0 phosphates = STN? It does for me.

[xenon]

From my experience, GFO or GFH is way too effective. When my system reaches 0 phosphates using a Hanna Phosphate Checker, my SPS corals begin to STN.

I only run my reactor for 12hrs every 3 days with 30ml of Fauna Marin UltraPhos GFH (granulated ferric-hydroxide) media for my 150g system.

The recommeded level is insane and almost wiped out my entire tank.

I strive for perfect water quality and I can get zero P04 no problem but it always goes bad for me.

Am I doing something wrong or do your corals also like a little P04 in your water column?

 

[Acronic]

Ive personaly had bad results with a po4 under 0.016ppm on Hanna low range. I think 0.03 is a better po4 goal.

 

[Ostentum]

Sps need a little phos. Like above my sps looked the best at .03-.04 phos. They tend to grow faster and color becomes richer. Every time I have used Gfo I have seen Stn in a piece of sps. Hince why I don't use it anymore. Not saying its the cause of Stn it's just a trend I see in my aquarium every time that I have used it. This is just my experience over the past few years

 

[tmz]

I run mine around .03ppm with a touch of NO3 too, ie around 0.2ppm.

 

[karsseboom]

Soooo many people run 0.0 po4 and have amazing results. Infact probably more people run nice Sps tanks with 0.0 then with detectable levels. It's the rapid change in p04 that will cause trouble.

 

[xenon]

Soooo many people run 0.0 po4 and have amazing results. Infact probably more people run nice Sps tanks with 0.0 then with detectable levels. It's the rapid change in p04 that will cause trouble.

They may think they have zero P04 but I bet they use standard test kits that can't read the low range.

I am just sharing my experience with GFO/GFH.

 

[xenon]

Sps need a little phos. Like above my sps looked the best at .03-.04 phos. They tend to grow faster and color becomes richer. Every time I have used Gfo I have seen Stn in a piece of sps. Hince why I don't use it anymore. Not saying its the cause of Stn it's just a trend I see in my aquarium every time that I have used it. This is just my experience over the past few years

What method are you using now?

VSV?

 

[Allmost]

po4 is life.[or everything living has po4] without it, our tanks would be dead water.

secondly, everything done gradually, will work ... I have had my Pottasium up at 700 PPM. according to all chemists and SPS gurus, thats not possible ! SPS would die ... welll not if done gradually same goes for reducing nutritions. drop too much po4 remover, andit will simply remove the tissue of corals ! but do it correctly and eventually, and you will get a ULNS tank check out Zeo tanks. ...

nothing is done/can be done overnight.

 

[jackson6745]

They may think they have zero P04 but I bet they use standard test kits that can't read the low range.

I am just sharing my experience with GFO/GFH.

Yes. Conventional testkits are useless at low range.

 

[xenon]

po4 is life.[or everything living has po4] without it, our tanks would be dead water.

secondly, everything done gradually, will work ... I have had my Pottasium up at 700 PPM. according to all chemists and SPS gurus, thats not possible ! SPS would die ... welll not if done gradually same goes for reducing nutritions. drop too much po4 remover, andit will simply remove the tissue of corals ! but do it correctly and eventually, and you will get a ULNS tank check out Zeo tanks. ...

nothing is done/can be done overnight.

Are you saying that zero PO4 is possible if done VERY slowly?

If so that contradicts your statement of "without PO4 our tanks would be dead water."

 

[Allmost]

Are you saying that zero PO4 is possible if done VERY slowly?

If so that contradicts your statement of "without PO4 our tanks would be dead water."

Yes and you need to think a bit, then you get it....

po4 = 0 PPM = dead tank.

po4 going towards zero and undetectable is not NO po4.


science cant be spoon fed ... gotta think and take things into consideration to understand. ...

 

[Allmost]

They may think they have zero P04 but I bet they use standard test kits that can't read the low range.

I am just sharing my experience with GFO/GFH.

even low range hanna po4 meter has 0.03 error

 

[shred5]

Soooo many people run 0.0 po4 and have amazing results. Infact probably more people run nice Sps tanks with 0.0 then with detectable levels. It's the rapid change in p04 that will cause trouble.

While I agree with rapid change is the real problem most of the time I don't believe in 0 phosphates. Hobby test kits are not good enough and most don't read low enough to even see 0 phosphates. Most of the time too if it shows close to zero it because the phosphorus is just being used up. Also test kits only measure ortho phosphate.

All life ceases to live without phosphate. Life needs a carbon source, a nitrogen source and phosphate even humans. Some require hydrogen and oxygen also. Coral can produce some phosphorus in its waist.

 

[karsseboom]

When I say 0 po4, I mean unDetectable.

 

[karsseboom]

They may think they have zero P04 but I bet they use standard test kits that can't read the low range.

I am just sharing my experience with GFO/GFH.

This would be on the Hanna meter. Yes it is still not the most accurate but it gives a good idea and seems to be the standard with reefs these days.

 

[a.browning]

I run GFO on my system and always have. I have never experienced RTN/STN issues when using/changing the media but I hear a lot of stories. I do feed heavily if that makes a difference, mostly in order to keep a low level of nitrate. I certainly agree that colors look better when you keep nutrients a little above undetectable, especially with nitrates. I like to have about .03ppm phosphate and anything up to 1ppm nitrate.

 

[sponger0]

id say if you have undetectable PO4 and sps are RTN'ing, you are starving your system.

You do need phosphate in your tank. Having zero IMO is undesirable. Im happy to see .03-.06 on my hanna checker.

With having an SPS system the focus is keeping the nutrients low. But alot of people are keeping it too low and the system is dying for food.

 

[shred5]

One of the things about gfo is it is loaded with iron because that is pretty much is what it is (rust). One idea or theory behind the bleaching is the added iron in the water actually accelerates the algae growth (zooxanthellae) in the coral.. This cause allot more oxygen to be produced cause the coral to expel the zooxanthellae.

 

[shred5]

id say if you have undetectable PO4 and sps are RTN'ing, you are starving your system.

You do need phosphate in your tank. Having zero IMO is undesirable. Im happy to see .03-.06 on my hanna checker.

With having an SPS system the focus is keeping the nutrients low. But alot of people are keeping it too low and the system is dying for food.

It is not so much the low phosphates it actually starving the coral to get that low. The corals if fed will produce waist that feeds the zooxanthellae.

Basically to get that low someone would really have to be starving their tank. I think it is very possible especially with these over sized skimmers and how efficient some are today..

I think some people have gone to far nowadays. also the reason I think some people have too add so many additives like amino acids. They have stripped their water of all nutrients.

 

[sponger0]

It is not so much the low phosphates it actually starving the coral to get that low. The corals if fed will produce waist that feeds the zooxanthellae.

Basically to get that low someone would really have to be starving their tank. I think it is very possible especially with these over sized skimmers and how efficient some are today..

I think some people have gone to far nowadays. also the reason I think some people have too add so many additives like amino acids. They have stripped their water of all nutrients.

Thats what I said lol