FINALLY got my Phosphate to up .03, what do I dose today?

[Jib]

So I've been having issues getting my PO4 up from 0. Have been dosing increasing amounts of NeoPhos over the past 10 days in the below amounts, and finally got my PO4 up to .03. Per advice from Randy and others, my PO4 was likely being bound up by the rocks and sand and needed to reach a saturation point. I may have finally reached my saturation point. My question now is, what do I dose today, if anything. Yesterday was a 10ml dose, which would be very high per the instructions on the bottle, should normally raise to .3, not the .03 that it did. Should I back down to a lower dose today? If so, and thoughts on what to dose?

Historical dosing:

• 12/7 - .5ml
• 12/8 - 1ml
• 12/9 - 2ml
• 12/10 - 3ml
• 12/11 - 4ml
• 12/12 - 5ml
• 12/13 - 5ml
• 12/14 - 6ml
• 12/15 - 7ml
• 12/16 - 10ml

I've also been dosing 2ml of NeoNitro daily to keep my NO3 up (right around 3-4 ppm). As well as 1ml daily of Microbacter 7 & Hydrogen Peroxide to try and control Dinos. NOt sure if this info is help but thought I'd add it.

Thank you,

Jib

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd keep using the same dose and see what happens. If it gets too high, cut back.

 

[Jib]

I'd keep using the same dose and see what happens. If it gets too high, cut back.

Sounds good, I'll dose 10ml again and see where it gets me.

Thank you

 

[I’m Batman]

Same issue here... but doing 2ml NeoPhos 2x per day. NO3 at 2.5ppm. Running UV for two weeks and dosing 2ml of OceanMagik because that’s what I was told... 20g AIO. InTank Media Basket with floss, Innovative Marine AquaShield 10w. Tunze 9001. Tank is an upgrade from a 15g with 50lbs of figi rock purchased live 2012, transferred 2017. November Ostreposis 2 years in a row... Corals are loving the phosphates...

 

[I’m Batman]

Yesterday was a 10ml dose, which would be very high per the instructions on the bottle

I go slow, my method may be wrong but I usually use 75% of the recommended dose just out of caution. Phyto says 5ml for 20g, I dose 2ml. You haven’t mentioned your tank volume.

You’re taking tank volume X desired increase X 3.785.

 

[Tired]

Keep going. 0.03 is bare minimum, higher is probably better. See what happens if you continue dosing. Phosphate isn't toxic at any level you could reasonably get, and there are plenty of reefs with much higher phosphate than minimum doing great. Some even run at 1-2ppm just fine. It won't hurt your tank to get the phosphates higher in order to see what the levels do if you continue dosing, and the corals may even like it if you have relatively high phosphates.