Phosphates non existent...

[Japtastic]

Thanks Lasse. So to put it in the most basic terms. When future Corals or Chaeto require Phosphate, it will be leached back out of the calcium carbonate surfaces as required?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Lasse. So to put it in the most basic terms. When future Corals or Chaeto require Phosphate, it will be leached back out of the calcium carbonate surfaces as required?

Think of the rock surfaces as a buffer that is in equilibrium with the amount of phosphate present in the water. The higher the concentration in the water, the more will bind.

So if you allow phosphate in the water to decline, some will come off the rock. if you add some to the water, some will go onto the rock.

In that sense, it is no different than if the effective water volume was far higher than the actual tank volume. Adding some phosphate to the water gives a lower than expected rise, and removing some phosphate from the water some gives a smaller than expected drop in concentration.

 

[Japtastic]

Thanks, Randy.

 

[jtl]

So what is the consensus on a good ratio or level of NO3 to PO4? Mine is currently 2 (Salifert)and 0.095 (Hanna ULR). My chaeto does not grow and I have a very small amount of hair algae on a few of my corals. For what ever reason the HA seems to only grow on my Birds Nest frag and a couple others.

I should add my tank is over a year old and I do 10% w/c's weekly. I have mostly lps and some sps about 60 large frags, very small colonies. I have yet to dose anything. My CA stays in the mid to high 400's and my ALK is steady at 9, Mg is 1500. I use IO salt mix with RODI.