What is an acceptable Phosphate level?
- Thread starter woogie
- Start date
I have not tested for phospates in a long time. I used to test and was in the same situation as you. 1ppm. I would imagine this would not be a bad number, except all that algea that is growing in your sandbed is using phosphates and that is what is left over.
If I had the foresight when I started noticing my hair algea problem I would have added my phosphate reactor a lot sooner, to reduce the amount of time it took to clear up. I think even if phosphate is immeasureable on a test, it's still too much if you have unwanted algea..
If I had the foresight when I started noticing my hair algea problem I would have added my phosphate reactor a lot sooner, to reduce the amount of time it took to clear up. I think even if phosphate is immeasureable on a test, it's still too much if you have unwanted algea..
Douglas LEHMAN
Premium Member
Hello
I change out the Rowa-Phos when the reactor effluent reaches .02 ppm on my Hanna meter.
I change out the Rowa-Phos when the reactor effluent reaches .02 ppm on my Hanna meter.
Randy Holmes-Farley has several articles about phosphate I believe. Check out his links in the chemistry forum. The latest Coral magazine also has an article on phosphate. They recommend keeping it below 0.1ppm. I've read that anything above 0.03ppm will begin to affect calcification by corals so that is an even better limit to shoot for. As for a level of "zero", a true zero would not be good as all organisms need phosphate. It is unlikely though that it would ever fall too low unless you do little or no feeding and use phosphate binders. For most test kits and some meters, a 0 reading is what you are aiming for as they generally have very poor sensitivity to low levels so even a 0 reading could be 0.03 to 0.05ppm in some cases.
Allen
Allen
3D-Reef
New member
If your sand is turning brown,then it's not a phosphate problem.It's a silica problem.Do you use RO/DI water?
The brown stuff is little dead bodies of diatoms piling up ontop of each other.Just don't let PETA know your killing millions of critters.(just kidding)
If this is a new tank they will go away in a week or two.
Phosphate should be lower than 0.015mg/l,which is lower than what MOST Po4 hobby kits will read.
The brown stuff is little dead bodies of diatoms piling up ontop of each other.Just don't let PETA know your killing millions of critters.(just kidding)
If this is a new tank they will go away in a week or two.Phosphate should be lower than 0.015mg/l,which is lower than what MOST Po4 hobby kits will read.
