Low Phosphate levels bad?

[BTimms]

Are low phosphate levels bad?

Will low levels be detrimental to the growth and health of my corals?

Does this mean that I should feed more to my fish?

I seem to be having turf algae so I tested my phosphate and it was undetectable to .002 on the salifert test. Lowest level. I tested three times just to be sure as I assumed my algae meant high phosphate.

 

[KC's CNC Creations]

low? no.

undetectable? yes. but it's very likely your algae is consuming it as fast as your adding (thought feedings/etc...) giving you the undetectable reading.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Good target levels are 0.02 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, IMO.

Less than 0.01 ppm phosphate is a concern both from the standpoint of getting dinos, and from potentially starving corals unless you add a lot of foods that corals can consume.

 

[BTimms]

Good target levels are 0.02 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, IMO.

Less than 0.01 ppm phosphate is a concern both from the standpoint of getting dinos, and from potentially starving corals unless you add a lot of foods that corals can consume.

Could low phosphate be due to underfeeding ?

I feed once a day, mixed frozen seafood.

Although I’m having hair algae issues, should I increase feeding?

 

[Pistondog]

Are low phosphate levels bad?

Will low levels be detrimental to the growth and health of my corals?

Does this mean that I should feed more to my fish?

I seem to be having turf algae so I tested my phosphate and it was undetectable to .002 on the salifert test. Lowest level. I tested three times just to be sure as I assumed my algae meant high phosphate.

Perhaps the nutrients are being used by the algae before you can measure them.

 

[BTimms]

Perhaps the nutrients are being used by the algae before you can measure them.

This is exactly my concern.
If I could direct these nutrients to coral and wipe out the algae, I would.

Brightwells microbacter clean?

 

[Pistondog]

This is exactly my concern.
If I could direct these nutrients to coral and wipe out the algae, I would.

Brightwells microbacter clean?

Can't the coral compete with the algae?
Maybe try vibrant if the algae is bad.

 

[Tired]

Don't use Vibrant. If you have too much algae, add cleanup crew ,make sure your RODI has a clean carbon filter, and manually remove any long hair algae tufts. Vibrant severely harms your biodiversity, and hinders the growth of beneficial algae (which competes with pest algaes) on your rockwork.

You absolutely do not want low/zero phosphates. Photosynthetic organisms suffer and die if they don't have any. If you don't have enough nutrients, and are already feeding a reasonable amount, do fewer water changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If algae is thriving, hard corals are unlikely to be starving from lack of nutrients.

 

[Tired]

True, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't appreciate a bit more, and LPS and softies might have some complaints.

 

[BTimms]

I’d love to feed more. But I’m afraid of increasing turf algae .

 

[Aqua Man]

I had good amount of Turf alga once. PO4 at 0 also. Pencil Urchin took care of the Turf alga in a couple months. Dosed Neophos for PO4. Alga gone and I’m still dosing PO4. Snails keep everything trimmed now.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I’d love to feed more. But I’m afraid of increasing turf algae .

Live Phyto? In my experience it has bumped my phos slightly, but nothing outside normal params. Maybe .08 at most....less likely to foul the tank imo also....

 

[Tired]

If you have your nutrients at a reasonable level, and find you have too much algae, the problem isn't the nutrients. The problem is lack of algae control. Remove long tufts by hand, and place snails on the spot you pulled.

Any sort of urchin will also decimate turf algae. Tuxedo urchins are relatively reef-safe, as they're small, not sharp, and don't eat coral, but you should look up whether they can scratch acrylic.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I had good amount of Turf alga once. PO4 at 0 also. Pencil Urchin took care of the Turf alga in a couple months. Dosed Neophos for PO4. Alga gone and I’m still dosing PO4. Snails keep everything trimmed now.

Yup, Urchins also a great combatant.. I have both a Pincushion and a short spine black in mine (75 gallon) for years, algae doesn't stand a chance...

 

[BTimms]

I had good amount of Turf alga once. PO4 at 0 also. Pencil Urchin took care of the Turf alga in a couple months. Dosed Neophos for PO4. Alga gone and I’m still dosing PO4. Snails keep everything trimmed now.

Does your urchin destroy your aquascape or glued down corals?

 

[BTimms]

Live Phyto? In my experience it has bumped my phos slightly, but nothing outside normal params. Maybe .08 at most....less likely to foul the tank imo also....

Do you produce your own Live Phyto?

 

[CanuckReefer]

Do you produce your own Live Phyto?

I dont, thought about it but a bit too lazy lol. I utilize Phyto Feast by Reef Nutrition...decent price point imo, and always consistent.

 

[Aqua Man]

Does your urchin destroy your aquascape or glued down corals?

Didn’t cause any rock slides! Was kinda worried about it too. Anything not glued did get pushed around some but not that bad. Was neat to watch the urchins spines move out of the way as it was navigating obstacles!

 

[Aqua Man]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fresh-live-phyto-8-species-blend-–-free-shipping.796578/

Good stuff. I agree that adding pytho to reef tanks is good for a lot of reasons.