Can't get phosphates up

[ReefTron5000]

I've posted before about my trouble with coral coloration. All my parameters are in check and stable yet I feel my SPS colors aren't where they should be. I picked up a few pieces from ycnibrc and while three of them are doing okay, a couple have definitely lost some color. I would name them but I'm terrible at remembering whats what.

Anyhow, I've always thought my really low nutrients were the culprit. I initially had 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates but I've been dosing calcium nitrate for a while now and I can keep nitrates at around 5 ppm. My phosphate however just will not budge from 0. I have tried:

- skimmer on a schedule/no skimmer
- feeding a ton
- i have 10 fish
- additives (brightwell microbacter7 and neophos)

The last one really screwed me over. Neophos kicked started a gnarly algae outbreak that took about 3 months to get under control. I think it also kicked up a case of dinos that I had knocked out. So I think I'm done with additives.

At this point phosphates are still 0. I'm testing with the Elos high resolution kit and basically I always get 0, maaaaaaybe .008. I'm not exactly sure what to try to get my phosphates up. Any recommendations?

 

[CRookSkee]

I would get a hanna checker to test phosphates. The phosphorus one that measures in ppb will yield a way more accurate test result.

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[hersheyb]

I've posted before about my trouble with coral coloration. All my parameters are in check and stable yet I feel my SPS colors aren't where they should be. I picked up a few pieces from ycnibrc and while three of them are doing okay, a couple have definitely lost some color. I would name them but I'm terrible at remembering whats what.

Anyhow, I've always thought my really low nutrients were the culprit. I initially had 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates but I've been dosing calcium nitrate for a while now and I can keep nitrates at around 5 ppm. My phosphate however just will not budge from 0. I have tried:

- skimmer on a schedule/no skimmer
- feeding a ton
- i have 10 fish
- additives (brightwell microbacter7 and neophos)

The last one really screwed me over. Neophos kicked started a gnarly algae outbreak that took about 3 months to get under control. I think it also kicked up a case of dinos that I had knocked out. So I think I'm done with additives.

At this point phosphates are still 0. I'm testing with the Elos high resolution kit and basically I always get 0, maaaaaaybe .008. I'm not exactly sure what to try to get my phosphates up. Any recommendations?

You might also want to consider your lighting difference between your tank and the tank you got the new frags from.

 

[hawaiian_boi]

Stop the Microbacter 7 it is made to reduce phosphates and nitrates. That might be your problem

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[zebrasoma82]

I had green film algae covering my rock that was processing all the phosphate. As soon as i got a huge clean up crew to take care of that, I notice my phosphate increase.

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[Sold4JC]

If you have a fuge you may want to reduce the photo period. I second stopping Microbacter 7.

 

[ReefTron5000]

Yeah I stopped Microbacter7 long ago. It didn't do much.

I did have a fuge but there is no chaeto in there at the moment. Just some live rock and I had a deep sand bed there. I have since pulled out almost half of the sand that is in the refugium chamber.

 

[Sold4JC]

What size is your tank? Does your skimmer room dry or wet?

 

[Sold4JC]

Are you sure your corals aren't reacting negatively to you pulling out half the deep sand bed? I know that can really mess with things.

 

[ReefTron5000]

What size is your tank? Does your skimmer room dry or wet?

About 130 gallon, 48x30x19. Skimmer runs wet I guess? I clean out the cup weekly and there is usually a bit of water in there but the neck is also pretty gunked up.

Are you sure your corals aren't reacting negatively to you pulling out half the deep sand bed? I know that can really mess with things.

No, first there is still sand in there and then the sand I did pull out was done over three different water changes very, very slowly. I wanted to make sure I didn't shock anything with whatever was down there.