Why is Phosphate bad for Salt water?

[miogpsrocks]

Is Phosphate bad because it leads to algae or is it also bad for corals, fish, inverts,etc...?

Thanks.

 

[shifty51008]

phosphate promotes algae, but you do want a little bit in the tank somewhere around .01-.03 but to much will stun coral growth. fish and most inverts can handle phosphate levels on the higher side though.

 

[miogpsrocks]

phosphate promotes algae, but you do want a little bit in the tank somewhere around .01-.03 but to much will stun coral growth. fish and most inverts can handle phosphate levels on the higher side though.

Does this include the soft corals as well?

 

[toothybugs]

Yup. Though they are a bit more tolerant, they do better in cleaner water like was suggested.

 

[CStrickland]

What they said
Everything that's alive needs phosphate. But coral only like it as part of their food, not free in the water. Algae is less picky so if you keep the free phos low by cleaning out dead stuff and poop and leftover food from the tank before it rots into the water you can keep the life that you want growing happy and have less algae.

 

[Reef Frog]

Grossly excessive phosphate levels are known to inhibit the addition of calcium to the skeletons of reef building corals. In other worlds it keeps them from growing.

Besides nuisance algae in the aquarium, high phosphates in the ocean from agricultural run off can cause algae blooms that can smother a living reef to death and/or cause massive "algae blooms" that are quite toxic, often killing enormous numbers of fish and other animals, even marine mammals.

 

[cloak]

Check this out.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php

HTH.

 

[e048]

High phosphates will cause an influx of zooxanthale in your corals making them turn a dull brown or olive green color.

In my tank I have some green shrooms when I lost a scooter blenny my phosphates went up a little and over the course of a week I saw my bright green shrooms turn an ugly brown. PO4 does that

Also some inverts don't like it too much

 

[hotelbravo]

i personally keep my phosphates around .2 to .3 because i grow macro in the sump. i have anemones and some easy corals that dont seem to mind.

 

[CStrickland]

Also some inverts don't like it too much

Which inverts? I know several are nitrate sensitive, and I guess if you consider calcifying coral "inverts" that would be an issue, but I didn't know phos was a consideration for CUC, nems, etc.

 

[shifty51008]

Clams, anemones, ect are all considered inverts.

 

[CStrickland]

Do clams mind phosphate? I mentioned nems cause I know they don't like nitrates, but hadn't heard they have a phos issue.

 

[hotelbravo]

Do clams mind phosphate? I mentioned nems cause I know they don't like nitrates, but hadn't heard they have a phos issue.

BTAs are very tolerant of nitrates like I mentioned about keeping my phosphates high to grow macro I also keep nitrates high between 20 at the lowest to 80 around the highest

 

[e048]

Clams don't do well with high phosphates neither do starfish or some shrimp while shedding

I had a cleaner shrimp die due to a phosphate spike only reason I can think of is bc he was shedding at the time

Also you'll see less coral growth and stunted fish with high phosphates

 

[ThRoewer]

Phosphate binds calcium and inhibits corals and clams from building their skeletons or shells. This may also apply to coralline algae.

The promotion of algae is by itself not as significant on its own but only a secondary issue. It only becomes significant when the competition from corals and coralline algae goes away.

 

[Sk8r]

Short answer, yes. Both.