what does it mean when po4 drops...

[roggy23]

without doing water changes, or adding anything that would reduce po4 to the tank? all I have is a skimmer for export.. I do have pods and occasionally dose phyto.
I am trying to figure out why my PO4 drops.. for example in 3 days I went from 0.08 to 0.01. I guess I am either under feeding vs the protein skimmer
or my corals are using up po4 to grow? I have a ton of corraline algae and no hair algae. please help me understand. Thanks

 

[I never finish anythi]

It could be getting bound in the rocks or substrate? How old is the tank .

 

[roggy23]

It could be getting bound in the rocks or substrate? How old is the tank .

3 years old but 4 months ago i did add a little bit of sand

 

[roggy23]

It could be getting bound in the rocks or substrate? How old is the tank .

You think that could be the only reason?

 

[I never finish anythi]

Could be the problem. I'm no expert tho . Just keep an eye that it don't bottom out .

 

[gbroadbridge]

without doing water changes, or adding anything that would reduce po4 to the tank? all I have is a skimmer for export.. I do have pods and occasionally dose phyto.
I am trying to figure out why my PO4 drops.. for example in 3 days I went from 0.08 to 0.01. I guess I am either under feeding vs the protein skimmer
or my corals are using up po4 to grow? I have a ton of corraline algae and no hair algae. please help me understand. Thanks

Have you checked with another test kit?

 

[roggy23]

Have you checked with another test kit?

Yes

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

without doing water changes, or adding anything that would reduce po4 to the tank? all I have is a skimmer for export.. I do have pods and occasionally dose phyto.
I am trying to figure out why my PO4 drops.. for example in 3 days I went from 0.08 to 0.01. I guess I am either under feeding vs the protein skimmer
or my corals are using up po4 to grow? I have a ton of corraline algae and no hair algae. please help me understand. Thanks

How did it get to be 0.08 ppm, and then drop? Did you dose it up?

Certainly the consumption can be that fast, both by organisms and binding to rock and sand.

 

[jda]

Algae, including coralline, can use up much phosphorous. If you have a fuge, chaeto can use up a bunch too. Even if in other forms, it will lower the po4 in the end of the equation.

 

[bushdoc]

Algae usually consumes largest amount of phosphates.

 

[Dburr1014]

Bacteria can also consume phosphates. Are you carbon dosing?

 

[ThaBeast]

How did it get to be 0.08 ppm, and then drop? Did you dose it up?

Certainly the consumption can be that fast, both by organisms and binding to rock and sand.

Asking for my own comprehension, I thought rocks and sand would absorb to equilibrium. If po4 was absorbed to drop the level in the water .07, when would it leach back out?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Asking for my own comprehension, I thought rocks and sand would absorb to equilibrium. If po4 was absorbed to drop the level in the water .07, when would it leach back out?

They absorb to a different equilibrium binding extent with every different concentration in the water. More in the water implies equilibrium with more on the rock and sand.

Thus, when you dose phosphate, the concentration in the water rises, some binds and you see a smaller than expected rise.

When you bind some with a phosphate binder, lowering the concentration in the water, some comes off the rock and sand, establishing a new equilibrium that is not at low as you thought.

 

[roggy23]

Bacteria can also consume phosphates. Are you carbon dosing?

Not for a while