Phosphate Questions?????

[TMNZ]

Could you tell me the difference between organic and in-organic phosphate?

What phosphate can you test for? (with deltec or salifert test kits)

Will phosphate removers take out both types of phosphate? (rowaphos etc)

If phosphate is below 0.024 mg/l PO4 3- and nitrate is very very low (deltec and salifert)
What other nutrients are present?
These will feed algae won't they?
How do you go about taking these out? (skimmer, carbon, rowphos etc)

Any help would be great, i am just still struggling with algae problems, and i can't see why this is happening.

750ltr tank
Dart closed loop + tunze 6080 + 8000ltph return pump.
ca 420
Alk 8dkh
po4 0.024 (deltec)
No3 no color (salifert)
Ph 8.1

Regards

 

[JimW]

Might look in reef chemistry forum for these answers. Randy knows his stuff.

 

[Ti]

yeh ask randy

 

[javajaws]

Those test kits only test for inorganic phosphates. Phosphate removers also only remove inorganic phosphates. A skimmer WILL take out organic phosphates...skimming is your friend. Having said that, those organic phosphates will get broken down if not skimmed out and eventually be turned into inorganic phosphate which will be removeable with phosphate removers, etc. But at the same time they will be releasing a continuous stream of phosphate into your system. So long as you export more than you import you will eventually reduce/eliminate the PO4 surplus you now have. Depending on the amount of unmeasurable organic and measurable inorganic phosphates in the tank and the current net surplus/deficit of PO4 that gets added/removed each day...that may occur in a few days or never.

Isn't this hobby great?