Aquavitro Activate for phosphate dosing

[Velcro]

Hi there,
I'm in an interesting situation where my nitrates are much higher than I'd like (~25ppm) and my phosphates are undetectable via hanna reader.

Normally I'd just do water changes over the next couple weeks to get this back in line, but I'm battling dinoflagellates so that's kind of a no go.

My plan to reduce nitrates is carbon dosing, but I'm not comfortable doing that without adding a bit of phosphate as I do have SPS in the tank and I've experienced what a phosphate bottom out can do.

My LFS carried this product. I did the math and for my 90 gallon I could ad 0.5mL to raise PO4 to 0.03ppm and then test a few days later while starting carbon dosing very slowly. Any thoughts?

 

[Velcro]

Here's the ingredients from the MSDS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is nothing special, and you can easily DIY, but if you want it will work fine for boosting phosphate.

 

[Velcro]

It is nothing special, and you can easily DIY, but if you want it will work fine for boosting phosphate.

Normally I'd just order some powder and make a stock solution but I dosed my first vodka last night and my phosphate is undetectable today... last time I tested it a few days ago it was 0.08 ppm so I just kinda want to start this ASAP

 

[Velcro]

Alright, so I started dosing this last night. I've put together a spreadsheet to follow progress. Bear in mind I'm using the hannah phosphate checker which does have a accuracy of +/- 0.04 so who knows where the ACTUAL phosphate readings fall. I'm looking to raise phosphate up to a consistent 0.05-0.1ppm while I drop nitrates.

 

[MaddyP]

Tagging along! I've always struggled to keep phosphates up and thought about dosing. I already dose potassium nitrate just to keep it noticeable.

 

[Velcro]

Small update. Didn't have to dose phosphate last night as I showed 0.04ppm. I'm not sure if I trust that number as I don't remember checking to make sure there were no bubbles in the vial after mixing the hanna reagent, but I figured I'd skip the dose and check in the morning. This morning phosphates were down to 0.01ppm so I dosed 0.5mL. I think I will put phosphate on a doser starting tonight at 1mL per day.

My Red Sea NO3-PO4-X comes in tomorrow so I'll be switching from vodka. I'll throw the no3-po4-x on a doser as well and start at the recommended 3/mL/25gallon since my nitrates are >10ppm.

 

[BigJohnny]

How'd this work out? I too struggle with low phosphate and am about to start dosing

 

[NEFFx]

I just bought some aquavitro activate (P2O2 and K2O both at 1% guaranteed analysis). I wish more companies did a guaranteed analysis on the bottle. Thanks seachem.
Let me know your thoughts with it and if you monitored potassium.
I have 0.02 phosphate and would like some more never thought I’d say that.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just bought some aquavitro activate (P2O2 and K2O both at 1% guaranteed analysis). I wish more companies did a guaranteed analysis on the bottle. Thanks seachem.
Let me know your thoughts with it and if you monitored potassium.
I have 0.02 phosphate and would like some more never thought I’d say that.

For the normal phosphate boosts that reefers require, the potassium effect is insignificant, so just focus on phosphate with it.

For example, if the 1% number is correct, it would take a year of dosing 0.03 ppm phosphate every day to boost potassium by 4.5 ppm, which is insignificant against a seawater background of 400 ppm potassium.