Can fuge become nitrate/phosphate sink?

[bucfan]

I have a 100g bb main tank with a 35g sump/fuge. I protein skim 24/7. I have a small area set up as a fugue (~5g) with Miracle Mud and macros. I have been battling high NO/PO for awhile now and have not figured out why. Just wondering if the fuge can become a NO/PO sink and release it into the main display thus actually doing the opposite of what it is supposed to do.

 

[jedimasterben]

That's what aragonite does - binds phosphate to it. When it becomes saturated, it begins releasing inorganic phosphate back into the system. In a 5g fuge, though, I highly doubt that would be your issue.


This thread has a ridiculous amount of information on the phosphorus cycle, sand, rock, aragonite, macroalgaes, etc: http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/319561-refugiums-dont-export-nutrients/

You've gotta sort through a lot of crap, though. :/

 

[Reefing Madness]

The Fuge set up you have is really not going to help your system out much, its not big enough, as far as being an issue, it can if you can't clean out the bottom where all the detrius is going to collect. But have you trouble shot your top off water? How much and what you feed the tank? In that 5g fuge you can throw GFO in there to remove the Phosphates you do have, it will remove it much much faster than your macros will.

 

[beaslbob]

the macros algaes in the fuge will be a nitrate, phosphate, and carbon dioxide sink. If it's not enough of a sink then expand the macro area.

my .02

 

[Connie]

Yes it can. It happened to me. Once I got a larger sump/fuge, my nitrates and phosphates were taken care of.