Adequate phosphate level in dry/dead coral

[LeonThePeon]

I got a pretty good sized dry, dead coral and I have been soaking it for about a week in some tank water. Tank water itself had a phosphate reading (Hanna Checker) of 0.00 ppm - before I took the water out to fill up the soaking tank. I threw a bag of Phosguard in a filter sock and wrapped the sock around a pump to circulate the water.

Just checked on the coral - and the water is reading 0.15ppm (Hanna)

I'm trying to keep my (currently) fish only tank with as low of nutrients as possible to prevent nuisance algae. Figured it'll only be harder to bring numbers down if they get out of control early.

Think it's safe to put it in at 0.15ppm? I'm not sure if I need to do a water change to it - if the Phosguard is binding the phosphate?

Thoughts?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I got a pretty good sized dry, dead coral and I have been soaking it for about a week in some tank water. Tank water itself had a phosphate reading (Hanna Checker) of 0.00 ppm - before I took the water out to fill up the soaking tank. I threw a bag of Phosguard in a filter sock and wrapped the sock around a pump to circulate the water.

Just checked on the coral - and the water is reading 0.15ppm (Hanna)

I'm trying to keep my (currently) fish only tank with as low of nutrients as possible to prevent nuisance algae. Figured it'll only be harder to bring numbers down if they get out of control early.

Think it's safe to put it in at 0.15ppm? I'm not sure if I need to do a water change to it - if the Phosguard is binding the phosphate?

Thoughts?

At 0.15 I'd say it's leaching out P04 still.

As you may already know, it will leach out till the value of P04 is balanced in the water.

0.1 isn't bad, but could be better. I would let it soak a few more days and see if it goes up or down.

 

[LeonThePeon]

I did about a 25% WC - So theoretically, it should bring the PO4 down to 0.11. I'll check to see if it's still at .15 or higher in two days.
By then, I'll have a bottle of Phosphate RX and dose it down to 0 and see what happens by Friday. I'd like to get it done by then... we'll see.

 

[LeonThePeon]

Well - I thought I had done the math wrong on dosing Phosphate RX - but after 3 different subsequent doses at maximum strength (dosage of 6 drops/10 gallons would drop 0.5ppm - well above what I was reading in my 40G soaking tub) and I can only bring it down to 0.05ppm.

11/12 - 0.15 - Dosed 24 drops afterwards
11/18 - 0.08 - Dosed 24 drops afterwards
11/19 - 0.06 - Dosed 24 drops afterwards
11/20 - 0.05

I guess Phosphate RX can only go so far? Either way - times up - I've got to get it in today. Hopefully the current NoPox dosing and Phosguard media in the DT will suck the remaining phosphate up. (450G of water to "balance" it out)