phosphate questions…help and imput

Amadod2 · #1 02-06-2014, 04:16 PM

so i checked my phosphates today with my hanna checker and it read 0.15, im trying to get in lower, and just did a water change a week ago, i run a 75g tank with carbon and rowaphos which hasnt been changed in two months.

my question is what is the idea phosphate level and what is the max phosphate level a reef tank can do without seeing coral loss in growth and colour.

also does rowaphos leek back into the system??

LoJack · #2 02-06-2014, 04:29 PM

Depending on the model of Hanna Checker you have, read the instruction manual. Some of them you are supposed to divide your digital output by 3 to get your actual reading. If this is the case with yours, your phosphates are truly only .05 which actually is pretty good.

I find that if your phosphates are too low, corals pale a bit, anything over .05 to .07 and you start to see algae show up.

Amadod2 · #3 02-06-2014, 04:35 PM

i dont see anywhere on the instructions about dividing the number by three?? my hanna checker is a HI 713 Phosphate low range?? also currently i have no algee

monocus · #4 02-06-2014, 04:49 PM

rowaphos will keep it stable.use precision solutions phosphate solution to get it down

Reef Pilot · #5 02-06-2014, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadod2

i dont see anywhere on the instructions about dividing the number by three?? my hanna checker is a HI 713 Phosphate low range?? also currently i have no algee

I have that Hanna checker, and the readout is the correct ppm for P04. Just make sure you follow all the directions incl pressing and holding the button after add C2, until the 3 min counter shows.

I don't like my P04 above 0.10 for SPS. Zero or near zero is best. I use GFO to keep my phosphates low. If you have high phosphates, >1.0, and difficulty getting it down with just GFO, then use Foz Down to bring it down (again follow directions exactly). Then maintain with GFO.

Amadod2 · #6 02-06-2014, 06:00 PM

im just worried that if a use a quick fix product that my coral might get affected… is foz down easy to use?

Reef Pilot · #7 02-06-2014, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadod2

im just worried that if a use a quick fix product that my coral might get affected… is foz down easy to use?

Yeah, real easy. The instructions tell you exactly how much to use per vol to reduce the P04 to the desired level. Worked great for me. I used it for about a month or so until my P04 stopped leaching from the rock and sand, and would stay down. After that, GFO would maintain it, and didn't have to use it again. But it definitely works, if all else fails. I had really high phosphates in one tank, which is why I resorted to that.

Having said that, you P04 is not really high at .15. But if you can't get it down any further with rowaphos, you might want to try the Foz Down (from Tim in Chilliwack). I have never used rowaphos myself, so can't say how effective it is compared to just straight GFO in a reactor. Maybe you need to change it more often, or stir it up between changes.

As for your corals, some SPS are fine with .15 ppm, but others are not, for sure. But I think they will all benefit from lower P04. My SPS, and tank looked best when it was zero or near zero.