Something odd happened

[VanDalsenReef]

I'm hoping Randy can help answer this but here we go
So I "struggle" with nutrients. My phosphates have been hanging around 0.06 which is fine with me but my nitrates are my problem child.
They rarely ever get up to 2. They were 1.5 on 1/9
So what I did was dose ME coral Nitrate (potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, sodium nitrate, I think don't quote me but its just another nitrate liquid.) So I added enough to get my nitrates to 2.5. Yay!! But then I tested my phosphates and they dropped to 0.04. Is this normal or make sense to anyone. I use all hanna checkers and salifer (ca, mg) and did my tests twice
The rest of my results and tank stuff
90 gallon display (maybe 100 gallons total)
40 gallon sump with refugium
Lots of fish (tang police here we come)
aquaforest 3 part
Me coral nitrate (just started) used brightwells version before
Tropic marin bacto balance 1ml daily via DOS


Chemistry (no icp so sorry) as of 1/10 going to test again tonight
No3: 2.5 (hanna HR)
Po4: 14 or 0.04 (hanna ppb)
Ca: 440 (salifert)
Mg: 1375 (salifert)
Alk: 7.5 (hanna DKH)

I can post whatever else may be helpful

 

[vetteguy53081]

My nitrates hang at about 3 which I prefer over high numbers
It’s stable and coral are not complaining

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

A drop from 0.06 to 0.04 ppm is within the margin of error for any phosphate checker.

That said, organisms that use up 2 ppm nitrate are also going to use up some phosphate, unless denitrification is the only process taking place.

So it is not surprising to see some phosphate lowering when nitrate is consumed.

Macroalgae, for example, will use up about 0.08 ppm phosphate when using 2 ppm of nitrate to make tissue.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

A drop from 0.06 to 0.04 ppm is within the margin of error for any phosphate checker.

That said, organisms that use up 2 ppm nitrate are also going to use up some phosphate, unless denitrification is the only process taking place.

So it is not surprising to see some phosphate lowering when nitrate is consumed.

Macroalgae, for example, will use up about 0.08 ppm phosphate when using 2 ppm of nitrate to make tissue.

That's why I tested twice. Wanted to be sure and they came back at the same levels which can still be Within the margin but just seemed odd. Thank you

 

[VanDalsenReef]

A drop from 0.06 to 0.04 ppm is within the margin of error for any phosphate checker.

That said, organisms that use up 2 ppm nitrate are also going to use up some phosphate, unless denitrification is the only process taking place.

So it is not surprising to see some phosphate lowering when nitrate is consumed.

Macroalgae, for example, will use up about 0.08 ppm phosphate when using 2 ppm of nitrate to make tissue.

I did take out maybe 80 percent of my macro algae. Could that have caused a "spurt" of growth in the macro

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I did take out maybe 80 percent of my macro algae. Could that have caused a "spurt" of growth in the macro

Maybe.

I would not spend much time wondering on something that is not a big issue, may not even be real, and isn't a problem either way.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Maybe.

I would not spend much time wondering on something that is not a big issue, may not even be real, and isn't a problem either way.

Thank you. The tank is doing well, just wanted a bit more nitrates for the corals. I've has almost nothing before and lost a lot of colonies so now I'm just over reactive sometimes