0 phosphates good or bad?

[dh350twin]

Be nice if they made a kit that actually gives an accurate reading. But as I said I do now believe there are phosphates in the tank even if the tests show other wise and since the corals look good, I will strive to keep them at 0

 

[RC-SaltyH2o]

I'm sure if I didn't carbon dose I would have detectable levels. However my original question was is it a good or bad thing not to have any detectable phosphates. I like to carbon dose to control algae and then dose nitrates to control the exact amount my corals like.

If it works for you and your corals look good, it's a good thing.

 

[RC-SaltyH2o]

Be nice if they made a kit that actually gives an accurate reading. But as I said I do now believe there are phosphates in the tank even if the tests show other wise and since the corals look good, I will strive to keep them at 0

To many variable. Doesn't matter if there is a kit that gives you an accurate reading.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So are you saying the phosphates are the food? Or just that I need to feed the corals? Which I do every other night with various coral food.

Foods add phosphate, and both can be foods for corals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Corals need po3

PO4---. PO3 (phosphorus trioxide) would probably kill them, if you could ever bottle such a thing.

 

[RC-SaltyH2o]

PO4---. PO3 (phosphorus trioxide) would probably kill them, if you could ever bottle such a thing.

Lol po4

 

[kstone2274]

Look the best advice is not to add anything. Feed your corals and feed your fish and let it do its thing. In a closed system if you keep fighting to get perfect your going to lose the battle. It's best to buy frags and let them grow in your tank from babies .

 

[rglewis]

I believe flourish phosphate has other trace elements in it that could build over time. I use Brightwell neonitro and neophos with my biopellets. Use a total phosphourus hanna checker to check phosphates. Its reads organic and inorganic phosphate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Use a total phosphourus hanna checker to check phosphates. Its reads organic and inorganic phosphate.

No, it does not. The Hanna checkers only detect inorganic phosphate regardless of what they call it (phosphorus vs phosphate, that's just a marketing thing to make the one seem even more able to detect low levels). Both checkers use the same chemical method, and it only detects inorganic phosphate.

I believe flourish phosphate has other trace elements in it that could build over time.

Why do you think that?

The description doesn't mention anything else:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/FlourishPhosphorus.html

 

[rglewis]

No, it does not. The Hanna checkers only detect inorganic phosphate regardless of what they call it (phosphorus vs phosphate, that's just a marketing thing to make the one seem even more able to detect low levels). Both checkers use the same chemical method, and it only detects inorganic phosphate.



Why do you think that?

The description doesn't mention anything else:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/FlourishPhosphorus.html

Guranteed analysis... K2o .2%

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Guranteed analysis... K2o .2%

Right, but the product is potassium phosphate, and that is the standard for quoting potassium concentration, even thought there is definitely not any K2O in that solution (can't be). Just as there is zero P2O5, but that is how it is quoted.

 

[Nano sapiens]

There is a Youtube video discussing the virtues of the 'Phosphorus' checker where the presenter believes that it is better than the 'Phosphate' checker since it "gives a 'Total Phosphate' reading". With all the different organophosphate species possible, I was truly in awe of this little device's capabilities

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There is a Youtube video discussing the virtues of the 'Phosphorus' checker where the presenter believes that it is better than the 'Phosphate' checker since it "gives a 'Total Phosphate' reading". With all the different organophosphate species possible, I was truly in awe of this little device's capabilities

Yes, IMO Hanna made a real mess of things by giving the data in ppb phosphorus, which to some people has incorrectly implied that it measures total phosphorus. I've seen that claimed in a number of different places.

 

[living_tribunal]

0 phosphates is absolutely terrible and will 100% kill corals.

Phosphates are by far the most misunderstood parameter on here and are vital to coral health, especially your N/P ratio.

Bleaching is in fact not caused by light being too high, it's a reaction to light sensitivity from phosphates deficiency either from levels being too low or you N/P being a lot higher than 20x.

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[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

0 phosphates is absolutely terrible and will 100% kill corals.

Phosphates are by far the most misunderstood parameter on here and are vital to coral health, especially your N/P ratio.

Bleaching is in fact not caused by light being too high, it's a reaction to light sensitivity from phosphates deficiency either from levels being too low or you N/P being a lot higher than 20x.

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FYI, this thread was 4 years old. I agree that no phosphate is undesirable, but not all kits we use can really say if it is too low or not.

Anyway, I suspect he has solved his phosphate issues, or quit the hobby by now.