What You Should Know About Phosphate
Corals and crabs need this. Too much phosphorus, on the other hand, stops coral from growing or changing color. In its place, bad bacteria can grow. If there is too much phosphate in a reef tank, the fish can get sick. You need to figure out how to control it. Do you know what phosphate means?
Pocite is made up of four oxygen atoms and one phosphorus atom in the middle. That’s when things from plants and animals, like fish waste and food for fish, break down and enter the water.
Why do we need phosphate?
If the water has the right amount of phosphorus, pets and reefs can stay healthy and grow. Coral can bleach and die if it doesn’t get enough calcium or if the calcium level drops too low. They can also get too big if the water doesn’t have enough phosphate. The lack of phosphate and nitrate makes it easy for dinoflagellates to take over because they don’t have to fight for food. But when there is a lot of phosphate, coral turns dark because brown algae grows on it. Corals have a hard time taking in calcium carbonate when there is a lot of phosphate in the water.
Different Ways to Find Out How Much Phosphate There Is
You can find out how much phosphate is in a reef tank in a number of ways. These are the most expensive ones. Remember that it’s hard to find these numbers in a tank with algae because the algae eat the new phosphate right away. If the algae is making you feel bad, these numbers are probably too high.
A photometer checks the brightness of the light. The water has less color when there is more phosphate in it. The photometer figures out how high the water is by looking at what color it is. What you get is shown on a computer screen, and it’s easy to use.
A colorimeter or hand-held tester can also be used to figure out what kind of water a sample of water is. Compared to a photometer, it’s not too pricey.
Most of the time, test kits are the best and least expensive choice. A table lets you compare the color of water samples to find out how much is in them.
The Best Way to Keep the Phosphate Levels High These steps are usually taken to lower phosphorus levels and keep them steady:
1. Mix in some water that doesn’t have phosphates until the amounts are right again. A lot of the time, change the water. Change all of your RO-DI filters when you need to. There shouldn’t be any phosphates in the water you use.
Second, don’t give your fish too much food. That will cause them to make too much trash, which can raise its calcium level.
Third, get a good milk pitcher. The fish tank and fish waste don’t have time to turn into phosphates.
For the fourth time, use things that are made of GFO. Porcines can be soaked up by this dirt. The best way to do it is to use a media generator and change the GFO when it runs out.
5. Put in a refugium: Add the right amount of macroalgae to a refugium to lower the phosphate level on its own.
6. Always add carbon. Giving good bacteria carbon can help them grow. They eat things like nitrates and phosphates. A good protein skimmer cleans the water flow of any extra germs.
What do nitrate and phosphate have to do with each other?
Nitrate and phosphate levels in a tank are connected. For the good bacteria to break down the nitrate, the tank should have just the right amount of phosphate. When there isn’t enough nitrate, it’s also hard for good bacteria to break down phosphate. This number is known as the Redfield Ratio when it comes to carbon.
A lot of phosphate can build up in pleasure reefs. If you keep the right amount, the coral will stay bright, and algae blooms won’t happen. To keep these amounts in check, you should test your RO water and reef tank water often. Also, if you haven’t already, read our pieces about taking care of water. Have fun at the reef!
