Phosphate dosing questions

[North Borders]

Hey folks! My phosphate is consistently non-detectable, and I'm starting to wonder if it's worth dosing a little bit to bring it up? I've seen a couple people in here mention that they use Seachem Phos. Is that an OK product to use?

I feed my corals once a day or so. For livestock I've got 2 cleaner shrimp, a clown goby and a smaller clownfish. I'll be adding a tailspot blenny and rather large firefish in a few weeks, but my overall food demand is kind of low.

My params:
Tank size: 28 gallons
Calcium: 430
Alk: 7.7 dKh
Mag: 1350
Nitrate: (was 0.25...dosed nitrate yesterday to get it up to 2 ppm)
Phos: 0 on a ULR Hanna (it's been probably 4 weeks since I've had a reading on phosphate and at that time it was 15 ppb (0.015ppm)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How are you exporting nutrients?

 

[GainesvilleReef]

Remember the accuracy of your Hanna ULR is 5 ppb phosphorus or 15 ppb phosphate. But if your nitrates are that low as well, I would just feed a little bit more. Your critters will be happier.

 

[North Borders]

Hey guys! Thanks for the replies! Randy, I currently have a fairly oversized skimmer (Reef-Octo 110SSS in the sump) and I do 3 gallon water changes once per week (roughly 12%).

 

[North Borders]

Remember the accuracy of your Hanna ULR is 5 ppb phosphorus or 15 ppb phosphate. But if your nitrates are that low as well, I would just feed a little bit more. Your critters will be happier.

Ohh...I didn't know the resolution was that wide of a range. Maybe I've got some phosphate hanging around after all, just sitting under the resolution line.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd certainly fine to dose some phosphate and watch to see if it helps or hurts.

 

[North Borders]

I'd certainly fine to dose some phosphate and watch to see if it helps or hurts.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of info on phosphate dosing...Have you seen people using a particular product? Like Seachem Phos? I don't plan on dosing very much. Just small amounts.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There are several threads in this forum.

You can just use this or any food grade trisodium phosphate:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/111968575417?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

Or Brightwell Neophos.

 

[yajur]

There are several threads in this forum.

You can just use this or any food grade trisodium phosphate:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/111968575417?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

Or Brightwell Neophos.

can we use kh2po4 randy to increase the po4 ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes, if it is adequately pure.

 

[North Borders]

Thanks again for all the replies everyone! I went on a mini vacation this last weekend and set up my Apex to turn my skimmer off for a few hours each day and when I came back I had phosphate of 14ppb on my Hanna checker I might just stick with that for now and see what skimmer experimenting gets me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sounds fine.

Happy Reefing.