Nitrates/phosphates

[ReefAddict0814]

Nitrates at 10ppm while phosphates are at 0.25 and ph stuck at 7.8 I have soft corals which tend to prefer higher nitrates and they’re doing well- but what’s the issue with my phosphates and how can I lower them a tad ? Or should I ?

 

[bushdoc]

Ways to lower phosphates:
Decrease feeding amount and frequency, switch to frozen food and rinse your food before feeding.
Refugium with macro algae or algae scrubber.
Good skimmer, empty/clean filter socks more frequently.
Chemical methods: RowaPhos or regular GFO in a media reactor.
I would start with feeding adjustment and then maybe RowaPhos in a media bag.

 

[Pistondog]

0.25 not bad. Refugium preferred.

 

[SaranWrap]

To avoid nuisance algae and cyano (don't know of it is your goal by reducing phosphate), you can try to get a 100:1 nitrate/phosphate ratio. So in your case l, if you want to run at 10ppm nitrate, I would run my phosphate at 0.1 ppm. I use rowa when I want to reduce phosphate as micro algae reactor/refugium will take both nitrate and phosphate. Hope it helps !

 

[Gatorpa]

You can also run GFO in a media bag
check the level every few days to make sure it doesn’t drop too much.

 

[ZoWhat]

You should watch this video

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Chasing numbers will only lead to frustration.

 

[LordofCinder]

.25 phosphate sounds like an API test result. Are you using API, or a good accurate test kit?

 

[ReefAddict0814]

Sorry for the slow reply folks . Have had a lot going on the past week. Appreciate the responses . Helped a lot

 

[ReefAddict0814]

.25 phosphate sounds like an API test result. Are you using API, or a good accurate test kit?

Haha good guess . I have other tests just happened to be out on the phosphates . I’m guessing it was Just a crap result due to api ?

 

[LordofCinder]

Haha good guess . I have other tests just happened to be out on the phosphates . I’m guessing it was Just a crap result due to api ?

Most keep the phosphate level at .1 or lower. But if you notice the API phosphate test measures zero, then the next measurement is .25, in other words, your phosphate level is somewhere between zero and .25, but you need a better test kit to know exactly.

 

[Dave1993]

If everything is doing good why fix it leave it alone lol my phosphates and nitrates are high but my torch is thriving so why fix something that's not broke