Nitrate / Phosphate relationship question

Aquaman102 · May 27, 2020

I've been struggling with some coral death lately. Mainly LPS.

I'm starting to think my nitrate to phosphate relationship is out of whack coming out of a Dino fight.

My trachy and scoly are peeling back from their skeletons. No pests that I've observed and no fish that pick at them.

Hammers and Frogspawn are fine.

Nitrates were around 5 ppm (Nyos Test kit) and my phosphate was at .4 (Hanna Checker).

What's the right relationship between Nitrate and Phos? I feel like I need to raise my nitrates a bit and lower the phosphate.

joseserrano · May 27, 2020

Your instincts are right. You may also be giving them too much flow.

SPR1968 · May 27, 2020

Your phosphate is extremely high at 0.4, a good target is around 0.03ppm so you may want to look into rowaphos or GFO to bring it down but do it slowly.

Aquaman102 · May 27, 2020

joseserrano said:
Your instincts are right. You may also be giving them too much flow.

I have them sitting back between some rocks, so I don't think the flow is the issue, but I'll observe for a while.

I've dialed my skimmer back to where nothing is going into the cup, so it's mainly oxygenating the water.

I also have some chaeto. Should I take it out?

I have some RowaPhos, but live in fear of putting that in and bringing Phos down to 0 and starting the dino fight all over again.

joseserrano · May 27, 2020

Aquaman102 said:
I have them sitting back between some rocks, so I don't think the flow is the issue, but I'll observe for a while.

I've dialed my skimmer back to where nothing is going into the cup, so it's mainly oxygenating the water.

I also have some chaeto. Should I take it out?

I have some RowaPhos, but live in fear of putting that in and bringing Phos down to 0 and starting the dino fight all over again.

sounds like you are being reactive and doing too many things at the same time. Pick a plan and stick to it. This will take a while, its not going to be fixed overnight.