Phosphate issues

[Tailfisher]

Hello All, I am at a lost and can't seem to get phosphate level stabilized. Yesterday when I checked level it was at .03 and today it was back up to .11 . I am using Hanna checker to test. The only thing I have done in between test was last night I mixed up 1/8 tsp of reef roids to feed ricordia and zoanthids and palys. Tank is 20 gallon frag tank only . All other parameters are with in acceptable levels so I am not sure what to do as some polyps look great and other are closed. Any help will be greatly appreciated as this is becoming a Love/Hate relationship. Thanks CJ

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Did you test at the same time of day? .11 ppm isn’t bad and shouldn’t cause issues to your corals .

 

[ScottB]

Wear nitrile gloves, and keep a fresh clean towel to wipe down the cuvettes. Always rinse both with RO after use.

The slightest, tiniest smudge, fingerprint, anything will throw off the spectrometer when it tests the control cuvette or the reagent cuvette.

Also, yeah, if there is debris in the water it will throw things off.

 

[Waters]

As stated.....the Hanna test can give different results back to back (I have tested it). I would take the average of the two readings lol.

 

[SeaDweller]

0.11 is hardly an issue, and feeding reef roids is May be what’s causing your “spike”. I wouldn’t worry about it and wouldn’t focus on it always being low. Being low on NO3 and PO4 is NOT good.

 

[Tailfisher]

Thanks everyone for the replies

 

[SantaMonica]

Also, liquid food has lots of phosphate.

 

[ckalupa]

Reef roids spikes pho’s short term for me every time.

 

[SantaMonica]

Of course, it not a bad thing. If your export is strong enough then it's taken care of right away, and the animals get to have all the food.

 

[Sherman]

0.11 is acceptable value. No worry