Phosphate removal by chaeto and bacteria

[LadyTang2]

A couple questions after reading randys phos article

1. Do corals use both organic and inorganic phos, which more?

2. Does chaeto remove mostly organic phosphate or inorganic and does it remove any of the other?

3. Does bacteria fueled by cabon dosing remove mostly organic or inorganic, and again is it one or the other or a little of both.

A guess at ratios would be cool! Thanks!

 

[Dan_P]

A couple questions after reading randys phos article

1. Do corals use both organic and inorganic phos, which more?

2. Does chaeto remove mostly organic phosphate or inorganic and does it remove any of the other?

3. Does bacteria fueled by cabon dosing remove mostly organic or inorganic, and again is it one or the other or a little of both.

A guess at ratios would be cool! Thanks!

Those questions are doozies.

I am not sure how much organic phosphorous exists in an aquarium. PO4 is typically our concern. In principle, the difference between an ICP measurement of total phosphorous and our measurement of PO4 would be an indication of the amounts of other phosphorous containing componds. Unfortunately, ICP measurement of total phosphorous might not be reliable enough.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Think of organic phosphate like food. Corals may eat some types and a small number of organic chemicals may get used as is, and others will get metabolized to phosphate before use. Many organic phosphate compounds will likely not get taken up by corals.

Macroalgae will primarily, if not exclusively, use inorganic phosphate.

Bacteria will use both.

 

[LadyTang2]

Thanks Randy, about phosphate...

All organic phos eventually turns into inorganic in reed tanks, but any idea on the rate / how long that takes usually? hours days weeks?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Randy, about phosphate...

All organic phos eventually turns into inorganic in reed tanks, but any idea on the rate / how long that takes usually? hours days weeks?

Some molecules are readily used (like a phospholipid), and some will be very resistant to metabolism, so there is no easy answer.

In general, I do not think most folks need to think much about organic phosphate.

 

[Backreefing]

Adding to this discussion ( yes it’s months old ) .
But would a aquarium without a protein skimmer Have a typically larger amount of organic phosphate ? I’ve been concerned about it lately.

 

[LadyTang2]

Adding to this discussion ( yes it’s months old ) .
But would a aquarium without a protein skimmer Have a typically larger amount of organic phosphate ? I’ve been concerned about it lately.

Yes it would, skimming reduces organic phos preventing it from later becoming inorganic phos.

 

[Backreefing]

I’m thinking about if not skimming is making a significant amount of organic phosphate. Dispite this my no skimmer aquarium always has very low phosphate ( that I can measure)

 

[YankeeTankee]

I’m thinking about if not skimming is making a significant amount of organic phosphate. Dispite this my no skimmer aquarium always has very low phosphate ( that I can measure)

Test kits only show inorganic phosphate, not organic.

ICP will show both, and I believe the organic shows as P.