Correct phosphate/nitrate parameters for lps/soft?

[AndrewBrusca]

Hi!

I understand this topic overlaps with some other threads. But i keep seeing varying answers. And when I google the question, I most often see direction to have 0 phosphates or sub .03 which is not correct.

My phosphates recently got low and as I raise it up, I want to ensure the correct range.

As of today’s testing my phosphates are at .03 per hanna checker and nitrates are at 5.

I typically run my tank around .07-.09 phosphates. But digging into the topic further ive discovered i may want even higher phosphates..

i have torches, zoas, acans, lps, softies.

What is the best phosphate range? Should I be aiming for a ratio from phosphates to nitrates?

Thanks for any help!

 

[mjw011689]

The correct answer (or at least the commonly accepted answer) is it should be between 0.01 and 0.03, but never let it hit zero. To me this is more from an algae management standpoint though. If phosphate bottoms out, you may end up with dinos, not to mention your corals need phosphate too.

I recently battled dinos because of zero phosphate, and found that once I finally started getting a phosphate reading and my dinos went away, my torches and other euphyllia started growing pretty rapidly. I was sitting in the 0.02-0.04 range, but it’s actually climbed up a bit recently I to the .07-.09 range, and to be honest, I feel like they’re growing even faster, but I also have a lot of euphyllia and it’s only a 40 gallon tank.

I think the correct answer would be “it depends how many corals you have that require it”. I’m seeing better results with the slightly higher reading, but maybe that’s because I have so many things trying to suck up phosphate.

I should add, nitrates are between 15-30 usually, and I use Hanna checkers.

 

[jda]

Ratio does not matter.

Have some, but not too many. Where you are at with no3 and po4 is fine. I don't see any reason to have phosphates above .09, or so.

Eventually, when you are more in tune with your tank and stuff, you can fine tune. no3 and po4 residual levels do not matter much, but nobody can test for the other forms that matter more, so it takes some knowledge and experience with your tank, which you can gain over time. The readings on the test kits just show the end product and not the in between where the important stuff works. Often when people have higher residual readings, they don't correlate that it was actually more of the stuff in the middle that made the improvement and that the rising no3 and po4 test levels are just a byproduct and not the juice.

 

[bushdoc]

Phosphates at or close to 0 are asking for Dinos outbreak.
Many reefers aims at phosphates below 0.1 ppm and believe that above that you have a higher risk of excessive GHA growth, but many have higher levels without untoward effect.
I would not necessarily be too preoccupied with maintaining specific Nitrate to Phosphates ratio as long as both are above zero.

 

[aSaltyKlown]

I try to keep po4 under .1 and no3 in the 10-20 range.

 

[AndrewBrusca]

If the target phosphate range is .01-.03 and a 0 reading is a pretty bad thing. And hanna checkers sometimes have a false reading range if like .04. Isnt it safest to keep phosphates up around .07-.08?

 

[bushdoc]

If the target phosphate range is .01-.03 and a 0 reading is a pretty bad thing. And hanna checkers sometimes have a false reading range if like .04. Isnt it safest to keep phosphates up around .07-.08?

If you want to be more precise and accurate get Hanna Phosphorus checker or Hanna ULR Phosphate checker. I keep mine( or it stays there) at about 0.06 ppm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the target phosphate range is .01-.03 and a 0 reading is a pretty bad thing. And hanna checkers sometimes have a false reading range if like .04. Isnt it safest to keep phosphates up around .07-.08?

I recommend 0.03 to 0.1 ppm phosphate. If it makes you more comfortable to keep it at the higher end, or even slightly higher, do so.

 

[14 foot reef]

Let the games begin....HeHe

 

[Dburr1014]

IMO, 0.03 po4 should be your very bottom number. I'm my system, if I get to 0.05, dose a tad or feed more.
I do agree that ratio is not of importance. NO3 can be anywhere from 20ppm down to 0.01. It matters less than po4.

 

[AndrewBrusca]

okay so i’m gonna generally aim for phosphates at .05-.09.

in terms if nitrates i’m currently at 5 and was under the impression 5-10 was a good nitrates range. Is that correct or would my coral be better off from 10-20 nitrates?

 

[fish farmer]

If the target phosphate range is .01-.03 and a 0 reading is a pretty bad thing. And hanna checkers sometimes have a false reading range if like .04. Isnt it safest to keep phosphates up around .07-.08?

I have the old Hanna LR, so I usually see a zero, but based on my feeding and algae growth, I bet it is higher. Nitrates range 2 ppm to 20 ppm, depending on feeding.

I have good softie and LPS growth wherever the tests land, but did have some coral die off when my nutes were undetectable BUT there may have been some other chemistry issues at the time.

 

[AndrewBrusca]

I’m planning on feeding reef roids daily and testing the next day until my phosphates increase a bit. I typically feed benereef, so hopefully this will increase phosphates well

 

[Dburr1014]

okay so i’m gonna generally aim for phosphates at .05-.09.

in terms if nitrates i’m currently at 5 and was under the impression 5-10 was a good nitrates range. Is that correct or would my coral be better off from 10-20 nitrates?

Well, coral prefer ammonium. Nitrates is what we test for.
Feed the fish more and just make sure you have a reading for nitrates. Don't worry so much on the number it is, just that you have a number.

 

[Dburr1014]

I’m planning on feeding reef roids daily and testing the next day until my phosphates increase a bit. I typically feed benereef, so hopefully this will increase phosphates well

Reef roids will increase po4

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

okay so i’m gonna generally aim for phosphates at .05-.09.

in terms if nitrates i’m currently at 5 and was under the impression 5-10 was a good nitrates range. Is that correct or would my coral be better off from 10-20 nitrates?

I recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate, with above that range better than below that range.

 

[shadyraro]

My phosphates in my LPS softie tank range between 0.4 - 0.5, my corals are doing good and I don’t have any algae issues.
When my phosphates were around 0.1 my corals didn’t open up as much so I now keep my water dirtier.