High phosphate low nitrate question.

[shadow_k]

Hey guys

so my question is I’m currently lowering my phosphate slowly over the week.
Last week it was 1.15
This week it’s .52
My N03 stays at 5
My question is

what happens to coral of phosphates are really high and nitrates are low ? Will it effect growth or color

I have no algae in the tank.
I’m also dosing neonitro to lower phosphates and to increase nitrates.

Will there be a time that I can stop dosing nitrates ? And how do they stabilize
Thank you !

 

[Spare time]

Here is one article I have seen

Effects of phosphate on growth and skeletal density in the scleractinian coral Acropora muricata: A controlled experimental approach

Phosphate contamination can negatively affect corals, modifying growth rates, skeletal density, reproduction, mortality, and zooxanthellae. We determi…

www.sciencedirect.com

 

[Lavey29]

What do you believe causes your phosphate spike? Coral food?. Your nitrates are fine. I found that using RedSea AB coral food a couple times a week versus daily helped lower my phosphate. Reef roids or chile greatly increased it though. Over feeding fish will also. You can use a bag of chemipure elite to lower phosphate. I find using a small bag for half my tanks volume worked better and walked it down slowly.

 

[shadow_k]

Here is one article I have seen

Effects of phosphate on growth and skeletal density in the scleractinian coral Acropora muricata: A controlled experimental approach

Phosphate contamination can negatively affect corals, modifying growth rates, skeletal density, reproduction, mortality, and zooxanthellae. We determi…

www.sciencedirect.com

Thank you for the article! I’ll check it out

 

[shadow_k]

What do you believe causes your phosphate spike? Coral food?. Your nitrates are fine. I found that using RedSea AB coral food a couple times a week versus daily helped lower my phosphate. Reef roids or chile greatly increased it though. Over feeding fish will also. You can use a bag of chemipure elite to lower phosphate. I find using a small bag for half my tanks volume worked better and walked it down slowly.

I was trying a new fish/coral food and it spiked my phosphates cause I fed a lot . I only have 2 fish. Mostly coral I was trying to get nitrates up I have an LPS/softie tank I was hoping to get nitrate 5-10

 

[happyhourzhao]

Coral foods are usually the culprit, they'll crank up the phosphate quickly. I recall a article/video somewhere about frozen food raises nitrates if overfeeding occured, and processed food(coral food/dried food) raising phosphates.

 

[shadow_k]

Coral foods are usually the culprit, they'll crank up the phosphate quickly. I recall a article/video somewhere about frozen food raises nitrates if overfeeding occured, and processed food(coral food/dried food) raising phosphates.

My clown fish will only eat pellets at the moment I’ve tried mysis but they ignore it and my crabs and snails get it

 

[Lavey29]

My clown fish will only eat pellets at the moment I’ve tried mysis but they ignore it and my crabs and snails get it

As Happyhour referenced, pellet and flakes raise phosphate along with coral food. If you only have 2 fish you might need to dose some neonitro to get your nitrates number. I had to when I only had 2 fish for extended period. Your phosphates should come down with balanced fish feeding and coral feeding. Like I said, I only broadcast coral feed maybe 3x a week now to help maintain my phosphate number.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Hey guys

so my question is I’m currently lowering my phosphate slowly over the week.
Last week it was 1.15
This week it’s .52
My N03 stays at 5
My question is

what happens to coral of phosphates are really high and nitrates are low ? Will it effect growth or color

I have no algae in the tank.
I’m also dosing neonitro to lower phosphates and to increase nitrates.

Will there be a time that I can stop dosing nitrates ? And how do they stabilize
Thank you !

Do you have a refugium? Once I put in Cheato, I noticed that my nitrates would drop but my phosphates would spike. Apparently, Cheato uptakes nitrates faster than phosphates. As such, for me to control my phosphates, I had to dose Potatssium Nitrate. More nitrate = more phosphate consumption.

 

[shadow_k]

Do you have a refugium? Once I put in Cheato, I noticed that my nitrates would drop buy my phosphates would spike. Apparently, Cheato uptakes nitrates faster than phosphates. As such, for me to control my phosphates, I had to dose Potatssium Nitrate. More nitrate = more phosphate consumption.

I just have an AIO no skimmer I do water changes every other week 20% on a 20 gallon tank I feed everyday but nitrates just hang out at 5

 

[Spare time]

Do you have a refugium? Once I put in Cheato, I noticed that my nitrates would drop buy my phosphates would spike. Apparently, Cheato uptakes nitrates faster than phosphates. As such, for me to control my phosphates, I had to dose Potatssium Nitrate. More nitrate = more phosphate consumption.

Out of curiosity, what light do you have for the chaeto?

 

[Spare time]

You can also put in a tiny bag of gfo mixed with carbon to get it down. I toss a little bag of gfo into my filter sock if I overdose phosphate

 

[shadow_k]

You can also put in a tiny bag of gfo mixed with carbon to get it down. I toss a little bag of gfo into my filter sock if I overdose phosphate

Should I just stop dosing No3 ? And just let gfo lower it

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Out of curiosity, what light do you have for the chaeto?

LED eco chic refugium - Tunze

Hi-Tech für Aquaristik

www.tunze.com

Everything in my tank is listed in my build thread.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Should I just stop dosing No3 ? And just let gfo lower it

GFO caused my first tank crash. It dropped my phosphates down to zero and the dinos took over. I refuse to use that stuff anymore, well outside of an absolute toxic situation.

 

[Spare time]

GFO caused my first tank crash. It dropped my phosphates down to zero and the dinos took over. I refuse to use that stuff anymore, well outside of an absolute toxic situation.

I like to just use a spoonful or two in a bag. Seems to do the trick without removing every phosphate molecule

 

[Heres_doe_]

What do you believe causes your phosphate spike? Coral food?. Your nitrates are fine. I found that using RedSea AB coral food a couple times a week versus daily helped lower my phosphate. Reef roids or chile greatly increased it though. Over feeding fish will also. You can use a bag of chemipure elite to lower phosphate. I find using a small bag for half my tanks volume worked better and walked it down slowly.

My phosphates are at .2 currently i went from .92 few months ago. My nitrates are 15ppm. Your saying ab+ bright yours down. How much were u dosing and how much did u bring them down by.

 

[Lavey29]

My phosphates are at .2 currently i went from .92 few months ago. My nitrates are 15ppm. Your saying ab+ bright yours down. How much were u dosing and how much did u bring them down by.

Negative, red sea AB plus increased my phosphate when I dosed it daily for coral so I cut back to 2 or 3x per week now with it.

Nitrates are easy to bring down with water change and less fish food.

 

[Heres_doe_]

Negative, red sea AB plus increased my phosphate when I dosed it daily for coral so I cut back to 2 or 3x per week now with it.

Nitrates are easy to bring down with water change and less fish food.

Ok that makes sense didn't get that. I completely cut them out my feeding to get my parameters locked in then I'll get again and see how much i can feed without bringing phosphates up

 

[Lavey29]

Ok that makes sense didn't get that. I completely cut them out my feeding to get my parameters locked in then I'll get again and see how much i can feed without bringing phosphates up

Yes, there is a balancing act with coral food. If you have enough fish then your corals can get what they need from them fine also.