Po4 remover. have we been doing it wrong?

[sixty_reefer]

Just a tough, I know we commonly use a lot of different media’s to remove po4, most of them iron and aluminium based leaching those elements into our reefs. that said wouldn’t be more safe for a reef to use a source of carbon and nitrogen to increase bacteria.
is anyone doing this and do you see any advantages to the most common methods?

 

[ScottR]

Just a tough, I know we commonly use a lot of different media’s to remove po4, most of them iron and aluminium based leaching those elements into our reefs. that said wouldn’t be more safe for a reef to use a source of carbon and nitrogen to increase bacteria.
is anyone doing this and do you see any advantages to the most common methods?

The great thing about phosphate reducing media is it strips the water quite fast while bacterial options aren’t always feasible and don’t work as fast, if at all in some situations.

 

[sixty_reefer]

The great thing about phosphate reducing media is it strips the water quite fast while bacterial options aren’t always feasible and don’t work as fast, if at all in some situations.

yeah that’s correct it does take time to get it balanced, I do see that most of us already use carbon to balance nitrates, it wouldn’t be too much to add nitrogen source to balance all 3 main ones. Or is mainly not done as it can be confusing for some.

 

[ScottR]

yeah that’s correct it does take time to get it balanced, I do see that most of us already use carbon to balance nitrates, it wouldn’t be too much to add nitrogen source to balance all 3 main ones. Or is mainly not done as it can be confusing for some.

Honestly I’m not completely sure about the role bacteria play in removing PO4. In fact, most of the bacteria we add to our tanks don’t even remove NO3. They’re nitrifying bacteria which helps the nitrogen cycle but they don’t remove nitrates as nitrogen gas from what I know. I am no expert but have always wondered this. I guess if there was a magic bacterial cure to removing PO4 and NO3 instantly, someone will be rich.