At what level are phosphates none to bind??

[Kershaw]

sorry if this has been answered. But at what level do phosphates bind to coral and other things.

 

[Kershaw]

Spelt known wrong sorry

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

At any level, phosphate will bind to calcium carbonate surfaces, and the higher the concentration in the water, the higher the amount that will bind.

Was that the question?

 

[Kershaw]

Yes thank you.

 

[Kershaw]

Actually I do have a follow up question. If phosphate binds at all levels. At what point dose it prevent coral from growing. When I have read allot of people keeping po4 at about .03.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Elevated phosphate can be a concern, and 0.02-0.03 ppm is a good target. But tanks can look wonderful at higher phosphate, even up to 1 ppm:

https://www.reefs.com/magazine-pare...g-ix-test-kits-chasing-numbers-and-phosphate/
from it:

Rich’s 150 gallon display, on a 300 gallon system, is running a phosphate level of 1.24 ppm, a level at 24.8 times higher than the often recommended .05 ppm. Photo by Richard Ross.

 

[Kershaw]

Thank you, again. So basically what works for me is what I should go with.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If the tank seems fine and you do not have an algae problem or brown corals, yes.

This article has a lot more:

Phosphate In The Reef Aquarium
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/?p=3184