Phosphate and Algae

[Mike H2020]

I’ve had somewhat high (.16) phosphate and on going algae. I’ve recently added GFO to my in tank media holder and now I’m slowly going down to .04 and now at .02. Will this level of phosphates kill off my algae and yet be sustainable for good corals ( scoly , Duncan) and BTA ?

thanks

 

[Pistondog]

It's hard to keep enough phosphates for corals (0.03 - 0.05ppm) and starve algae, once established.
A good plan is to remove algae manually and with cuc.
For those corals, 0.16 is not bad, but might inhibit calcium building in sps.

 

[littlefishy]

@mcarroll has dealt with this question a lot, and 2nds the idea above.

 

[Subsea]

Coral zooanthellia need phosphorous & nitrogen just as undesirable algae. I grow ornamental/utilitarian macroalgae (seaweed) in a lagoon setting with softies and LPS.

Chaeto & Red Ogo both consume N in a ratio of 30:1

 

[MERKEY]

I’ve had somewhat high (.16) phosphate and on going algae. I’ve recently added GFO to my in tank media holder and now I’m slowly going down to .04 and now at .02. Will this level of phosphates kill off my algae and yet be sustainable for good corals ( scoly , Duncan) and BTA ?

thanks

Don't get caught up too much on exact numbers.

Phos at .16 is not too high at all.

The thing to keep in mind is to balance your nutrients once you get them stable.

The key number most go for around here is nitrates 20× what your phos is.