Aragonite phosphate binding

[Frans1992]

I'm now past my tank cycle for a couple of weeks, but I can not get my phospate up to detecteble amounts.
I think my dry rocks(aragonite) are binding the phospate. I dose every day aquaforest PO4+ (two times the amount to raise by 0.1ppm).
This same problem I had with my first reef tank and I dosed for a very long time. Now I can dose even more, but than I can overshoot a lot when the stones are saturated.
This wil kill my fish maybe. My nitrate is stil very high(50ppm), also the same with my first tank it will drop after a time when I stay dosing. What is the best solution? Or is does everyone have this problem today with dry rock. And we can not put any coral in for a long time.

 

[Garf]

This wil kill my fish maybe

Phosphate wont kill your fish.

does everyone have this problem today with dry rock

Maybe not all, but lots, indeed, myself included. How old is the tank and how long have you been dosing phosphate? Also, what test kit are you using to test it? I found the salifert to be inadequate, but that may be because my eyes aren't as young as I'd like.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Phosphate binding is not exactly as described. It does not suddenly saturate. The more that is present in the water, the more can bind. That gives dosing a much softer landing than if it was like a glass filling with water that would suddenly overflow. It’s more like a river holding water. When more is added, it holds more and more.

 

[Frans1992]

Phosphate wont kill your fish.

Maybe not all, but lots, indeed, myself included. How old is the tank and how long have you been dosing phosphate? Also, what test kit are you using to test it? I found the salifert to be inadequate, but that may be because my eyes aren't as young as I'd like.

I use the hanna phosphate checker hi713.
I always get 0.00 as reading.
My tank is about 2 months old now.

 

[Frans1992]

I use the hanna phosphate checker hi713.
I always get 0.00 as reading.
My tank is about 2 months old now.

Should I add even more than?

 

[Justfebreezeit]

If the tanks only 2 months old. Just wait and be patient.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Should I add even more than?

Yes, add more now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If the tanks only 2 months old. Just wait and be patient.

That sounds like a way to risk dinos and starve corals to me.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

That sounds like a way to risk dinos and starve corals to me.

I'll defer to your expertise.

I've never had the displeasure of getting dinos. Fingers crossed.

 

[Frans1992]

That sounds like a way to risk dinos and starve corals to me.

I just added lots of po4 for the last weeks. Now I tested 0.08 with my hanna checker. But the nitrate is still staying at 50, can it take some time to read lower nitrates. With my old tank I saw the nitrates drop when the po4 stabilise.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just added lots of po4 for the last weeks. Now I tested 0.08 with my hanna checker. But the nitrate is still staying at 50, can it take some time to read lower nitrates. With my old tank I saw the nitrates drop when the po4 stabilise.

That’s certainly what I would do if fresh aragonite was sucking up all the phosphate.