zero phosphate (need advice)

[ctsps]

Ok so this is starting to bother me about a month ago i disconneted my biopellet reactor from zero phos and nitrate,initially phos went up to .9 or so i used a little gfo to get it stable,dose bacteria to get my rockwork going strong and now for 2 weeks skimmerless 0 phos on hanna meter (not the low) feed heavy twice a day,should i dose phos or let it go.Sps dominant tank,10 fish nitrate 2ppm alk7.8 cal 440 mag 1400 everything looks great,not sure what to do??

 

[Robthorn]

Enjoy your tank is what you do. If the corals look ok you are fine. No need to gt caught up in hype just because you read it on the internet.
Your Hanna can be of by like .03 or .05 or something like that.

 

[Jimbo662]

are you using high capacity GFO? also, phos could be so low it doesn't register on the hanna. you can test for phosphorus to see if anything is detectable.

 

[ctsps]

No gfo,no skimmer,my sump is 4x1x1 loaded with liverock,im assuming pulling out all the po4 with bacter7 dosing,i have 2 sumps,water comes into foam block/carbon chamber into skimmer section (off) both outlets go to liverock chamber before returning to tank,lots of rock

 

[Jimbo662]

i'd guess the dosing along with a lot of rock is doing it.

 

[rovster]

If the parameters are stable and tank looks good let it be like said above. Only time to ever do anything is if parameters are actively shifting or corals look stressed, even then it's arguable how much you should actually do as doing anything usually results in some form of stress.....

 

[ctsps]

I guess,i get all crazy with 0 po4,im sure the bacteria dosing is doing it.I guess im just baffled running skimmerless, seems wrong,i have tested after feeding and food imports about 2ppm phos 2x a day so system is eating 4+ppm per day

 

[ctsps]

Anyone have adverse effects of 0 phos, likely not really 0 though, Just orders low range phosphorus hanna meter

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I guess im just baffled running skimmerless, seems wrong

Hahahaha. Welcome to the dark side.

 

[rovster]

I guess,i get all crazy with 0 po4,im sure the bacteria dosing is doing it.I guess im just baffled running skimmerless, seems wrong,i have tested after feeding and food imports about 2ppm phos 2x a day so system is eating 4+ppm per day

You'd be surprised how efficient a mature system can be about processing nutrients. It's not just the rock, it's the rock, sponges, corals, sand, microfauna, etc that all play a role in turning things over.

 

[ctsps]

Agreed,incredible to not have a skimmer online

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Wait til you get your uln checker before you make any decisions. Likley it will read some available nutrients. Are you seeing problems with your corals or just not wanting the 0 number because these days everyone says seeing a 0 on a nutrient test is a bad thing?

 

[ctsps]

Acros look great,i feed lrs reef food twice a day,yes the 0 is eating at me,should have tester wed,i will update

 

[Donovan Joannes]

You'd be surprised how efficient a mature system can be about processing nutrients. It's not just the rock, it's the rock, sponges, corals, sand, microfauna, etc that all play a role in turning things over.

Couldn't agree more. Once bacteria settled with enough denitrification zones in live rocks etc, nutrient processing works like a champ. As long as the in/out are balance, these process continues without intervention and make our system much stable.

 

[favites]

Does you tank have algae of any sort? If it does, you can feel comfortable that you have enough phosphates to feed your sps despite a 'zero' reading on your phosphate test. The algae is more efficient in uptake thank your test kit is in measuring it! Currently, my reading is also 'zero' but I have some small areas of red slime and hair algae present that reassure me of the latter. When my tank was not as mature and less efficient in processing PO4, (or I overfed) I found I had rising levels of po4 with either excess algae or none at all and had to use pop removing media briefly. the color saturation of your sps will help guide you...

 

[ctsps]

Inhave some brown wispy algae and sandbed has a little cyano,im sure its not a true zero but its weird seeing a 0 reading

 

[nelson.jdautobody]

0 phos makes my mushrooms want to detach. It is wierd that u feed that much and have everything off and still can't get a reading on ur Hanna. Maybe try a different batch of reagent just for good.measure

 

[ctsps]

Getting a low phosphorus hanna,i had to dose 2ml of brightwell phos plus feeding to get .03

 

[ctsps]

Anyone have info on the wispy brown algae,cyano???,ticking me off,also lack of phos would make my acros pale???

 

[favites]

a picture of your tank would help with some close ups of any sps your having a lack of color with