How to raise phospat

[andypeck831]

I'm currently struggling with a 0 nutrient system. I had a couple fish. Upgraded to a 120 gallon tank with a 100 sump. Medium Stockton corals. Consistently testing nitrates and phospates and phosphorus ulr with Hanna checkers. Checking phospates and nitrates with salifert. And red sea. All testing zero with the exception of Hanna ulr phosphorus at 3 ppb. I upped my fish load now have 4 tangs and half a dozen other small fish. I feed flake and pellet twice a day rods and reeffrenzie throughout the day. And across just slowly lose color and die. What can I do to raise phospates. My alkalinity is 8.2 ca 410. One other thing is my skimmer is running but I collect no skim it just drops back into tank. Any friendly advice would be highly appreciated!!!!! Oh yeah lights are kessil ap700's two over 4 foot tank a kessil ap700 over my sump/frag tank

 

[wesman42]

Well, the best thing you can do is give us clear numbers like:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 3ppb
Calcium: 410
Alk: 8.2

Outside of that, the best way to raise your nutrients at this point would be to dose them. Nitrates you can use Sodium Nitrate, and Phosphate you can use Seachem flourish Phosphorous or similar. There are a lot of resources on here for dosing those two, and typically you want to maintain what's called the Redfield Ratio. Or 16:1 Nitrateshosphates.

Some may argue the ratio is too high as seawater is much lower ratio...but plenty of ways to skin the cat. I'd use the search function and do some research on dosing nitrates and Phosphates. You could end up with a lot more collective info my reading for a few hours...rather than just one post

 

[CoralNerd]

Phytoplankton might be something for you to try. What kind of rock do you have? Are you using bio blocks? You can use Seachem Flourish phosphorus and Nitrogen to bring your numbers up.

 

[andypeck831]

Well, the best thing you can do is give us clear numbers like:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 3ppb
Calcium: 410
Alk: 8.2

Outside of that, the best way to raise your nutrients at this point would be to dose them. Nitrates you can use Sodium Nitrate, and Phosphate you can use Seachem flourish Phosphorous or similar. There are a lot of resources on here for dosing those two, and typically you want to maintain what's called the Redfield Ratio. Or 16:1 Nitrateshosphates.

Some may argue the ratio is too high as seawater is much lower ratio...but plenty of ways to skin the cat. I'd use the search function and do some research on dosing nitrates and Phosphates. You could end up with a lot more collective info my reading for a few hours...rather than just one post

Ok
Ammonia: 0
Nitrates:0
Phospates: 0
Phospurous: 3 ppb
Alkalinity:8.2
As far as using search functions, I can never find what I'm looking for! LOL. Would rather ask for what has workered for others and go from there. I find that easier for me. I will research this seachem flourish. Thank you

 

[andypeck831]

Phytoplankton might be something for you to try. What kind of rock do you have? Are you using bio blocks? You can use Seachem Flourish phosphorus and Nitrogen to bring your numbers up.

No bio blocks as far as rock don't know have some tonga branch and other porous live rock I have accumulated. Will get some phytoplankton tomorrow at work. Thanks

 

[CoralNerd]

I like Potassium Nitrate to bring the n03 up also. It's cheap.
Tonga rock yeah that's nice and dense I like it.