Phosphate spike

[scubasteve020]

Had a random phosphate spike , phosphates were at a zero wanted to gradually bring phosphates up a little I Normally dose 3 to 3.5ml of nopox I only dosed 2ml today. I check my phosphate levels everyday when I checked today it was a .13 ppm all my corals still looked fine expect my Duncan has closed up and has been closed all day. I did an emergency water change of about 10% and added another ml of nopox. I have a 30 gallon tank with a large eshopss rs100 sump. Phosphates are doown to zero. How long could I expect the Duncan to be closed. When I got it 4months ago it had 3 heads now it has 11 so I don’t want to lose it

 

[Cory]

It may be that some corals can stop photosynthesis and close up when its had enough light. I wouldnt worry about it.

 

[scubasteve020]

It may be that some corals can stop photosynthesis and close up when its had enough light. I wouldnt worry about it.

I was just worried cause of the phosphate spike. Typically the Duncan closes at night time and opens when the lights are on. Hopefully tomorrow it goes back to its normal state.

 

[saltyhog]

I have a feeling that was a testing error issue. A 10% water change would not bring PO4 down to zero from 0.13. I don't think a PO4 that high is going to hurt anything really.

What are you using to check PO4? Hanna?

 

[Cory]

Probably the po4 bound to rock/sand. Thats why it reduced so quickly.

 

[scubasteve020]

I have a feeling that was a testing error issue. A 10% water change would not bring PO4 down to zero from 0.13. I don't think a PO4 that high is going to hurt anything really.

What are you using to check PO4? Hanna?

yes using the low phosphate Hannah checker. I’ll have to try to clean it tomorrow haven’t cleaned off the sensor yet since I got it a year ago so it’s prob due for it

 

[saltyhog]

I've had that happen a time or two over the last few years with mine. If I get a number that greatly varies from the last one I always recheck it. It's probably something I do wrong but I'm not positive of that. I was just thinking the 0.13 test could have been erroneous.