Phosphate question

JacksonReef · Jan 16, 2017

I have been using the API phosphate test kit it has been saying there is 0.25ppm in the water. But there is no algae anywhere to be seen it has been saying this for a week or two.

Reefing Madness · Jan 16, 2017

Give it time, and you'll be pulling your hair out. Also, API doesn't test well for phosphates.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 16, 2017

The api is pretty close to a some and none test. I have them too.
The presence is Po4 is NOT a guarantee you will have algae. It just means you have a higher level of a nutrient that both corals and algaes use. The only caution would be, that knowing you have that higher availability of Po4, def try to keep algaes out of the tank with proper dipping and cleaning of corals and rock. QT of corals would def be a good Idea to keep algae out.

JacksonReef · Jan 16, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
The api is pretty close to a some and none test. I have them too.
The presence is Po4 is NOT a guarantee you will have algae. It just means you have a higher level of a nutrient that both corals and algaes use. The only caution would be, that knowing you have that higher availability of Po4, def try to keep algaes out of the tank with proper dipping and cleaning of corals and rock. QT of corals would def be a good Idea to keep algae out.

Ok could that possibly be why my new gsp aren't opening?

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 16, 2017

JacksonReef said:
Ok could that possibly be why my new gsp aren't opening?

No I dont think so. I had difficulty with gsp in the early life of my current 55. I never figured out why really. All my tests came out fine, and actually nutrients were low.
Its possible there's a light problem, or alk problem. Many say gsp is a good indicator of water quality, but for the life of me I never did figure out what the quality problem was.
Is it a new tank?

JacksonReef · Jan 16, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
No I dont think so. I had difficulty with gsp in the early life of my current 55. I never figured out why really. All my tests came out fine, and actually nutrients were low.
Its possible there's a light problem, or alk problem. Many say gsp is a good indicator of water quality, but for the life of me I never did figure out what the quality problem was.
Is it a new tank?

Yes it is a new tank.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 16, 2017

How old? Are you on Rodi? Whats your light? And schedule

Vaughn17 · Jan 16, 2017

What is your nitrate level? IME, if your NO3 is lower than PO4, corals will not be happy.

JacksonReef · Jan 16, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
How old? Are you on Rodi? Whats your light? And schedule

3 Months yes I am on rodi the light came with my kit. Fluval evo 13.5 it says it is a 14k light.

JacksonReef · Jan 16, 2017

Vaughn17 said:
What is your nitrate level? IME, if your NO3 is lower than PO4, corals will not be happy.

I just did a nitrate test it Is showing 0 but my phosphates are still at 0.25ppm what should I do?

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 16, 2017

JacksonReef said:
3 Months yes I am on rodi the light came with my kit. Fluval evo 13.5 it says it is a 14k light.

how deep is the tank? Do you make the rodi?
Oddly enough I have the fluval light spec's open on my desk top right now. If its an api test, test again, if not 3 times. Yes I have api kits

. Fwiw i've had no prob in this last year with high nutrints affecting GSP.

JacksonReef · Jan 16, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
how deep is the tank? Do you make the rodi?
Oddly enough I have the fluval light spec's open on my desk top right now. If its an api test, test again, if not 3 times. Yes I have api kits. Fwiw i've had no prob in this last year with high nutrints affecting GSP.

The sand beds like 2 3 inches and I buy if from the lfs.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 16, 2017

JacksonReef said:
The sand beds like 2 3 inches and I buy if from the lfs.

On thing you should really do, IMO, is get an inexpensive tds meter. I have had major heartbreak because of my trusted LFS water. That in fact was possibly the the reason I lost my gsp some years ago. good & bad news, it grew back from basically a puddle.
How deep is the tank? is the Light at full?

Vaughn17 · Jan 16, 2017

JacksonReef said:
I just did a nitrate test it Is showing 0 but my phosphates are still at 0.25ppm what should I do?

I dose NO3 using food grade sodium nitrate I bought on Amazon. You can also dose nitrate using Spectracide stump killer (KNO3), too. I think I bought it at Lowes. There are several threads on R2R regarding nitrate dosing...sorry, have to go to work now.

Waterjockey · Jan 16, 2017

I had an api phosphate test kit that gave me .25 on *everything* I tested. Tank water, rodi water, tap water, pond water. Got a Hanna, and found out my phosphates were over 1.1

Still use api for nitrate and calcium, but never for phosphates again

Salty1962 · Jan 16, 2017

If your corals look good, I wouldn't worry about.

JacksonReef · Jan 18, 2017

Salty1962 said:
If your corals look good, I wouldn't worry about.

That's the thing tho what looks like green algae is starting to accumulate on the piece of coral.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 18, 2017

JacksonReef said:
That's the thing tho what looks like green algae is starting to accumulate on the piece of coral.

can we see a pic? depending on the algae the solution may be different. In some cases a tooth bush, some a turkey baster. Bryopsis should be taken out and cleaned.

JacksonReef · Jan 18, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
can we see a pic? depending on the algae the solution may be different. In some cases a tooth bush, some a turkey baster. Bryopsis should be taken out and cleaned.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 18, 2017

Yea that looks like ugly phase stuff on new rocks. I don't see it on the coral but...
on new rocks there's a couple possible things, silicate leaching out, and those are diatoms, as the easily dissolved silicate is consumed the diatoms fade. If its an algae feeding on Po4 bond to the rock its possible the same will happen, but generally you'll get cyano first. So if it blows or siphons off Id do it esp at WC time.
The ugly phase is caused by the silicate as stated above, and the the inability of the bio filter to process no3 and Po4 as larger colonies of good bacteria are not yet established. So other algaes cyano etc will take its place and consume it. So on thing to consider is bolstering the biofilter with a bottled bacteria like Prime, stability, Mb7, and Probidio etc. carbon dosing would do similar but the No3 is already pretty low.
This is also why its said young systems are not as stable. this is seen in usually higher nutrient numbers.
Def retest the Po4, maybe get a second opinion from a LFS with a different kit if its available. It is possible on of the rocks is leachin Po4 back into the system. no big deal, you can bolster the bio filter, and or use a little GFO to pull the Po off of the rocks. Poly pad, a bag of gfo int a decent flow area. I add GFO very slowly, as it strips the water fairly quickly and can effect corals.
Overall , nothing in that picture concerns me.

Keep in mind higher Po is feared because it increases the chances of fueling problem algae IF it is introduced to the system, and some corals don't like it and me effect overall health.
Heres a good thread with some stupid high Phosphate facts. The beautiful tank at the bottom had a Po4 of 3.0 not .30 btw.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/sps-high-nutrients-myth.283442/page-9#post-3460431