How can I safely raise phosphates?

[thisguy1]

Hi everyone I have a question. What’s a good and safe way to raise phosphates? I always read that you wanted your nitrates and phosphates to be o. But since getting back into the hobby I’ve seen/read you’ll want a little of both in your tank. I started my tank in July so still new but just curious. My filtration is simple just filter pads, chemipure elite, and seachem matrix. Should I take the chemipure out while trying to the raise phosphates? I have 3 corals in my tank 2 are doing ok but one frogspawn isn’t it’s just closed up and receding. My parameters look ok except for the phosphates.

• Alk 8-9 dKH
• PH 7.8-8
• Nitrate 0
• Nitrite 0
• Ammonia 0
• Salinity 1.025
• Temp 77-78
• Cal 420
• Mag 1,600-1,700
• Phos 0.00 (Hanna)

 

[Rhetoric]

I'd feed the corals some reef roids. Start with half maybe a quarter of whatever is on the label. Monitor a day or two later win/win

 

[w8lifts]

I’m with the auto feeders, feed the tank more with an auto feeder, nutrients gets pretty predictable with it. Easy to overdose with dosing additives.

 

[Pistondog]

+1 reef roids

 

[thisguy1]

I'd feed the corals some reef roids. Start with half maybe a quarter of whatever is on the label. Monitor a day or two later win/win

I’m with the auto feeders, feed the tank more with an auto feeder, nutrients gets pretty predictable with it. Easy to overdose with dosing additives.

Should I remove my chemipure elite from the tank since it removes phosphates. I have the 15 gallon IM tank. The chemipure elite bag rated for up to 25. I feed my fish once a day plus extra for my hermit and corals once a week but can increase if need be

 

[w8lifts]

Should I remove my chemipure elite from the tank since it removes phosphates. I have the 15 gallon IM tank. The chemipure elite bag rated for up to 25. I feed my fish once a day plus extra for my hermit and corals once a week but can increase if need be

Personally I would, dirty up the water a bit and keep it a tad dirty.

 

[thisguy1]

Personally I would, dirty up the water a bit and keep it a tad dirty.

Ok thanks! Also one more question besides phosphates will feeding the tank more also increase nitrates too?

 

[w8lifts]

Ok thanks! Also one more question besides phosphates will feeding the tank more also increase nitrates too?

Yes and having 0 is not a good thing, got to find the balance.

 

[thisguy1]

Yes and having 0 is not a good thing, got to find the balance.

Been busy so haven’t had a chance to update but checked my phosphate got it up to 0.04 (Hanna test) but my nitrates are still 0. Been feeding a little more heavily. But just curious what’s the idle spot for the nitrate and phosphate levels?

 

[Wrassenaround]

I raised mine by adding more fish which caused me to feed more food, I would also caution you on trying to change things quickly especially with a new tank. Your levels will fluctuate with time as your system becomes more established.

 

[thisguy1]

I raised mine by adding more fish which caused me to feed more food, I would also caution you on trying to change things quickly especially with a new tank. Your levels will fluctuate with time as your system becomes more established.

Yea I’ve been thinking about adding a new fish just scared since it’s only a 15gallon. So far my stock is 2 clowns, 1 fire shrimp (just added), 1 hermit, 3 cerith snails, and 2 trochus snails. I do weekly water changes but thinking of doing biweekly

 

[Wrassenaround]

Yea I’ve been thinking about adding a new fish just scared since it’s only a 15gallon. So far my stock is 2 clowns, 1 fire shrimp (just added), 1 hermit, 3 cerith snails, and 2 trochus snails. I do weekly water changes but thinking of doing biweekly

I would keep doing the weekly water changes. I started with a 20 gallon tank and once I got off of weekly water changes my tank changed (not for the good) rather quickly. At its peak I had 2 clowns, 2 wrasse and an Anthias which I acknowledge was 1 to many. I would max out at 4 fish.

 

[Harold999]

But just curious what’s the idle spot for the nitrate and phosphate levels?

po4: 0.03 - 0.06
no3: ~10

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, dosing phosphate is inexpensive and easy.

 

[thisguy1]

I would keep doing the weekly water changes. I started with a 20 gallon tank and once I got off of weekly water changes my tank changed (not for the good) rather quickly. At its peak I had 2 clowns, 2 wrasse and an Anthias which I acknowledge was 1 to many. I would max out at 4 fish.

I’ll stick with the weekly changes then lol. I’ve been eyeing a Helfrichi firefish saw one at my LFS and needed it instantly

 

[thisguy1]

FWIW, dosing phosphate is inexpensive and easy.

I’ve been thinking about it might have to give it a go

 

[Propane]

Pellet foods usually have higher phosphates. Frozen mysis will also increase nitrates and phosphates.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

FWIW, dosing phosphate is inexpensive and easy.

Sounds like a plan. Which phosphate additive ?

Calcium Phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sounds like a plan. Which phosphate additive ?

Calcium Phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) ?

No, that's not soluble.

I recommend any food grade sodium phosphate (mono, di, or tri sodium).

 

[Rhapsody in Blue Reef]

Hi everyone I have a question. What’s a good and safe way to raise phosphates? I always read that you wanted your nitrates and phosphates to be o. But since getting back into the hobby I’ve seen/read you’ll want a little of both in your tank. I started my tank in July so still new but just curious. My filtration is simple just filter pads, chemipure elite, and seachem matrix. Should I take the chemipure out while trying to the raise phosphates? I have 3 corals in my tank 2 are doing ok but one frogspawn isn’t it’s just closed up and receding. My parameters look ok except for the phosphates.

• Alk 8-9 dKH
• PH 7.8-8
• Nitrate 0
• Nitrite 0
• Ammonia 0
• Salinity 1.025
• Temp 77-78
• Cal 420
• Mag 1,600-1,700
• Phos 0.00 (Hanna)

Mike Paletta did a survey during the pandemic of many peoples tanks who had very successful coral growth, and the common denominator was even though some people ran high, medium or low nutrients, they all had some and the ratio of nitrates to phosphates is 100:1

This was also echoed in Fauna Marin’s database of research. My nitrates stay around 8-10 and phosphates around .08-.1