Phosphate

[Marine_Newbie]

What is an acceptable level of phospate? My test kit arrived and my tank tested at .2 mg/l (.2 ppm). This is the lowest reading you can get, and still get a reading on the low range.

The test kit does not indicate what an acceptable range, and google results come back with .1 ppm being the highest you want, with .05 being the target level. Can you achieve this? Do you constantly run a phosphate sponge?

 

[minireefer]

My seachem test measures down to .05.What type of test brand are you using.
At that level you will get more algae blooms.Phosphate sponge(kent) does not work as well as phosban.You can get a reactor to increase the efficiency of the product. Have a look at this tread(topic) https://www.livingreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113

 

[Marine_Newbie]

Test Kit

SeaTest, Reef Test Kit, by Aquarium Systems. Guess it is time to get a new test kit.

 

[Apestyler]

Just checked my test kit its in different units but it does advise of what it should be under.

Test Kit: Nutrafin PO4
Range: 0 - 5.0 mg/l
Ideal : 0 - 1 mg/l of PO4

As I said above it is in different units but you might be able to convert to compare

 

[minireefer]

Aquarium Systems test expire very quickly they usually have date code on the bottom of the bottle

 

[Marine_Newbie]

Thanks

Thanks to both Sam and Jasen for the info. New test kit is on order.

 

[albertthiel]

What is an acceptable level of phospate? My test kit arrived and my tank tested at .2 mg/l (.2 ppm). This is the lowest reading you can get, and still get a reading on the low range.

The test kit does not indicate what an acceptable range, and google results come back with .1 ppm being the highest you want, with .05 being the target level. Can you achieve this? Do you constantly run a phosphate sponge?

Salifert low range test kits and the level you get should be 0.003 ppm or lower meaning on that test kit it will shoe zero. If your PO4 is too high, run GFO or Aluminum oxide to reduce it to non detectable levels
FWIW

 

[sen5241b]

According to Dr Shimek, a reef keeper and a marine biologist specializing in inverts, phosphates at 0.25 ppm will start making some corals sick. Let your LFS do a low range test.

 

[BL1]

You guys are answering questions asked almost 7 yrs ago

 

[albertthiel]

According to Dr Shimek, a reef keeper and a marine biologist specializing in inverts, phosphates at 0.25 ppm will start making some corals sick. Let your LFS do a low range test.

Not sure what year that article is from but the recommended level with a low range test is 0.00 ppm and if you use a Salifert test below 0.03 ppm will show as 0.00 ppm but that does not mean that there is no phosphate it is just that is is so low that your test cannot detect it and that is good. You want it really low.

 

[sen5241b]

Not sure what year that article is from but the recommended level with a low range test is 0.00 ppm and if you use a Salifert test below 0.03 ppm will show as 0.00 ppm but that does not mean that there is no phosphate it is just that is is so low that your test cannot detect it and that is good. You want it really low.

The information I gave "0.25" ppm is not outdated. It is from Dr Shimek's book not an article. I think you are going by what the lousy chemical test-tube tests are giving you. I haven't bothered with any of the test-tube phosphate tests in years as I believe they are a waste of time. My stonies tell me if and when phosphates are rising! As a matter of fact, phosphates will never fall to zero in your tank, rather they will fall too low for most tests to detect.

Corals cannot live without phosphates but they only need them in ppb to nourish the zooxanthellae. Some people have throttled their phosphate reactors so high that there was not enough phosphate left even in ppb for the corals. The only good way to measure phosphates is with one of these and it should register zero.

 

[albertthiel]

The information I gave "0.25" ppm is not outdated. It is from Dr Shimek's book not an article. I think you are going by what the lousy chemical test-tube tests are giving you. I haven't bothered with any of the test-tube phosphate tests in years as I believe they are a waste of time. My stonies tell me if and when phosphates are rising! As a matter of fact, phosphates will never fall to zero in your tank, rather they will fall too low for most tests to detect.

Corals cannot live without phosphates but they only need them in ppb to nourish the zooxanthellae. Some people have throttled their phosphate reactors so high that there was not enough phosphate left even in ppb for the corals. The only good way to measure phosphates is with one of these and it should register zero.

And yes that is exactly what I said ... even if your test reads zero, there still is PO4 in the tan (inorganic) and your test does not measure organic phosphate that is also in the tank. Not even the colorimeter you use.

And of course all life forms including ourselves need P or we would not "live"