Phosphate crashed to 0.00

[hotdrop]

So my tank was doing fine nitrates around 12 phosphate .15 then in the last couple days I crashed to 0.00. Went to .05 the day before and read 0 today.

I should mention that I’m month 6 into fighting a Dino outbreak so this is really not ideal. Any recommendations for things to do to increase phosphate while decreasing or maintaining nitrates? Something is clearly out of wack and I’m having some sort of bloom.

I should mention I’m using a skimmer but no fuge

I tried adding some reef roofs and feeding nori as those usually elevate phosphate and I’ll see what it tests this evening.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Live phytoplankton is rich in po4, and will be beneficial in outcompete the dinoflagellates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So my tank was doing fine nitrates around 12 phosphate .15 then in the last couple days I crashed to 0.00. Went to .05 the day before and read 0 today.

I should mention that I’m month 6 into fighting a Dino outbreak so this is really not ideal. Any recommendations for things to do to increase phosphate while decreasing or maintaining nitrates? Something is clearly out of wack and I’m having some sort of bloom.

I should mention I’m using a skimmer but no fuge

I tried adding some reef roofs and feeding nori as those usually elevate phosphate and I’ll see what it tests this evening.

i suspect there is testing error going on to jump around like that.

 

[hotdrop]

i suspect there is testing error going on to jump around like that.

Perhaps, after the Nori I was back to .12 and now 8 nitrate. 12 hrs later I’m down to .08. Dropping a lot faster than I like but at least the number are near enough to each other

 

[Semisonyx]

What’s the rest of your system like? That’s quite a lot of PO4 to consume so quickly. What kind of test kit are you using? Seems like the problem may be an erroneous result.

 

[hotdrop]

Small system 35 gal very few corals. Using Hannah tester and yes I agree its moving around a lot faster than I like. I’m thinking possibly some sort of Dino bloom effect or side effect of my poor blastose dieing off. I noticed my new acros got whiter tips than either growing or dieing, I’ll find out In the next few days.

 

[neiltus]

what are the rest of the parameters? You run the Hanna on standards?

 

[hotdrop]

No standards on Hannah but another 12 hrs down to .03 phosphate. Alk consumption has remained steady so far salinity is steady. Very wierd something must be growing and using up all those nutrients but not sure what. Dinos haven’t done that to me in the past.

I’m starting to think that having the dyeing blastose is working equivalent to carbon dosing and it’s causing my nutrients to crash.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Lots of the phosphate added will be binding to rock and sand.

 

[hotdrop]

Lots of the phosphate added will be binding to rock and sand.

Isnt that mostly a new tank thing? This thank has been running for about 16months.

whatever was happier seems to have stabilized now. Just kind of wierd

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Isnt that mostly a new tank thing? This thank has been running for about 16months.

whatever was happier seems to have stabilized now. Just kind of wierd

It happens any time phosphate is trying to rise (or fall).