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Phosphate Question


cpeguero

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So I recently dealt with my high phosphate issue, only to go in the opposite direction….. My phosphates are now undetectable, after starting to dose potassium nitrate.

 

Now, nitrate is staying around 2-3 ppm. I’m still working through a few ideas on getting phosphate up, but wanted to get inputs from the community on how you all do it.

 

I currently have my skimmer set to run for just a half hour during the day. Just cut the photo period on my fuge down to 4 hours at night. I run fleece rollers and dose kalk at night. Also dose Microbactr 7 once per week

 

pH runs 8.3-8.6; Alk 9-ish

 

Aside from further adjusting fuge photo period, other thoughts on getting phosphates up?

 

 

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In my limited experience, dosing potassium nitrate to raise nitrates will also lower phosphates. I would consider dosing potassium phosphate to bring the phosphate up along with your nitrate dosing as raising one will usually lower the other. 

Edited by xabo
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They do sell phosphate additives, but feeding a little extra nori or a little extra frozen food would likely have the desired effect.  I feed lots of frozen and have continuously high phosphate, so I do think it contributes! :lol2:

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Thanks for the responses. I was hoping to avoid dosing potassium phosphate, but might just have to do that. I started dosing potassium nitrate specifically to get phosphate down, but it’s working too well, lol.

I use a plank auto feeder and already increased feeding 25%. Will try feeding some frozen more regularly and see if that helps.

Otherwise, I may just have to dose and be done with it.


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Oh the woes! Too little phosphate! ?

 

I used to dose phosphate, but I bumped up the food dosing. Now I need to deal with the opposite issue. ? 

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just ordered some potassium phosphate. Need to stop the coral loss....

 

Only problem with upping the food dose is that my fish are already fat..... guess that means I need more fish :biggrin::fish:

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5 years ago, I started feeding frozen exclusively. I’ve found everything has been happier, although it’s not great on my wallet. 
 

i don’t test for phosphate, but when members get coral from me and test the water, I’ve been told phosphate is low, which is always a shock to me…

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