Tank of the month

[TheOverfeeder]

I read a post highlighting a tank that a man in Russia has. Great reef tank. But as a newbie, I didn't understand what he meant by the way he adjusts water chemistry. He said that he checks phospates frequently and that is his main test. He adjusts everything based on the phosphate levels. How does that work? Can someone walk me through how to do this?

 

[LouisianaReef]

Phosphates can a overall indicator of nutrients in the system. Example, feed your fish and coral heavy and your phosphates with begin to rise as food and waste breakdown. What that being said, I guess I could see how you could use them as I way to monitor parameters and decide when to do a WC. But honestly, checking just phosphates and relation to cal, alk, and the such must be above my experience level.