day. I dose in the morning. I am pretty happy if I get a measurable reading on most days the next morning.

For a tank with a bunch of tangs eating nori, they poop so much that there is probably phosphate being released into the water constantly or the corals grab poop particles for nutrients. At any rate, in those situations, phosphate levels are not that much of an issue even when they are 0.

 

[Tathamet]

I often get 0.0 for phosphate on my Hanna ULR. I dose phosphates and I do it once a day. I dose in the morning. I am pretty happy if I get a measurable reading on most days the next morning.

For a tank with a bunch of tangs eating nori, they poop so much that there is probably phosphate being released into the water constantly or the corals grab poop particles for nutrients. At any rate, in those situations, phosphate levels are not that much of an issue even when they are 0.

ok cool, I did up my feeding amounts quite a bit originally before I started the dosing so maybe it’s acting as a slow release as well which keeps it from hitting true 0.

When I was running a fishless, coral/invert only tank on my other tank. If I hit 0.00, things would go downhill basically over night on that tank lol so it makes sense.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't know if it is useful to split of phosphate dosing, but it may be.

I'd suggest dosing more, at least, and see if you can get 0.03 ppm to remain.

 

[Tathamet]

I don't know if it is useful to split of phosphate dosing, but it may be.

I'd suggest dosing more, at least, and see if you can get 0.03 ppm to remain.

Oh interesting. I figured it’d keep the swings a little tighter on my nano throughout the day when I’m not home just to be safer but I’ll definitely up the dosage first if it’s not too big a deal. Thanks Randy.