If you had phosphates above 1.0ppm

[happyhourhero]

Just took some water to lfs to have them check my SG, Nitrates, phosphates and alk. My nitrates are 2-5 but my phosphates were 1.0+. I don't ever test phosphates and was really just curious what it was. I do not have an algae issue and I have good color and growth.

I could stand to feed a little less but I like my fat fish.

What would you do in my shoes?

 

[TUSI]

Do you do anything to keep your nitrates and po4 low?

 

[drawman]

If you have no problems I would let it ride. If Coral is happy with no algae no sense chasing numbers. I would question their accuracy. What test kit were they using?

Also, do you use RODI water and change your DI resin regularly?

 

[happyhourhero]

Do you do anything to keep your nitrates and po4 low?

Algae scrubber, skimmer.

 

[happyhourhero]

If you have no problems I would let it ride. If Coral is happy with no algae no sense chasing numbers. I would question their accuracy. What test kit were they using?

Also, do you use RODI water and change your DI resin regularly?

Red Sea I believe.

 

[happyhourhero]

They tested twice.

 

[TUSI]

Something don't add up cause with phosphates that high you would have no color. Your nitrates are not bad at 2. I think your phosphates are lower than what the test is showing. Algae scrubber and skimmer might not be enough to maintain low po4 maybe enough for nitrates to keep around 2-5 . Did u ever think of a gfo reactor

 

[happyhourhero]

Something don't add up cause with phosphates that high you would have no color. Your nitrates are not bad at 2. I think your phosphates are lower than what the test is showing. Algae scrubber and skimmer might not be enough to maintain low po4 maybe enough for nitrates to keep around 2-5 . Did u ever think of a gfo reactor

I have not wanted to put in a reactor but maybe I will have to.

 

[happyhourhero]

I mean it would be highly unlikely that a Tupperware container would leech phosphates on the way to the lfs right?

 

[TUSI]

I would get a Hannah test meter for the phosphate and see exactly what is going on cause if colors are good and growth is good then let it ride.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would just retest. Grab an API.
API won't show .01 but it will show 1.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Theres a few tanks we could look at with some stupid high po4 and colored corals.

 

[BoomCorals]

Algae scrubber, skimmer.

This!

 

[happyhourhero]

Theres a few tanks we could look at with some stupid high po4 and colored corals.

Right. LFS just kind of freaked me out and said he felt like when something was that out of whack, a perfect storm is brewing and something could set it off. I ordered a seachem test to get a second opinion. I am very reluctant to make big changes but at the same time feel like I need to get it reigned in some.

1.0 is pretty far outside the target range.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Right. LFS just kind of freaked me out and said he felt like when something was that out of whack, a perfect storm is brewing and something could set it off. I ordered a seachem test to get a second opinion. I am very reluctant to make big changes but at the same time feel like I need to get it reigned in some.

1.0 is pretty far outside the target range.

Yup agreed to all of it.

 

[markalot]

I would not do anything unless you have a specific issue you can tie to PO4. This is typically the point where a tank gets nuked due to a perceived bad number. Either do the test yourself (Hanna ultra low range ULR) or don't do anything.

Keep the following in mind.

Too fast a PO4 change will hurt acros and they will stop growing, stop using Alk, which if not caught will lead to an Alk spike and wipe out many of your acros. All changes should be slow, deliberate, and combined with increased testing.

 

[BoomCorals]

I would not do anything unless you have a specific issue you can tie to PO4. This is typically the point where a tank gets nuked due to a perceived bad number. Either do the test yourself (Hanna ultra low range ULR) or don't do anything.

If his phosphate is at 1 he should use the regular Hannah phosphate checker. Not the ULR as it can't read very high.

 

[happyhourhero]

It throws me off that I don't have an algae problem or browned corals.

 

[Bbaz123456]

Yep! Don't worry about it too much. I've had levels up around 5ppm and I'm a firm believer po4 has very little to no effect on corals. I did a year with .1-.2 and saw no difference at all.
It's all hype...for the most part

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It throws me off that I don't have an algae problem or browned corals.

Please stop challenging conventions succesfully.

Thanks
The masses.