Best phosphate users

[Goodair]

What macros are better with phosphate usage, if there are some excluding GHA. Another question is if corals are good for using up phosphate aswell.

Edit: something controllable by pruning or just a free floating.

 

[jefra]

I think Caulerpa is often considered the most efficient. Some species will starve out Chaeto and other macroalgae.

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

If you are setting up macro in a fuge with a light, then cheato is what most people use. BRS has some videos on how to set one up and what kind of results you can expect.

If you're talking about something decorative in the DT, then just get what looks good to you and will do well with your flow, lighting, and tank inhabitants. Do some research on the decorative types as they require different conditions to keep them alive.

 

[Goodair]

I have several macros and chaeto in the sump already, nitrates are low but phosphates seem to be high and tank cant seem to balance it.

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

Nitrates always get used faster in my experience. I think because algae, corals, and bacteria are using it verses only algae and coral using the phosphorus. Before I even had macros or coral I got a huge nitrate spike from a contaminated water bucket. It tested at 40 ppm on an API (yeah I know, but still). I did a 50% water change which dropped it to 20 ppm, then a week later all the anaerobic bacteria processed it down to 0 ppm. I was pleasantly surprised. ;Happy

 

[Goodair]

Phosphates are either coming from the nori that gets caught in the powerheads/ places i cant see, or the rock (more specifically mostly coral skeleton). Not sure what else could be a source. I use a rodi for my water source and leave little to no frozen food on the floor since none of my fish will eat from it.

 

[Subsea]

When you say “phosphates seem to be high”, how did you come to that conclusion? What are your nitrate & phosphate concentrations?

All photosynthetic organism use major & minor nutrients to grow. In general, the N ratio is 30:1
for coral & macro algae. Phytoplankton follows the Redfield Ratio of 16:1.

 

[Goodair]

phosphates read ~1, nitrates read ~5. This became more of a concern when cyano startedto build up.

 

[Subsea]

N

phosphates read ~1, nitrates read ~5. This became more of a concern when cyano startedto build up.

If macros in refugium are growing and requiring pruning then you have sufficient major & minor nutrients? If you think phosphates are fueling cyno, then use a phosphate removal resin.

Cynobacteria is capable of absorbing phosphate from calcium phosphate in substrate and some species of Cynobacteria are capable of nitrogen fixation converting free nitrogen gas into nh4.

 

[Goodair]

The phosphates in the water column fueling cyano is an assumption based off what my parameters were before, phosphates slowly creep up. There was always a small of cyano but recently its been exploding. They might not be correlated but from research, it seems to be the cause.

The only issue with resins is they are temporary solution which needs to be replaced. Not knowing for sure the source, I was hoping on some natural solution to help balance the nutrient export.

 

[Subsea]

I emulate nature as much as I can, however, reef tanks are not wild reefs.

Find a food source that is high in nitrogen and low in phosphate and feed heavy to encourage more macro growth and nutrient export. If it was me, I would dose potassium nitrate. The three major nutrients are potassium, nitrogen and phosphate. By dosing potassium & nitrate, macro growth should increase and phosphate should be assimilated into macro biomass to be exported, thereby reducing phosphate in bulk water.

 

[Goodair]

I emulate nature as much as I can, however, reef tanks are not wild reefs.

Find a food source that is high in nitrogen and low in phosphate and feed heavy to encourage more macro growth and nutrient export. If it was me, I would dose potassium nitrate. The three major nutrients are potassium, nitrogen and phosphate. By dosing potassium & nitrate, macro growth should increase and phosphate should be assimilated into macro biomass to be exported, thereby reducing phosphate in bulk water.

That was something I considered! Raising the nitrates so the macros could could sslf regulate. I'll give it a try, will start will a timer on the skimmer and checking for high nitrogen foods. If that doesn't work, potassium nitrate salt seems pretty good.